rok THE Veld

AHEAD OF ITS DEBUT IN AUSTRALIA, WE GET A TASTE OF THE RANGER-BASED 2023 VOLKSWAGEN AMAROK.

- JĘZ SPINKS

We're driving the new Volkswagen W Amarok at its launch in south Africa where the Ford Ranger-based will be manufactured. The European brands one-tonner, due here in April, once again enters a fray dominated by the Japanese, yet this time it's not doing so quite so single-handedly - co-developing Amarok MkII with the latest version of the Aussie-American Ford Ranger. Shared platform, shared drivetrains, shared technology, and shared roof, glass area, door handles and side-mirror caps. Shared sales might be trickier, simply because, unlike Ford and other key rivals, VW Australia has chosen to eschew cab-chassis, 4x2 and singlecab sub-segments - throwing its entire marketing payload into the dual-cab 4WD category. 4x2 and single-cab version will still be available in other markets.

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AMAROK pricing has yet to be finalised, but we know it will be higher across the range. And higher than the Ranger. Volkswagen is pitching it as the segment's 'premium ute', trading on a combination of upmarket interior and heavily loaded standard specification.

Five model grades have been confirmed for Australia, with the next set of Walkinshaw-badged specials not expected until 2024.

Every grade has, at a minimum, a large infotainment display (10 or 12 inches), wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless phone charging, LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping aids, rear parking sensors, speed-limit notification, and nine airbags (five more than the previously).

A vinyl-floored Core returns as the base model, and the Life adds more niceties before the mid-pack Style tipped to be the most popular variant and to cost from mid-to high $60K before on-roads - ramps up the list of fancier features and exterior addenda.