1969 Volkswagen 1600 Reviews

Having spent three months living with a Volkswagen ID.5 this year and knowing that it’s reportedly set to be discontinued, I can now tell you what I really think of this electric mid-sized SUV.Well, I always tell you what I really think and you can read my long-term review of the ID.5 where I call out where it missed the mark. But it still bothers me that Volkswagen dropped the ball so badly with its first electric car (alongside the ID.4) for Australia.If you don’t know the ID.5 is an SUV about the size of a Volkswagen Tiguan and it’s the coupe-ish version its ID.4 twin. At about $63,000 it's the same price as a mid-range Tiguan, too. The problem is, it's not a Tiguan.Fortunately it appears Volkswagen has realised this and the ID.5 looks set to eventually be axed and the ID.4 will be replaced by a new model called the ID.Tiguan.Volkswagen would be hoping that the overhaul addresses the ID.4 and 5's issues. With Chinese car companies gaining so much ground Volkswagen can’t afford to get it wrong.Really the issues with the ID.5 and ID.4 are to do with practicality and utility which are two of the pillars on which Volkswagen has built its reputation.The ID.4 and ID.5 have poor practicality and utility compared to other mid-sized electric SUVs and there’s absolutely no excuse. We rate cars based on whether they are fit for purpose and neither of those models are fit for purpose as a family SUV.Passenger space isn’t great, cabin storage is almost non-existent, the boot size isn’t large enough and there's no front boot.It boggles my mind that a car with a 2.8m wheelbase (the Tiguan’s is 2.7m) and with no bulky combustion engine, transmission or driveshaft eating into the passenger cell could have such poor cabin space and storage.Again, this is coming from a family car perspective. If you don't require that much space or utility, it's a lovely EV to drive.Volkswagen Group’s Head of Design Klaus Zyciora oversaw the ID.4 and ID.5. He’d been with Volkswagen for 35 years and worked on everything from the Mk IV Golf onwards, including the Tiguan. There are videos of Zyciora walking us through the design of the ID.4 and ID.5 and, like a detective trying to put the pieces of a crime together, I’ve watched them to discover the motive behind this automotive misdemeanour.I do like the exterior design of the ID.4 and ID.5 with its curvy and muscular lines, and the interior is also visually pleasing in a minimalist way, but the car is a perfect example of form over function.Well it’s not Zyciora’s problem any more. He's now Vice President and Global Head of Design for Chinese carmaker Changan. Zycior was replaced by Michael Mauer in 2023 as Volkswagen Group’s new design boss. Mauer arrived having designed every Porsche since 2004 inside and out, and while that also includes the polarising 2007 Cayenne facelift, he also penned the beautiful 991 911, 918 Spyder, Macan and Taycan.With Zycior gone, Mauer would have been part of the clean-up team to fix the ID.4 and ID.5 before handing over the reins to the Group’s current design chief Andreas Mindt in 2026. By the time Mindt arrived in March this year the ID.Tiguan had been snapped cold weather testing in Germany a month before.Will the new ID.Tiguan come with all the practicality and utility problems fixed? It will be based on the MEB+ platform which is an evolution of what underpins the ID.4 and ID.5, so hopefully.It’s likely the ID.Tiguan will be revealed this year and go on sale in 2027. When will it come to Australia? Well, it took the ID.4 and ID.5 five years to reach us after they launched in Europe but I doubt we will be waiting that long this time.But when it does arrive you can bet I’ll be checking to see if VW dropped the ball again or if they got it right.

