In a leisure double cab market increasingly populated by luxury bakkies priced over R1m, there is a subsegment of models that offer a mix of business and leisure for less than R700,000.
Volkswagen’s base Amarok double cab sells for R669,700 and comes with a black front bumper instead of colour-coded to the body as in upper-spec versions. It has cloth seats in place of leather, and the floor has a hard-wearing rubber covering rather than carpets.
It lacks features such as lane-keeping assist, keyless operation and electrically adjustable seats as found in upper-end Amaroks, but overall it’s a satisfying level of gadgets that doesn’t leave you feeling shortchanged.
The base Amarok double cab avoids feeling like a down-spec workhorse and comes with a decent array of comforts to serve as a family leisure vehicle. The manually adjusted, cloth-covered seats are comfortable and have good side support, while the steering column adjusts for both height and reach to cater for various-sized drivers.
The infotainment system, while offering a smaller 10” screen than the 12” one in higher-spec Amarok variants, is still large and offers modern conveniences such as wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Most of the functions are touchscreen controlled, with physical buttons reduced to a minimum inside the uncluttered cabin.
It is all relatively user friendly except for the finicky icon-activated aircon and ventilation controls. For a frequently used function like setting the cabin climate, I would prefer old-fashioned knobs and buttons.
Other standard features in the most affordable Amarok double cab include a digital instrument panel, cruise control, trip computer, four-speaker audio system, USB charging ports, reversing camera and remote central locking. It has rain-sensing wipers and automatic LED headlights too.
Safety spec is also comprehensive with seven airbags, ABS brakes and stability control. With only rear-wheel drive, the bakkie isn’t suited to hardcore off-roading, though its elevated 237mm ground clearance and rear diff lock provide some adventure-driving capability.
It is a practical workhorse with an above-average 1,125kg payload capacity, a standard tow hitch and a braked towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes. It has a full-sized steel spare wheel.
The next model up is the Amarok Life automatic at R704,700, which adds two-pedal convenience and extra features such as front park distance control, LED fog lamps, lumbar support adjustment for the front seats and a lockable tailgate via the remote central locking system (in the base Amarok the tailgate must be separately locked).
With outputs of 125kW and 405Nm, the entry-level Amarok double cab has enough gusto for easy cruising and overtaking. The manual bakkie lacks the two-pedal convenience of an auto particularly in heavy traffic; the light clutch and positive-shifting lever take some of the chore out of driving, however. Also, a benefit of the manual transmission is that it allows you to rev past the diesel engine’s slight turbo lag in a standing start. There are driving modes for Eco, Normal and Slippery.
With a fuel tank capacity of 80l, the test vehicle averaged a fairly frugal 8.5l/100km, though VW quotes an official 6.9l figure.
It’s a refined bakkie that cruises without unpleasant acoustic intrusions, with engine and wind noise well suppressed. It rides comfortably too on high-profile 17” tyres, even with no load in the back.
Priced at R669,700, including a five-year/150,000km warranty and five-year/100,000km maintenance plan, the baseline Amarok offers a good combo of workhorse and leisure capability at a lower price point in VW’s double-cab range, albeit at a premium over most rivals in the segment.
It offers most of the important comforts while cutting out expensive frills, and tops it off with good performance, decent fuel economy and satisfying refinement.
THE COMPETITION
• Nissan Navara 2.5 DDTi double cab SE Plus manual, 120kW/403Nm — R595,000
• JAC T9 2.0 CTI double cab Super Lux auto, 125kW/410Nm — R599,900
• Foton Tunland G7 2.0 TD double cab Limited 4x4, 120kW/390Nm - R599,900
• GWM P300 2.4T double cab LT auto, 135kW/480Nm — R599,900
• Toyota Hilux 2.4 GD-6 double cab Raider manual, 110kW/400Nm — R612,100
• Ford Ranger 2.0 SiT double cab XL manual, 125kW/405Nm — R620,000
• Isuzu D-Max 1.9 TD double cab LS X-Rider manual, 110kW/350Nm — R652,500
• Peugeot Landtrek 1.9 TD double cab Allure, 110kW/350Nm — R653,900
• Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 DI-D double cab GLS auto, 135kW/430Nm — R679,900
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