With the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger, Mitsubishi Triton, Volkswagen Amarok, Nissan Navara, Isuzu D-Max, Mazda BT-50, SsangYong Musso, GWM Cannon, LDV T60 and more on sale, Australia is no doubt in love with the ute.
And it’s no secret the new-generation versions of the Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok utes share the same underpinnings, but scratch the surface and there might be more differences than at first glance.
So, what factors do you need to consider when tossing up between the two of them?
Engines and transmission
Ford’s 2023 Ranger is available with four different powertrains, starting with a single-turbo 2.0-litre diesel engine that punches out 125kW/405Nm.
A twin-turbo version of the same engine is also on offer, upping outputs to 154kW/500Nm, while the most potent diesel is a 3.0-litre V6 with 184kW/600Nm on tap.
However, topping the Ford Ranger tree is the Raptor, hiding a 292kW/583Nm 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 – the only model in the line-up that doesn’t guzzle diesel.
Over in the VW camp, the Amarok is also available with three diesel engines and a petrol, starting with the same 125kW/405Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel as the Ford.
And moving up the model grades, there’s the 2.0-litre twin-turbo-diesel with 154kW/500Nm and the V6 with 184kW/600Nm.
However, VW does not have access to the Ranger Raptor’s petrol V6 powertrain, instead offering a 2.3-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder as an option at the top of the tree, which outputs 222kW/452Nm.
Regardless of brand, all 2.0-litre single-turbo-diesels come paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, while all other engines are mated to a 10-speed automatic.
Of note, the Amarok is available with a six-speed manual in base form, whereas the Ranger does not offer a three-pedal option anywhere in its range.
Grades and price
Ford’s Ranger line-up starts from $36,180 before on-road costs for the XL single cab chassis, extending up to $86,790 for the Raptor dual-cab pick-up.
The Amarok meanwhile, starts at $50,990 for the manual Core dual-cab pick-up and stretches to $79,990 for the automatic Aventura in either V6 diesel or 2.3-litre petrol forms.
While this might seem like the Ranger is much better value, keep in mind that the cheapest version of the Ranger is a 4×2 single cab chassis, whereas the entire Amarok range is in the 4×4 dual-cab pick-up body style.
The Ranger Raptor also skews things at the top end, as it features a unique engine, extra off-road-enhancing components and unique bodywork.
Comparing like for like in terms of engine and body style, the VW Amarok Core lines up closer the $50,180 Ranger XL double cab, but actually has equipment levels closer to the XLS grade Ford ute.
As Ford does not offer its XLS in single-turbo form, there is no direct rival, and makes the VW-badged vehicle better value for buyers.
Likewise, the Amarok’s Life and Style grades are close matches for the Ranger’s XLT and Sport variants, but are actually more affordable.
At the top-end of the Amarok tree, the PanAmerican and Aventura are more bespoke utes that target ruggedness and on-road comfort respectively, leaving no obvious equivalent in the Ranger line-up.
But keep in mind that tradies or fleet managers after workhorses like single cab, extra cab and cab chassis body styles will have to stick with Ford.
Warranty and aftersales
Ford’s Ranger, like all new Blue Oval vehicles, comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.
The Volkswagen Amarok also has five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.
However, a bigger factor in which ute to go for might be the aftersales care on offer.
Ford has around 180 dealers around Australia, whereas Volkswagen has about 115. Whichever dealership is more convenient for you might sway your decision, but servicing costs also vary between both models.
As outlined previously, the Amarok is actually cheaper to get serviced over five years compared with the Ford.
Regardless of engine or grade, Volkswagen asks $1801 for the first five services, whereas the latest MY23.5 Ford Ranger’s maintenance total for the first five years comes to $2420 for 2.0-litre diesels, $2620 for the diesel V6.
The caveat here though, is that Ford offers condition-based capped-price servicing for the first four years at $329 per visit.
Keyword: 2023 Ford Ranger and 2023 VW Amarok: Price, engines, warranty - what's the difference?