It has become the great debate in the car industry - have we reached peak ute?Put simply, has the ute market hit its sales limit in terms of volume or can new models and variants attract new buyers to the segment? The answer to these questions is crucial to the future success or failure of some of Australia's most successful new vehicles, as well as highly anticipated newcomers.Looking at the data, it seems like there is a limit on just how many utes Australians are willing and able to buy. In 2025 the ute segment grew only 2.7 per cent over 2024, despite 12 new entrants from several new brands - including Kia, BYD, MG, Foton and GWM.Things have not improved in the first eight months of 2026, sales of utes remain down, especially in the 4x4 segment which has recorded an 13.6 per cent drop.This ‘peak ute’ debate began in January 2025 thanks to comments from then-Toyota Australia boss, Sean Hanley, who admitted he wasn’t confident that more utes arriving would equal more sales overall.“I’m not necessarily sharing a view that it's going to grow astronomically because of the new entrants,” he said. “It may, I could be wrong, but it’ll be interesting to watch.“Looking towards the future, we already know that the number of ute models available to Australian buyers will expand rapidly.“They’ll be competing for an overall ute market that is likely to remain steady, which suggests that the average sales per model will come down as a result.”However, Hanley’s comments have naturally created some push back across the industry, and Volkswagen is the latest brand to weigh in on the debate. Michael Cenci, Volkswagen Australia Product Manager for the Amarok, suggested that Toyota’s perspective on the ute market is driven out of concern for how the latest generation HiLux will perform, as it is an updated, rather than all-new model.Cenci was talking at the introduction of the new Amarok W600, the locally developed special edition of the German brand’s ute built in partnership with Walkinshaw Automotive Group.Positioned as a ‘driver’s car’ rather than an off-road-focused ute like the Ford Ranger Raptor, Mitsubishi Triton Raider and Nissan Navara Warrior, Cenci believes it gives the brand a chance to find clear space in the segment.“ It's a tricky question,” Cenci admitted. “I personally think that wasn't said from a position of strength. I think since that comment was made, there's been so much innovation in the segment, and so many new players, that I don't think you can honestly say that peak ute was reached three, four years ago, however long it was."There's always something new. There's always new avenues to explore. We're exploring one right now. We've created a zig instead of a zag, as you said. We're doing stuff that no one else is doing and that's what innovation in the space is all about. So I don't think we've reached peak ute.“In terms of sales numbers, and as you spoke about before, cutting the pie thinner and thinner. Maybe that's one perspective to look at it, but I don't think that was the intention of the comment. I think the comment was more to do with the actual vehicle offering itself. And I don't believe that's true, no.”Cenci is seemingly referring to the success of newer models like the BYD Shark 6, a plug-in hybrid ute from a Chinese brand with no history in the segment which has still managed to become a sales force. This could be interpreted as an opportunity for other brands to broaden their appeal by offering newer, more efficient powertrain choices than the traditional turbo-diesel engine.But it also explains Volkswagen’s attitude towards the Amarok, specifically the W600, which is designed to be deliberately different from its would-be competitors. “That's the exciting part of the automotive industry,” added Annette Moelhoff, Volkswagen Australia Senior Communications Manager. “It's ever-evolving, ever-changing. I don't think there is such a thing as peak because there's always fresh new ideas and innovative approaches like we've taken with the W600.”

Believe it or not, the VW Group’s Spanish subsidiary, Seat, was officially on sale in Australia in the late 1990s with the Toledo liftback, Ibiza small hatch and its Cordoba sedan sibling.And although they never came here, at that stage Cupra was the umbrella under which the brand’s performance variants were marketed.Now, in a case of the offspring outmaneuvering its parent, it looks like Seat is about to be the Volkswagen Group’s first brand casualty as the German giant’s financial woes continue.According to overnight reports out of Europe, VW is considering retiring the Seat brand by 2029 to focus on the future of Cupra, a stand-alone subsidiary for the past eight years.The Autocar report claims the proposal has been approved by Volkswagen's management board, and is due to go before the supervisory board for final sign-off tonight, our time (Friday, September 4).Cupra has sold more than one million cars worldwide so far, now comfortably outselling Seat domestically and globally with the former delivering a record 170,100 cars during the first half of 2026, compared to the latter’s 129,600.The retirement plan would see Seat disappear from Volkswagen Group's brand portfolio by the end of the decade (at which point it will have been in existence for 