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What's the difference?
Flagship utes have gotten both very good, and very expensive, haven't they? The new Amarok, for example, tops out at just under $80k for the top-spec Aventura.
But what if your still waters don't run deep with cash? Well, there's good news, because the cheapest Amarok options – the Core and Life – are still pretty well equipped, and both start well below the $60k barrier.
What's more, I reckon one of them might just be the pick of the entire Amarok range.
Which one, you ask? For that, you'll need to stay with me as we explore the Amarok Core and Amarok Life.
The 4x2 segment of Australia’s light commercial vehicle market is where you’ll find utes primarily designed for hard yakka. These base-model workhorses come in a variety of body types including single cab, extra cab, dual cab, ute or cab chassis.
Buyers are typically government and commercial fleets, tradies, farmers, couriers and other business owners with a sharp focus on minimising costs.
In that context, base-model 4x2s are popular, as they not only avoid the added complexity/expense of 4x4 but also have minimal standard equipment.
Toyota has long dominated this segment with its 4x2 Hilux variants, but more recently its market share has diminished in the face of increasing competition from numerous rear-drive rivals, headed by Isuzu’s D-Max and Ford’s Ranger, which was recently crowned Australia's top-selling motor vehicle.
We recently spent a week aboard the blue oval's 4x2 workhorse offering, to see how it measures up in this increasingly competitive market segment.
The Life might one of the more budget-friendly offerings in the Amarok range, but for mine, it's also among the smartest buys in the family.
So ask yourself, do you really need that V6?
The Ford Ranger XL 4x2 Double Cab combines strong performance with a one-tonne-plus payload rating, 3500kg towing ability, spacious cabin and excellent ride/handling.
However, it could be even better without the penny-pinching evident in the lack of rear passenger air-vents/USB etc found in some 4x2 rivals. Even so, for workhorse buyers, there’s plenty to like here.
It feels a little weird to describe any kind of dual-cab ute as "elegant", I know. We're used to these trucks looking big and bulky, with tough usually being the singular design brief.
But you know what, I'm going to. Because the Amarok does look somehow elegant – mature, even – both in its Core and Life guises.
It's partly the colours available – the Bright Beige Metallic especially is lovely — but it's also the design philosophy overall. VW talks about it, and when they do it can sound like marketing guff, but the Amarok does genuinely look like it has European sensibilities.
Climb inside the Core and you're met with the rough-and-tumble cabin of an entry-level workhorse. The steering wheel feels low end, the flooring is vinyl, and there's a manual parking brake, cloth seats and hard cabin materials.
That said, it's all nicely laid out, and it all works visually, especially when you consider the purpose of the Core.
The Life improves matters, with comfy - still fabric - seats, a leather steering wheel and a cooler, leather-wrapped shifter, and a nice smattering of colours through the cabin, though the hard plastics remain.
All Ranger XL 4x2s are called ‘Hi-Riders’ as they share the same ride height as their 4x4 siblings. As a result, they also benefit from the same ground clearance/approach/departure angles, which can be handy if there's some rugged terrain in your line of work.
Braking is a front disc/rear drum combination but you’d struggle to feel the difference between this and the four-wheel discs of higher-grade models, given how well Ford has refined the set-up over the years.
The Ranger XL is a chrome-free zone as you'd expect, with the interior featuring many shades of grey and a conspicuous number of plastic caps in places where buttons/switches are found in more luxurious variants.
Even so, the cabin is neat and functional for this role. Rear seat space is excellent, even for tall people like me (186cm). There’s also ample headroom, which contributes to the spacious feel.
Our only gripes are the absence of air-vents and a USB port in the rear of the centre console, which come standard in rivals like Isuzu’s D-Max SX.
They’re all pretty damn practical, these Amaroks, and that’s true of both the Life and Core models, too.
While it’s slightly narrower than the model it replaces, this Ford Ranger-based Amarok is slightly longer, with a longer wheelbase, which the brand says delivers more backseat space, while still being able to carry a pallet in its tray.
It will also tow 3.5 tonnes braked, deliver a 988kg payload - slightly down on the Core’s 1042kg - and the roof is rated to 350kg.
There are plenty of off-road goodies, too. The 4Motion system delivers high-range and low-range 4WD, and both variants offer 235mm of ground clearance, and 800mm of wading depth.
And I can tell you from experience that there’s more than enough off-road capability on offer here to take you about as far as you want to go on the weekend.
Thanks to its relatively light 2093kg kerb weight, our test vehicle’s 3250kg GVM allows for an impressive 1157kg payload rating.
It’s also rated to tow up to the category-benchmark 3500kg of braked trailer and given its big 6200kg GCM (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) that would still leave a generous payload capacity of more than 600kg.
These are strong numbers well suited to a variety of heavy-hauling tasks.
The load tub’s floor is 1547mm long and 1584mm wide with 1224mm between the wheel housings, allowing it to carry an 1165mm-square Aussie pallet which can be secured using a choice of six load-anchorage points (three each side).
