Everyone seems to like it: Award panel judges, media, passers-by, parents and even children. It’s no wonder then that monkeys like it too.The ZACS test car in question: VW’s new Amarok 2.0 TDI 4motion.
It was only while I was watching Curious George with my daughter that it became clear: VW knew what it needed to do to please its future customers, as far back as 2006 (two years before spy shots even emerged) with the Amarok. And a clever plan it was.
Clovis – the crazy-haired inventor in the film – drove a bright red VW pick-up which turned out to be the car-star. Out Amarok was no less striking in chocolate-brown. Certainly, driving around in the Amarok, you get the sense that it’s a head turner. I was not sure whether it was the fact that it was the first time many of the gawkers had seen this VW ute, or if it was the dashing styling which is rarely seen in bakkies.
Whatever it was, it was not unpleasant and as such the Amarok will sell in droves and win over many a detractor if not simply for the fact that it bares a VW badge on the grill and tailgate. VW is no stranger to commercial vehicles. In fact, it is a big part of its business in Europe and is gaining traction locally too. You should not be surprised then to find out that the Amarok is really good for its intended purpose: moving goods.
Quite co-incidentally it happened that I was moving house when the Amarok unexpectedly arrived for review. Thus it reported for duty as the designated delicate goods carrier. Through a number of short trips throughout the urban areas spanning the distance between the two houses, it still managed to return strikingly good consumption figures – which only got better when it was called into action as a commuter car to work and back for the remainder of the test period. I would go far as to say that it rivaled most diesel sedans that I’ve tested, in the consumption stakes and in some cases was even more frugal than some small diesel SUVs.
Core to this is its new two-litre twin-turbo diesel power plant, endowing this endearing ape-carrier with 120 kW and 400Nm of torque. Though, it was not the first time that ZA Car Show had experienced this power plant, having driven the new-look VW Caravelle a couple of weeks before. The engine is more suited to the Amarok than the people carrier in which it felt a little underpowered. It’s slightly gruffer and more agricultural in this application, and mated to a fully electronic high- and low-range gearbox which, I guess, lends itself to the character of a double cab bakkie in general.
You might baulk at the price of R390 000 for this commodious five-seater, but compared with its like-for-like peers, such as the Nissan Navara 2.5dCI LE 4×4 (R404 150); Toyota Legend 40 Raider 3.0 D-4D Raided Body (R366 000); Ford Ranger 3.0 TDCi XLT 4×4 (R393 000); Ford Wildtrak 3.0TDCI 4×4 (R421 870); and Isuzu KB300 D-Tec LX 4×4 (R385 400); it is aimed squarely at the competition. No problem. For that price you get the typical VW passenger car refinement and, critically, feel without being too utilitarian, although some materials are clearly built for longevity.
Like George, when he first makes his way to New York from the jungles of Africa, it lacks some refinement but nothing that could not be sorte out with a bit of coaching. But despite this, as George grows on Ted, the Amarok grows on you to such an extent that driving a bakkie in a work commute becomes quite enjoyable and easy to live with. You forgive its naughty streak and obvious flaws because it’s cool. It’s cooler than the other monkeys because it has a little something so often lacking in cars and most definitely pick-up trucks: character.
NAAMSA sales figures for January show that 406 units of the Amarok were sold comfortably outselling the Mazda BT-50, Ford Ranger and even the Nissan Navara, eclipsed only by Isuzu and Toyota, both of which have a large model range of commercial fleet vehicles.
It deserves all of its awards and accolades. It deserves the praise it gets but perhaps most importantly, I actually loved driving it and was loathed to give it back. For someone who hates the thought of bakkies, let alone having to drive one on a daily basis, that is the highest praise of all.
Pictures: Courtesy of Universal Pictures: Curious George (2006)
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