80 years) with financial resources then concentrated on Cupra.Seat currently offers a three model line-up in its domestic market - the Ibiza small hatch, Arona small crossover-style SUV and larger Leon in hatch and Sportstourer form.There’s been no response from the Volkswagen Group’s Wolfsburg HQ other than a spokesperson telling Autocar, “Internal documents are discussed and approved by the appropriate bodies and that the company wouldn't pre-empt that process.”Seat Cupra UK was more forthcoming, however, saying in a statement, “The entire industry, including the Volkswagen Group and, of course, Seat SA, is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by our commitment to electrification."The global context has changed significantly, with a strong impact on the automotive sector, particularly over the past year. “Therefore the Volkswagen Group is working on a transformation plan for the entire Group business to strengthen its competitiveness and efficiency."The goal is to make the entire Volkswagen Group and respective entities more efficient and leaner and to capture technological synergy potential consistently.“This strategy has been discussed in several supervisory board meetings."No decisions have been taken at this stage. We will inform (you) about any strategic decisions affecting Seat SA in due time," it said.The report makes the telling point that Volkswagen maintaining two Spanish brands increasingly means spending money developing, marketing and distributing cars that often compete for the same customers. So, the duplication appears ripe for rationalisation as the Volkswagen Group embarks on a massive restructuring program.At the company’s Annual General Meeting in June this year, VW Group Chairman of the Board of Management Dr. Oliver Blume told shareholders significant job cuts are coming in the face of “conflict in the Middle East, shrinking market volumes and increasingly intense competition.”Not to mention US tariffs costing the group a reported €5 billion (~A$8 billion) annually because VW Group built factories in Mexico for export to the U.S, built to take advantage of the free-trade agreement between the US, Mexico and Canada have become uneconomic.“We don’t earn enough money with our products. Developing a world car in Germany, producing it in Europe and selling it globally – our business model that was successful for decades – no longer works today.”At that stage Blume said, “For Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche and our software subsidiary CARIAD we have agreed to cut the number of jobs in Germany by some 50,000 by 2030.”And subsequently, Automotive News Europe reported Blume was expected to ask the group’s supervisory board to approve cutting 100,000 jobs (15 percent of the current workforce), in what is potentially the biggest restructuring in modern German corporate history.

Volkswagen has finally launched the new version of its Walkinshaw-tuned Amarok ute, the W600. At its media drive in Tasmania, we test the so-called ‘ultimate driver’s ute’ on the very roads it was developed on!

It was only a matter of time before Volkswagen introduced a factory camper version of its ID. Buzz pure-electric van, and now it’s arrived in the shape of the ID. California Cruise.Offered in short- and long-wheelbase form, the adventurous newcomer is equipped with a host of lifestyle-focused extras, including:2.0m x 1.2m (by 9.0cm thick) folding mattress extending out across the rear seatsLightweight folding table and chair set housed above the mattressVentilation grillesWindow black-out coversOptional panoramic sunroof with light-proof coverNo ‘pop-top’ roof or kitchen unit at this stagePower is supplied by the same rear-mounted single electric motor as the ID. Buzz Pro and Pro+ models, sending 210kW/510Nm to the rear wheels with a 79kWh lithium-ion battery in the SWB and 86kWh pack in the LWB likely to deliver similar range figures of 422km and 452km, respectively.But the electric California Cruise’s signature campsite party trick will surely be its V2L (Vehicle to Load) functionality with up to 3.6kW output to power equipment like lighting, cooking gear or a fridge/freezer box that would typically require a petrol generator.Another special feature up the new camper’s sleeve is ‘California Mode’, which keeps the air-conditioning or heating system as well as interior lighting and USB sockets up and running for 48 hours.Volkswagen has positioned the ID. California Cruise as “an important milestone towards an entirely new generation of all-electric campervans, which will be introduced step by step through to 2028.” Pricing is confirmed in the new model’s German home market at €60,761 (~A$98,300) with deliveries scheduled to start in early 2027.For reference, the current local ID. Buzz line-up starts with the SWB Pro at $75,990, before on-road costs and tops out with the LWB-only dual-motor GTX at $106,990, BOC.  CarGuide contacted Volkswagen Australia for comment on the ID. California Cruise’s potential for local sale and a spokesperson told us, "We are continually reviewing our product portfolio for the Australian market."While we recognise the interest in the Volkswagen ID. California Cruise, we are unable to confirm local availability or timing at this stage for Australia." 

