SA-built Amarok is world’s best bakkie!

December 14, 2023

The joint winner of the 2024 International Pick-up Award is the locally-built Amarok from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. The award was announced at the recent Solutrans exhibition in Lyon, France.

This is the third time that the Amarok has won the International Pick-up Award, having also driven off with the sought-after prize in 2011 and 2017. The victory was announced following October’s extensive testing of the competition finalists in Greece, which was attended by FOCUS editorial director, Charleen Clarke, South Africa’s representative on the jury.

“Following the International Pick-up Award 2023 group test held in Greece last month, the new Amarok impressed. Despite being a collaboration project, the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles design team has managed to maintain the company’s unique styling and driving traits, which customers will appreciate,” elaborates Jarlath Sweeney, chairperson of the International Pick-up Award jury.

“This seventh running of the International Pick-up Award sees the new generation Amarok adding to the titles it won in 2011 and 2017… this time with the upgraded version,” he continues. This also means that the Amarok has come up trumps with each of its latest models in the first, fourth and now seventh instalments of the international pick-up test.

“The Amarok is a pick-up that delivers reliable performance both on and off the road; it impressed the jury in both cases. The ‘International Pick-up Award’ for 2024 and 2025 means the Amarok has already achieved the ‘treble’ in just 14 years of production. This demonstration of trust honours the entire team at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. We would like to say thank you!” Karl Bernqvist, member of the brand management board responsible for procurement at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, told the 1,300 guests invited to the gala dinner at the Solutrans trade show award ceremony in Lyon.

International Pick-up Award chairperson Jarlath Sweeney (right) and Karl Bernqvist (left), member of the brand management board responsible for procurement at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, at the award ceremony in Lyon.

The new Amarok is built exclusively at South Africa’s Silverton plant and is already available to order in most markets. It has taken to roads as well as routes off the beaten track around the world with enthusiasm, and the demand for models is, in some cases, higher than the available supply during the ramp-up phase of production. This means that in some markets, the Amarok and certain model variants are already sold out for 2023.

More than 25 assistance systems, displays with up to 12.3-inch screens, a practical mix of digital and analogue controls, and high-quality materials ensure a premium-class feeling on board the new Amarok, depending on the individual model. Thanks to a payload of up to 1.2 tonnes, a maximum trailer weight of up to 3.5 tonnes, and an improved cargo box design, the new Amarok masters every conceivable work and leisure task.

In South Africa, the new Amarok range is available in the following trim lines: Amarok (Single Cab and Double Cab base models), Life, Style, PanAmericana, and the top-of-the-range Aventura.

Modern driver assistance systems across the range include an area view 360° camera, Adaptive Cruise Control, Rear Traffic Alert, electronic parking brake, Blind Spot Detection, Lane Assist, Park Assist, Light Assist, Evasive Steering, and Front Assist. Up to six different driving profiles (Drive Modes) assist the driver in a variety of situations – for instance, when driving on slippery surfaces or on demanding off-road terrain.

The bakkie now has a fording depth of 80cm, significantly up from the previous 50cm. Shorter overhangs and the powerful engine/gearbox combinations also contribute to the exceptional off-road characteristics of the bakkie.

In South Africa, the new Amarok is available in four turbodiesel (TDI) engines, with efficiency and high levels of torque the qualities common to all engines. The base specification engine is a four-cylinder, 2.0-litre TDI delivering 110kW, while in terms of power output, the next engine is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder TDI delivering 125kW. At the third level, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is offering a four-cylinder TDI engine with 2.0 litres of cubic capacity and bi-turbocharging, which develops 154kW of power. The new top TDI engine is the 3.0-litre V6 developing a power output of 184kW.

All Amarok versions with a power output of 154kW or more come standard with the new 10-speed automatic gearbox served via a shift-by-wire system. This replaces the eight-speed automatic transmission of the predecessor model. In addition, there are also five- and six-speed manual gearboxes as well as a six-speed automatic gearbox.

The new Volkswagen Amarok went on sale in South Africa on 18 March 2023, after Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles sold over 830,000 units of the previous generation Amarok globally. The outgoing Volkswagen Amarok was launched in South Africa in 2010, with over 42,000 units having been sold in the local market.