What's the difference?
This is a very important ute if you’re Volkswagen Australia.
A lot of time and money has gone into making sure this, the 2026 VW Amarok W600 as engineered by Walkinshaw, is the ultimate driver’s ute. Not the best 4X4, but the best ute on the road. Sounds like an odd task, right?
It might be, but a couple of thousand people bought the last version of this ute, so why not try to make it better?
Over a long development period and a steady build-up, including previews at the former Holden proving ground at Lang Lang, Volkswagen has teased its ‘ultimate driver’s ute’.
Now, we get to put the production version to the test on the very roads that helped shape it during its development in Tasmania.
So, you’re after an affordable alternative to the increasingly expensive Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger. You need it to be tough enough for work, but also big and comfortable enough to haul family every now and again.
It’s a common predicament, and one that's increasingly served by Chinese and Korean alternatives.
Today, we’re looking at LDV’s latest effort - the T60 Max Plus. While it looks like just another new variant from the outside, it’s hiding some significant changes underneath, and it takes its place at the top of the T60 range in 2024.
Could it be the right ute to fit your budget? Let’s take a look.
The Amarok W600 is impressive when you get it onto a twisty road, and my hat goes off to Walkinshaw for turning a dual-cab into something that is genuinely fun to drive on twisty roads. I’m not kidding, the W600 is proper fun.
But it’s expensive, and despite the tough looks and on-road ability, it doesn’t have any more on-paper performance than its standard siblings. That and its ride is compromised by its new abilities.
Those who spend the cash on a W600 probably won’t be disappointed if they can handle a slightly stiff ride, but it’s possible VW is expecting people will be more into the idea of a corner-carving dual-cab than is the reality.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
The Max Plus brings a lot of welcome upgrades to the T60 range, particularly in its previously non-existent active safety suite, but it’s not all good news. There are still a few areas where this ageing ute could use a lot of polish.
Still, there’s something to be said for how refreshingly straightforward much of it is, and for the most part its specs and features are up to the task of competing with many more expensive alternatives.