Skoda has indicated two key SUV electric vehicles (EVs) slated for Australia may have their release dates pushed back.With booming demand for EVs in Europe against a backdrop of war in the Middle East and subsequent spiking oil prices, buyers in Australia may have to wait until the end of next year before they can get behind the wheel of the Epiq small SUV.Likewise, the recently announced Skoda Peaq seven-seater large SUV EV, a companion model to the popular Kodiaq and the stated flagship – or peak – of the Czechian brand’s extensive range, might still be up to two years away from a local launch.According to Skoda Australia Brand Director, Lucie Kuhn, there are a number of factors at play putting pressure on the availability of these two important electric models.“Here in Australia, we are trying to fight to get the launch of global models, the Epiq and Peaq,” she said. “We are awaiting final confirmation.”With sales of EVs expected to eclipse internal combustion engine models for Skoda in Australia, the importance of the Epiq in particular cannot be overstated.Closely related to the just-released VW ID. Polo light car supermini and ID. Cross electric crossover version that are already creating a buzz with strong pre-orders in Europe, it is a key player in the Volkswagen Group’s retaliation against the wave of cheap EVs from China.More specifically, the Epiq uses a modified version of the MEB electrical architecture known as MEB+ designed to slash engineering and production costs.Developed by Seat in Spain (where all models including a Cupra Raval version will be built), it switches from a rear-motor/rear-wheel-drive (RWD) configuration to a front-motor/front-drive layout.Along with a simpler torsion beam rear suspension set-up and the choice of two modestly sized battery packs of 39kWh (for 310km of WLTP range) and 55kWh (for about 440km WLTP) sizes, the goal here is to save money.Speaking of which, while pricing and specification details have yet to confirmed for our market, the entry-level version is expected to kick off from somewhere in the mid-$30,000 region.This would take the fight up to the BYD Atto 2, GWM Ora 5, Jaecoo J5, Leapmotor B10 and Chery E5.Crucially, at the time of publishing, neither VW has been confirmed for Australia as yet.The Peaq, meanwhile, employs a stretched version of the Enyaq’s MEB architecture, and will offer 60 RWD, 90 RWD and 90X all-wheel drive powertrains.Globally unveiled in late June, Skoda has yet to reveal many details about this model, but it is anticipated that the main target will be the successful Tesla Model Y L, which currently retails from around $75,000 and $90,000 before on-road costs in Australia.If the brand can achieve similar pricing to the latter, it would undercut a host of electric alternatives, including the Kia EV9, Volvo EX90, Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Mercedes-Benz EQS.Both models represent strong opportunities for conquest sales for the company.“We are hard at work now, working on Epiq and Peaq,” according to Skoda Australia Head of Product and Marketing, Kieran Merrigan.“The feedback is really awesome, and we can't wait to see the work on them and bring them to market – 2027 for the Epiq, and then late 2027 or 2028 for the Peaq.”

