the Bucket: Bucket Seat: Volkswagen Amarok 2.0 BiTDI 4Motion

A while back I had one of the range topping Amarok's to drive around in, the Pan Americana V6 and while the 3.0L V6 was a lovely engine to drive around with, the diesel price was taking a huge knock with it ascending in price faster than Bitcoin can crash. While there are some that don't really bother with the price of fuel, for many of us, making it pay cheque to pay cheque every month, something a bit economical would be preferred. That is where my next test vehicle came in to be the saving grace, almost like Superman it was also in Bright Blue but minus the cape and red speedo, the Volkswagen Amarok 2.0-litre BiTDI rolled into my driveway for 7 days of testing and what I really wanted to deduce from this bakkie is how economical this new engine is. As we all know now, the Amarok and new Ford Ranger share the same platform and are built in the same factory up the road there in Silverton, there are minor tweaks to suspension and other mechanical stuff but at the heart of it, so to many its practically a Ford on paper. I wanted to also see how true that was an what other things differentiate this from its twin other than the different badge on the grille.

DESIGN

Like the PanAmericana, the design is very much the same without the graphics and black inserts, to me the the styling on the "Style" package looks more refined and, I want to use the word elegant but I don't think that Volkswagen or any bakkie owner would appreciate that term, so I'm just going to say it looks a lot cleaner. The brushed aluminium bash plate contrasts well with the Bright Blue colour and rounds off the front end quite nicely. The IQ LED headlights are a main focal point of the car as its not only functional but also serves as a cool design element too. The clean grille and large VW emblem complete the front of the car quite nicely, the profile of the car looks the same as any but I like that they come standard with the side step because even for me, standing at 1,83 meters, the clearance on the Amarok is quite high so help is needed to get into it, not to mention the side step adds more design charactor to the car. The bin has the roll bar on it which like the PanAmericana, extends almost the entire bin but on the Style its finished in shiny chrome, another functional element that is also a nice design feature. The rear lights of the Amarok are quite stylish, I don't think I touched much on this in the other review , but there is a nice element of design to it with the white reverse lights in the center. The design of the door of the bin is also integrated into the lights with the double lines following the top and bottom of the tailgate. Another large VW badge is featured dead centre with the name "Amarok" punched into the mental. Has that large American pick-up look and feel to it.

PERFORMANCE

Right, coming back to the engine, what the brochure will tell you that the Amarok 2.0-litre BiTDI which is mated to a 10-speed automatic gearbox with "E-Shifter" (sorry VW fanboys, no DSG here) produces 154kW and 500Nm of torque. Ample power for a bakke this size, but more than 50% of the buyers won't care about that, the only time that matters is when they standing with a group of their mates and bragging about their cars, "Yas okes, my bakkie can klap your car in a rce, its pushing 154kW on the wheels my China". The real test is the consumption of this beast on the daily run around and commutes versus the long distance travels, which is why I am here and that is exactly what I did. Filling up this bad boy, like the Ranger will bring tears to your eyes, no its not from the petrol fumes burning your eyes, but from the bouser screen looking like a slot machine spinning out of control with you screaming in your head "MAKE IT STOP!". Guys filling up 80-litres ain't no joke, you're forking out over 2 grand every time you pomp a full tank, that is not lekker so the least you can expect from the car is to give you some decent return. That's where the 2.0-litre shines in my opinion. Basic running around town saw me average little over 10 litres per 100km, yes, I know that is still quite high but for a bakkie that weighs over 2 tonnes, not so much and it gets better over long distances where I managed to get it down to 7.9L per 100km which is close to the claimed 7.5L in the brochure. A single tank gave me approximately 900km, thats less than a litre every 10km. I didn't do much dirt road driving with it but it managed pothole riddled roads with ease and the steering was nimble enough to dodge the bigger ones even when spotted late.

COMFORT

One really can't talk much about comfort when it comes to a bakkie but the guys at Silverton cooked something different with this Amarok. The suspension in the car makes the drive so smooth, even with the Multi-Terrain tyres, the car didn't bounce around like a basket ball during a Harlem Globetrotters exhibition. The tyres do make a hell of a lot of noise in the cabin but that's fine because the Harman Kardon sound system is there to drown that out. The interior is spec'd similar to the PanAmericana but with different options of textures and trims. The 12.4-inch screen remains the main attraction with physical switches below it for menu activation and a volume knob. With the electronic handbrake, it gives the center consol a lot more room for the 4x4 controls which consists of a dial to select the type drive you want and the buttons for diff lock, traction and other off-road uses. The seats are finished off in two-tone leather seats with perforations and sporty design. This particular model came with heated seats and there is an option for cooling as well. The front passenger and driver get dual climate control with the rear passengers getting vents and USB charging ports. The front also gets two USB ports (USB C + USB A) along with a wireless charging tray.

VERDICT

Overall, the VW Amarok 2.0L BiTDI really proved its worth to me, as a work horse and as a family / recreational vehicle. Just like the PanAmericana, it can serve the dual purpose with ease being a versatile bakkie or a family car. There are elements to it that seem a bit cheap, like the coating the bin is finished in, looks like its been sprayed with some adhesive but there are cool elements like a power outlet in the bin and also a measure on the bin door. The car drives really well and gives a decent fuel economy which is rare to find on big bakkies these days. It's truly a good contender for those looking at getting a double cab to purchase.