A steel-framed bulkhead doubles as robust protection for the cabin’s rear window and a handy place on which to lean and secure items that are too long to fit in the tub.
Its flush-fitting load retainers can pivot and lock into a vertical position on each side, to effectively ‘book-end’ loads when securing them.
The tub has internal lighting thanks to small but bright LEDs embedded in the sidewalls. These are welcome not only when accessing the tub at night or in poorly-lit internal spaces, but also if it's fitted with a hard tonneau cover.
There are concave side-steps behind the rear wheels, which make accessing the load tub easier and safer than standing on top of the tyres as owners often do, because if they're wet or muddy it’s easy to slip off.
Six plastic caps (three each side) along the top edges of the sidewalls can be removed to provide access to internal mounting points for numerous structures, like ladder racks.
The top edge of the tailgate incorporates a 1.3-metre ruler and a pair of spring-loaded ‘trapdoors’ which provide access to the tailgate’s internal cavity.
This allows for the use of G-clamps, which can be inserted into these holes when using the open tailgate as a workbench to clamp materials in place when cutting, drilling, sanding, etc.
Front-of-cabin storage includes dual bottle holders and a bin in each door, plus an overhead glasses holder and, on the passenger’s side, an open shelf with glove box below.
The centre console has open storage up front, a pair of small-bottle/cupholders in the centre and a lidded-box at the back which doubles as a driver’s elbow rest.
Rear seat passengers get a bottle holder and bin in each door, another bin in the rear of the centre console and a pocket on the front passenger seat’s backrest, but with no fold-down centre armrest there are no dedicated cupholders.
The one-piece seat base can also swing up and be stored vertically if more internal luggage space is required, or to access two large underfloor storage compartments.
The Core opens Amarok proceedings, listing at $52,990. And, unfortunately, it does very much feel like an entry-level model, with a key you need to insert and turn, a manual handbrake, vinyl flooring and the least-powerful engine available.
Happily, it doesn't so much look like one. In fact, externally, the big differences between the Core and the Life is the latter's body-coloured mirrors, and the former's external fixing rail that runs alongside the tray.
It gets 17-inch alloys, a standard tow bar, LED headlights and DRLs (the former so powerful that a colleague riding ahead of me asked me to turn my high-beams off) and some impressive in-cabin tech, including an 8.0-inch digital cockpit, and a 10.0-inch central screen that loads up your Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Life is one rung above the entry-level Core model, and it lists at $56,990, which is not chump change. But it does deliver one of the best engines on offer - which the Core does not - and you get plenty of niceties, as well as all the ute non-negotiables.
Outside, there’s LED lighting - headlights, DRLs and fog-lights - as well as 17-inch alloys. The tow bar is still standard fit, too.
Inside, there's the same infotainment tech, along with a leather steering wheel and gearshifter, eight-way driver and passenger seat adjustment, and an electric park brake.
Our test vehicle is the 4x2 XL Hi-Rider dual cab ute, available only with a 2.0-litre single-turbo diesel engine and six-speed automatic transmission for a list price of $43,280.
Ours is also fitted with Ford’s optional 'Towing Pack', comprising a 3500kg tow-bar and integrated electronic trailer-brake controller, which adds $1700.
Beyond its 16-inch steel wheels with 255/70R16 tyres and full-size spare, there’s halogen daytime running lights (no fancy 'C-clamp' LEDs here folks), power-adjustable and folding door mirrors, a rear bumper step, load tub illumination, top-of-tub protective capping with access caps (see Practicality) plus a lift-assisted tailgate.
The no-frills cabin, with fabric seats and vinyl floor, offers the driver a height/reach-adjustable steering wheel, eight-way manually-adjustable seat (including lumbar support) and 8.0-inch colour digital instrument cluster with configurable display.
There are also three USB ports, two 12-volt outlets and a four-speaker multimedia system, with large 10-inch touchscreen and multiple connectivity including 'FordPass Connect' and Apple/Android devices.
Buyers also have access to numerous options, including the ‘XL 4x2 Off-Road Pack’ comprising a differential lock, steel underbody protection and larger 17-inch steel wheels with all-terrain tyres for those operating in the rough stuff.
The Core gets the entry-level diesel, with its single-turbo, 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine producing 125kW and 405Nm. It pairs with a six-speed auto, and delivers decent but not life-changing grunt.
The Life, though, steps it up. It gets a familiar (from the last-gen Ranger Raptor) bi-turbo-diesel engine, with the outputs dialled up to 154kW and 500Nm. It pairs with a 10-speed auto, and is an engaging, entertaining drive.
The 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel with single turbocharger produces a healthy 125kW at 3500rpm and 405Nm of torque between 1750-2500rpm, which exceeds the outputs of 2.4-litre HiLux and 1.9-litre D-Max diesel rivals.
This engine is paired with a six-speed torque converter automatic, which offers the choice of sequential manual-shifting using a small thumb-operated toggle on the side of the shift-lever.