Volkswagen has used this year’s Peon Festival, Brazil’s largest agricultural fair to unveil a camouflaged version of its all-new South American Amarok, pointing to a long-suspected under-the-skin connection to Chinese giant SAIC’s Maxus Interstellar X, MG U9 and LDV Terron 9 dual cab ute siblings.SAIC Volkswagen is one of the longest established automotive joint ventures in China and has clearly played a significant role in the development of the new pick-up which replaces the 16-year old original ‘2H’ series-based Amarok, still in production in Argentina for the South American market. The outgoing ute was last facelifted in 2024.At the high-profile preview Volkswagen said, “The presentation of the new Amarok is part of (its) pickup truck offensive strategy in Brazil and South America, a region that is playing an increasingly important role in the development of the brand's new generation of pickups, with active participation in design, engineering, testing, and validation.“South America is no longer just a consumer market; it’s helping to define the future of Volkswagen pickups,” it said.Despite its heavy camouflage wrap, the new dual cab bears an obvious resemblance to the Maxus, MG and LDV utes, specifically its bluff, squared-off nose, high bonnet and broad C-pillar panels.If the Latin Amarok adopts the MG/LDV’s powertrains in base versions it will likely centre on a variation of their 163kW/520Nm 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission and 4WD systems. That said, VW has said the new-generation model will also be electrified, supporting earlier reporting from Motor1 Brazil on a plug-in hybrid Amarok 800 TSI version expected to produce around 350kW/800Nm. Rear suspension will likely lean towards the Maxus and MG’s independent set-up rather than the LDV’s leaf-spring, live axle arrangement.Interestingly, Motor1 Brazil has also quoted internal sources confirming the ‘Atacama Project’, a three-row, seven-seat SUV version of the Latin Amarok.Commenting on the upcoming Amarok, Volkswagen South America Executive Chairman Alexander Seitz said, “The future Amarok is being developed based on the needs of South American customers, for one of the most demanding environments in the world.”With the new Amarok’s release scheduled for the second quarter of 2027, Volkswagen is investing over A$800 million in its General Pacheco plant in Buenos Aires, the Amarok production hub for Latin America and Mexico which has just reached the 800,000 unit milestone.Of that total, more than 465,000 units were exported to more than 100 markets.Could Australia be one of them in future?Aside from the no right-hand drive factor VW has already played down that idea, saying in a statement, “While the new Amarok will be developed in South America and produced for the local markets, the existing partnerships for the production of the Amarok in South Africa will remain in place.”The (NF) Amarok currently sold in Australia was developed in parallel with the T6.2 Ford Ranger and is built in South Africa. VW positions it as a premium vehicle for global consumption.

Volkswagen has officially revealed a new small pick-up for Latin American markets ahead of it launching initially in Brazil in the first half of 2027.The Volkswagen Tukan is built on the MQB platform, like the T-Cross, and is available in both single- and dual-cab configurations.However, unlike all other Volkswagen Group vehicles on the MQB platform to date, the Tukan swaps coil-sprung rear suspension for leaf springs, which are known for their higher payload capacity.At this stage Volkswagen hasn’t officially the payload or towing capacity figures for the new Tukan.The Volkswagen Tukan replaces the Saveiro which in outgoing form dates back to 2009 and is based on the third-generation Golf. However, the Saveiro nameplate dates all the way back to 1982.Two versions of the Tukan have been shown off so far. An entry-level, single-cab Robust trim, as well as a flagship dual-cab Extreme trim.All versions have LED headlights and tail-lights, aggressive and blocky design elements, as well as Tukan embossed into the tailgate.The entry-level Robust trim can be identified with its black plastic front bumper and black steel wheels, whereas the top-spec Extreme trim has a body-colour front bumper, alloy wheels, a sports bar and a tonneau cover. The latter is also finished in a signature Canary Yellow exterior paint.At this stage Volkswagen hasn’t confirmed exactly what will power the Tukan.However, given Volkswagen has said this new ute will be based on the T-Cross, it’s likely power will either come from a 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder or 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine.There will likely also be manual and dual-clutch automatic transmission options.Volkswagen hasn’t confirmed whether there will be an all-wheel drive option, so it’s likely that it’ll be front-wheel drive only.At this stage Volkswagen has only confirmed the new Tukan will be offered (and built) in Latin American markets. Brazil will be the first market it’ll launch in during the first half of 2027.Given this, it’s unclear whether Volkswagen will produce the Tukan in right-hand drive. It never made the Saveiro in right-hand drive.The only Volkswagen ute currently offered in Australia is the Amarok dual-cab, which shares its platform with the Ford Ranger.A new version of the Amarok is set to launch in Latin America soon and it’s understood to be based on the same platform as the LDV Terron 9/MG U9.It’s worth noting the Ranger-based Amarok has never been offered in that market and a heavily facelifted version of the original Amarok continues to be on sale there.

