the Bucket: Bucket Seat: VW Amarok PanAmericana 3.0 TDI V6

There was much talk about Volkswagen's collaboration with Ford for the new Ranger and Amarok bakkies when news first broke. We in the motoring industry have seen collab's in the past which went horribly wrong and some just didn't do much for the buyer. With Ford's expansion into their Silverton Plant just outside Pretoria, to accommodate the massive range of vehicles it would be assembling, it became very apparent that this was no ordinary platform to base your bakkie off. When covers were first lifted on the new Ranger, there was the quiet murmur in the background about how different would the Amarok look if it was based on the same chassis? Well, our questions were soon answered when VW lifted the covers off their new Amarok, the design left everyone in awe, with clear VW design language present but then the next question was the pricing, since Ford already released their's which was pretty competitive, all eyes again shifted focus to VW South Africa to see if it would be similar or competitive, again they didn't disappoint with the Amarok price point hitting the right marks on all fronts. Unfortunately I didn't get to attend any of the launches or road shows so my first taste of the Amarok had to come from the test fleet and first up with the PanAmericana, it sits just one below the range topping Aventura but still comes power by that beastly V6 motor, I spent a week with the van and here are my thoughts on it.

DESIGN

Yes, while based on the Ranger platform, its easy to draw similarities with the design lines of the car but there is Volkswagen DNA running through the car from front to the back. The front of the car is menacing with its tall stance, winged type front design with the the grille being the focal point of the design, it's blacked out with outlines going down to the bumper finish off with a blacked out scuff plate. Chrome lines run horizontally across the grill to meet with the IQ LED headlight clusters, which are rhomboid in shape. The tiny V6 badge sits to the left of the grille, small but still prominent. The large VW logo badge sits dead center with the title "Amarok" embossed in the bumper just above the number plate housing. The side profile of the bakkie gives you an idea of how high this double cab bakkie actually is, with significant gap between the tyre and the wheel arches, exposing the shocks and other mechanical elements, giving it a menacing look even from the side. The PanAmericana comes with black decals with stickers on the side and the large 18-inch rims blacked out wrapped with all-terrain tyres. The rear end with the bin is a basic design with the rear tail light design being decent but nothing extravagant, this is the business end of the bakkie so you won't expect much in that aspect but the bin does come with roll bars finished in black that extend to almost the full length of the bin. Overall, very visually pleasing looking van, fitted for its lifestyle purpose.

PERFORMANCE

Fitted with that Ford 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel engine, the performance figures are quite impressive, with the engine churning out 184kW and 600Nm of torque, so this big boy isn't a slouch on the roads. In fact, certain times on take off I caught myself spinning the tyres because of the amount of torque it was putting down. The Amarok also comes with the 10-speed automatic gearbox from the Ranger and is fitted with the "e-shifter" which best party trick is moving into park when switched off and left in gear. Most of the times I found myself alone in the car with no load what-so-ever, so while I had all that power available to me under the hood, I didn't really need it, which did make the average fuel consumption a bit high, especially since I had a V6 at my disposal so you tend to be a bit heavy footed with it. In saying that, the Amarok is aimed more as a premium lifestyle bakkie so it won't necessarily be a work-horse bakkie, more family orientated, sports activity kind of purpose. For that, I think its more than adequate to handle the pressures faced for those loads. The tow hitch is rather solid, with it being a permanent fixture, which can be removed by taking out the pin, but it also serves as nice protection for the rear, should anyone not slow down in time and drive into you. The ride quality is pretty much standard of what you would expect from a bakkie but I must add, compared to its step brother, the Ranger, it is much smoother on the Amarok. Body roll is minimised as well, especially when traveling at high-speeds. It has a decent turning circle for a car this size and with the 4Motion all wheel drive, going off road was easy peezy.

COMFORT

With it being one of the range toppers, the Amarok comes fitted with quality textures and trims on the interior. With the large 12.4-inch touch screen infotainment screen being the focal point of the cabin, the general design of it is very in keeping of what we used from VW. The edginess and modern look to it gives you a comfortable yet attractive space to be in. The screen serves as the command center for most of the cabins controls, including the climate control, there are toggles below to activate the various menus on the screen. The operating system has built-in mobile apps which can be connected via USB or wirelessly, there is USB B and C ports for the front and a wireless charging mat. The leather seats are finished in two-tone leather which can be customized, and its really good quality. The PanAmericana comes with seat heating standard but for the ventilation option, you have to pay extra. The rear passengers enjoy a decent about of space, given that this is a double cab bakkie but its more than enough to get three adults in there. I would have liked the bin to come standard with a bin lid or cover but unfortunately that is also an optional extra. There is a power outlet in the rear passenger section as well as one in the bin, which makes it very handy for plugging in all sorts of accessories.

VERDICT

While the Amarok PanAmericana is aimed more as a lifestyle van, it can serve a dual purpose as a functional workhorse. The refinement in the drive and feel of the interior finishes distinguishes it from the other brand even though they are assembled on the same line. The off roading capabilities on the new Amarok surpass the old one by a mile, its much more agile on the roads less travelled and in this form gained a lot from sharing its platform with the Ranger. At times I hardly had to fiddle with the 4motion controls as the car was capable of most things running on 2H. Overall, the appeal of the Amarok is there, the higher end models might be an overkill for some as I've heard the 2.0BiTDI offers a good mixture of both with out the larger engine. With the increase in fuel price happening more often, this might be the better buy but I'll confirm that after testing it out.