This can be handy when carrying and/or towing heavy loads, particularly in hilly terrain to minimise gear-hunting.
The Amarok is fitted with an 80-litre tank, and VW reckons you can expect 7.2L/100km on the combined cycle in the Life, and 8.0L in the Core.
We found the real-world fuel use was closer to 10L/100km in both models, but that included some off-roading, too.
Ford claims official average combined cycle consumption of 7.8L/100km.
When we stopped to refuel at the end of our 493km test, which included a mix of suburban and highway driving of which about one fifth was carrying a heavy payload, the dash display was claiming 8.5L/100km.
This was very close to our own figure of 9.3, calculated from fuel bowser and trip meter readings, which confirmed thrifty single-digit economy in real-world driving conditions.
So, based on our own figures, the test vehicle should achieve an impressive driving range of around 860km from its big 80-litre tank.
The question that really needs to be asked here, I think, is do you really - really - need a V6 engine? Because if that answer is no, and it would be for me, then I think the Life might be the pick of the Amarok range, both from a price and power perspective.
Don't get me wrong, the Core's engine isn't massively underwhelming. But it's the entry-level powertrain, and it feels like it's working harder than the Life's diesel donk.
If you're even vaguely interested in dual-cab utes, you'll know the bi-turbo engine on offer in the Life as the driving force behind that other dinosaur-themed off-roader, and it's no less enjoyable in this new application.
Lightning fast it is not, but the power on offer is really more than enough here, and not once was I longing for a V6, whether we were on the road or off it.
There's also something to be said for the refinement on offer from the modern dual-cab ute, with the Amarok genuinely filling that family car that can go anywhere brief, without sacrificing on the ute essentials.
Part of that is down to the ride, which VW says has been tuned firm on purpose. It can be a little jarring when you hit a rough patch or bump, especially when off-roading, but the trade-off is a ute that doesn't sway or float too much when cornering, helping the Amarok feel more SUV-like than an old-school dual cab.
Downsides? The 10-speed auto fitted to the Life shifts smoothly enough, but it's pretty busy, shifting up or down when you don't really expect it to, and with only the lightest accelerator input. That, and the diesel thrum is a pretty constant companion, delivering background noise in the cabin whenever you're accelerating.
It’s easy to climb aboard with big assist-handles on the A and B pillars to compensate for the absence of side-steps.
The driving position is comfortable and spacious, with ample manual adjustments available in the seat and steering wheel.
It may be a back-to-basics workhorse but refinements in the latest Ranger generation have not been compromised.
The unladen ride quality is undeniably firm but still commendable, even on bumpy roads, given its leaf-spring rear axle and big payload rating.
The relatively light 4x2 kerb weight ensures brisk acceleration from standing starts, combined with steering feel that arguably remains the class benchmark.
We forklifted 890kg into the tub which with driver (and towing pack) was more than one tonne of payload.
The rear leaf springs compressed 50mm under this weight, but there was no chance of bottoming-out because of the rear suspension design that has long cone-shaped jounce rubbers that engage with the springs early in their compression.
This eliminates the hard thumps at full travel like traditional bump-stops and provide what is effectively a second stage of load support. The result is a smooth ride under maximum loads, regardless of road conditions.
The Ranger has ample performance in busy suburban driving and excels at highway speeds, with low engine, tyre and wind noise highlighting its excellent noise suppression.
It also made light work of hauling this load up our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km set climb at 60km/h, self-shifting down to third gear to easily reach the summit with minimal accelerator required.
Engine braking on the way down, in a manually-selected second gear, wasn’t as robust but typical of small displacement turbo-diesels trying to restrain big loads on steep descents.
The only negative was an alert that appeared on the driver’s info display, warning of a ‘front camera malfunction’ that would require servicing.
As a result, we were without pre-collision assist, adaptive cruise control or speed-limiter functions for the remainder of our test run, which fortunately occurred on the final day of our loan.
The Amarok range carries a five-star ANCAP safety rating, and nine airbags, and every model, including the Core, is fitted with a host of high-tech safety kit, too.
AEB with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring is standard fit, as are front and rear parking sensors, with Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning and adaptive cruise control taking the stress out of freeway cruises.
The Life then adds blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, but Volkswagen suggests the two technologies will be added range wide in the future.
The Ranger scored a maximum five-star ANCAP assessment in 2022 and boasts a suite of benchmark active and passive features.
In the base-grade XL this is highlighted by nine airbags, AEB, a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control and more.
For smaller crew members, there’s ISOFIX and top-tether child seat anchorage points on the two outer rear seating positions.
The Amarok gets a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, and you get 12 months of roadside assistance thrown in, too. You can also bulk-buy your services for the first five years, too, for $1800.
Service intervals are 12 months and 15,000km.
Warranty is five years/unlimited km.
Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/15,000km whichever occurs first.
Capped-price servicing for the first five scheduled services totals $1911 or an average of $382 per service.