Volkswagen has put a new ute model on the agenda. A report in Reuters suggests the brand is turning its attention to the hugely popular full-size pick-up market in the US for its next move.Cheaper Chinese competition and US tariffs have slashed VW's profit margins, which are said to have halved between 2021 and 2025.VW has taken drastic measures in response, and will halve its line-up, with up to 75 models on the chopping block to reduce the brand’s overall production capacity.This is some of the first news of how VW's revamped line-up could shape up over the next few years.VW is said to view full-size pick-ups and large SUVs as high-growth segments, with full-size pick-ups the best-selling type of car over in the US.There are also virtually no Chinese cars in the US as they are effectively banned, giving VW a chance to more easily claim market share.A large ute would further diversify VW’s line-up, complementing the smaller Amarok.The brand is eager to seize on the success of hugely popular models like the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado and Ram 1500.There are no firm details on what VW’s new ute will look like, nor on its powertrain, with it still in the preliminary stages of development.It will be built in the US like the rest of its competition, but it seems unlikely Volkswagen will produce the model on its own.There are rumours VW will team-up with Ford, whose F-150 pick-up is the best-selling car in the US. VW teamed-up with Ford on the current mid-sized Amarok ute, using the same platform, engines and chassis as the Blue Oval's Ranger.This means VW's full-size pick-up could use V6 or V8 engines out of the F-150.VW plans to launch its new ute in the US before the end of the decade, but global export seems doubtful at this stage.It will only be built in left-hand drive, so if it did come to Australia, it would likely be subjected to an extensive remanufacturing process like its rivals.Australia’s stringent CO2 restrictions under the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard could be a stumbling block, with any V6 and V8 engines incurring fines for VW. Expect more concrete information next year, but VW Australia has been contacted for comment for an update.

Is Volkswagen the canary in the coal mine?The German automotive giant, not long removed from its aspirations of taking on Toyota as the world’s largest car maker, is in the midst of a massive overhaul. While nothing has been officially confirmed, reports indicate that as many as 100,000 jobs, four factories and up to 75 models across the Volkswagen Group could go as the operation attempts to right-size.Volkswagen sales are down nearly 20 per cent year-to-date to July in Australia, Cupra has lost over 30 per cent of its sales, Audi is down nearly 15 per cent and Skoda has dropped three per cent. Even Porsche, long seen as the ‘rock’ of the Group is hurting, down nearly 30 per cent.But Volkswagen isn’t alone, there is a growing sense the automotive industry, both in Australia and globally, is on the verge of a major transition. The influx of new brands from China shows no sign of slowing down, there are two more - Lepas and Forthing - set to launch in Australia in August. The reality is, the new car market around the world, but particularly in Australia, is only so big. Adding another 10-20 new brands won’t suddenly increase the amount of people buying cars as dramatically. Especially as data shows the number of driving age people in Australia without a licence is growing as more and more people prefer public transport or other alternatives.But putting the global impact aside and focusing on Australia, it is becoming clear that 2026 will likely be a turning point for the local market. Like I said, Volkswagen Group isn’t alone in suffering a decline in sales.A look at the July sales data shows sales drops this year for Toyota, Ford, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Subaru, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and the list goes on. There are some ‘legacy’ brands pushing against the trend, namely Kia and Honda, but the real winners this year are BYD, GWM, Chery, MG, Geely, Omoda-Jaecoo and Zeekr.It doesn’t take an industry analyst to recognise the pattern. As these new Chinese brands have made an impact on the sales charts - all of those listed are within the top 20 selling brands -  those sales have to come from somewhere. As I’ve written before, the new car sales ‘pie’ is only so big so everyone is going to have to get comfortable having a different sized slice of pie compared to previous years. The impact of cost-of-living pressures and the on-going uncertainty around fuel prices has played a major part in the shake-up too, but the idea that things will go back to ‘normal’ in 2027 and beyond, with the Chinese brands fading into the background is ridiculous.The likes of BYD, GWM and Chery are now likely permanent fixtures amongst the best-selling brands, and that will mean every other brand will need to adapt to this new world order. A sales drop is not what any brand wants, but for most it’s something they will need to accept for both this year and moving world order.