For those new to this colloquialism, the term ‘concrete cowboy’ is generally used to denote a person who is often seen wearing rugged Chelsea boots and blue jeans but wouldn’t know the first thing about life on a farm. In some ways, modern utes and pickup trucks have fallen victim to a similar phenomenon, developed to tackle the toughest of terrain but instead spending their lives resigned to an urban commute at the hands of a tax accountant.
But what if there was a ute that could actually succeed at both duties? What if it could go anywhere and tow most things but not look out of place at the hands of said accountant! Arguably, that ute would be the Volkswagen Amarok.
Meaning wolf in Inuit (indigenous people of the Arctic), Volkswagen first debuted the Amarok to the world back in 2010 and the first generation’s success resulted in the birth of this second generation vehicle in 2022. The demand for which has been so great that it prompted Volkswagen New Zealand to release a special run of 80 units of this V6 Style model.
While the first generation Amarok was entirely a ground-up VW product, this second generation vehicle was built on a shared platform as part of a global alliance with the ‘Blue Oval’. The result of which led to unfounded criticism around the trueness of its VW badge, remember that this Amarok only shares the roof with its counterpart, all other body panels are the work of Volkswagen and it certainly looks distinctive enough. Whether its the new badging on the nose, tailgate or the 4Motion graphics on the side, it’s pure VW where it matters. It better be too because short of the large vans/campers, the Amarok is just about the biggest thing Volkswagen make! Measuring in at 5.35m long, 2.2m wide and 1.89m tall, it’s on the money as far as this ute segment goes.
Add ‘Style’ to the above and you have a truck that is so distinctly VW, even down to that chrome highlighted grille which resembles a smile from some angles. It is certainly partial to a bit of bling with the rear bumper trimmed in the stuff as well as that prominent bar above the tray. Note the shiny door handles and mirror caps too, ensuring that this Amarok wouldn’t look out of place on Ponsonby Road. Distinctive 18 inch ‘Amadora’ alloy wheels further add to the Style’s design appeal. This particular model was painted in the ‘Carbonite Grey’ shade but those looking for more colourful options will have to look further afield at the ‘PanAmericana’ or ‘Aventura’ which add ‘Agate Black’, ‘Lucid Red’ and ‘Reed Green Metallic’ to the mix. The Style offers a total of four colour options, all of which are shades of the “German rainbow” (white, black, grey).
Yes, the V6 Style looks eye catching for a ute but it is still a vehicle that has been designed for work. Payload has been rated at a whopping 964kg and it can tow 3500kg (3.5t braked) so don’t be fooled by its bling because this is very much a workhorse. A traditional body on frame ute with leaf springs under the tray, it doesn’t get much more robust than this! Did I mention that the tray has been designed to fit a Euro pallet as well?
There’s more numbers to talk about as well, approach/departure angles rated at 30/25.6 degrees respectively and the Amarok has a wading depth of 800mm with 217mm of ground clearance which will dwarf even the meatiest of speedhumps!
Then you climb into the interior and discover Volkswagen’s secret recipe, they’ve managed to create a ute that is capable yet still comfortable to sit in, almost car-like to some extent. There’s ‘Savona’ leather upholstered seating on this Style variant, highlighted with brown trim that also extends onto the door and dashboard. Faux wood trim surrounds the gear shifter and upper glovebox lid but this is more for a perceived sense of plushness . It’s practical too with passengers enjoying sizable door cubby storage as well as under-armrest space along with those two gloveboxes.
Reinforcing its inherent VW-ness is the steering wheel with buttons rather than touch capacitive icons, for convenience. Also note the suite of Volkswagen tuned software, both of which mean that someone who has perhaps come from a Tiguan or Touareg would feel right at home behind the wheel of this Amarok. My earlier statement about the interior feeling car-like still rings true because it’s easy to find a comfortable driving position but getting used to the tech can be a different story, some of its sub-menus feel overwhelming at times. All of that changes though when you look from side to side and see how high you are riding over traffic, level only with bus drivers and other ute occupants, prompting me to flick over to my country music playlist, the keener eyed among you would have spotted Ella Langley playing in the above photo.
And yes, you do sit quite high in the Amarok, it’s apparent that those A-pillar mounted grab handles are not just for display, you do actually need to grab onto them as you clamber into the cab. Although there are running boards to help, older occupants may find climbing in or dismounting to be a challenge. The high riding position also means that visibility can be compromised both out front or through the rear mirrors so it is just as well that the Amarok has larger mirrors. When parking, the Area View (360 degree camera) quickly engages, making light work of the city’s tight spaces. If you are an urban dwelling prospective Amarok owner, make note of its height because you might be clipping the limit of some of the city’s older parking buildings.
When you’re not trying to park it, the Amarok actually trundles along with ease. That 3L turbo diesel V6 puts out 184kW and 600Nm, making light work of pulling away from traffic lights or anything really. And although it is susceptible to a bouncy ride if you’re driving around with the tray unladen, this settles a bit once you’re at motorway speeds and letting the 10-speed automatic gearbox do its thing, this is also when it gets a change to redeem itself on the efficiency front. Claimed average is 9.6L/100km but my time with the vehicle saw me record circa 10.2L/100km which is not terribly off the mark. In general though, the Amarok has become renowned for offering one of the better rides in the segment, a statement that still rings through today.
The Verdict
Volkswagen’s Amarok has become renowned as one of the more city friendly utes but as my title will have you know, that’s not to its detriment, the figures prove that this is an immensely capable ute. In this Style trim, it offers plenty of chrome accents, a leather interior and a generally refined ride for its segment. However, it is a whopping $92,990 without options and while pricey, it also offers the same desirable V6 engine that is available in the premiums trims so you can also view it as a cut-price range topper.
2026 Volkswagen Amarok V6 Style: 4/5
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Vehicle courtesy of Volkswagen New Zealand. Photographs and words by Matthew D’Souza.
