2023 Volkswagen Amarok: Initial Australian details announced

• Five grades will be offered in Australia, with the availability of a single- or twin-turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel, the 3.0-litre V6 diesel, or an Amarok-first 2.3-litre turbocharged petrol.
• 2023 Volkswagen Amarok features
• Engines and drivetrains

Snapshot

• 2023 Volkswagen Amarok to arrive early next year
• Three diesel engines on offer, in addition to first-ever turbocharged petrol
• Six trim levels available; pricing and full details expected in the coming months

The 2023 Volkswagen Amarok will arrive in Australia in early 2023 with an optional turbocharged petrol engine, the brand confirmed to dealers today.

Production for the local market will commence in late October, with assembly taking place in South Africa – allowing for quicker shipping times compared to the outgoing Argentina-built model, an important aspect during the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage.

Volkswagen Australia claims its dealers have been met with an overwhelming amount of inquiries for the second-generation Amarok ute, which shares its platform with the recently-launched ‘T6.2’ 2023 Ford Ranger.

Five grades will be offered in Australia, with the availability of a single- or twin-turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel, the 3.0-litre V6 diesel, or an Amarok-first 2.3-litre turbocharged petrol.

The new trims are Amarok, Life, Style, PanAmericana and Aventura.

These powertrains are shared with the Ford Ranger, but only the diesel mills are offered in Australia, giving the Amarok a unique selling point in comparison to its heavily-related twin.

Of note, while the Ford Ranger has gone automatic-only, a six-speed manual transmission will be offered on the entry-level Amarok – joining standard features exclusive to flagship Ranger variants, such as LED headlights, a wireless phone charger and a trailer brake controller.

While a Ranger Raptor-rivalling variant with the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol V6 is unlikely, the marque’s partnership with Walkinshaw will continue for modified variants engineered locally.

This opens the door for an Amarok W-Series with the four-cylinder petrol unit, joining units with the flagship diesel V6 powertrain.

“Since the Amarok was globally revealed four weeks ago Volkswagen dealers have been beset by inquiries and customers intent on placing deposits,” said Ryan Davies, director of Volkswagen Commerical Vehicles in Australia.

Australian pricing and full details for the 2023 Volkswagen Amarok will be detailed in the coming months.

See below for a full specification breakdown and everything else we know about the 2023 Volkswagen Amarok so far.

2023 Volkswagen Amarok features

Amarok (replacing Core)

Amarok Life (replacing Sportline)

Amarok Style (replacing Highline and Highline Plus)

Leather upholstery is available as an option.

Amarok PanAmericana (replacing Canyon)

Amarok Aventura

Colours

Volkswagen will offer ten colour options for the Amarok, including; frozen white, agate black, blue lightning, carbonized grey, lucid red, moondust silver, diffused silver and moroccan blue.

The latter finish is unique to the Amarok, while the remainder are shared with the Ford Ranger.

Metallic paint is a $710 option across the outgoing Amarok range.

Engines and drivetrains

Volkswagen has confirmed the 2023 Amarok will be offered with four powertrains in Australia, consisting of three diesel units and a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol mill.

The range will kick off with a Ford-sourced single-turbo 2.0-litre turbo diesel four-cylinder engine producing 125kW of power and 405Nm of torque, matched with two- or four-wheel drive and a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

It is fitted as standard on the entry-level Amarok, with mid-spec Life and Style variants stepping up to the bi-turbo unit.

The bi-turbo 2.0-litre has 154kW and 500Nm, with a 10-speed automatic transmission and selectable 4MOTION four-wheel-drive.

A higher-output 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine producing 184kW and 600Nm is optional on the Style, and standard on the range-topping PanAmericana and Aventura grades.

As with the bi-turbo four, it is matched with a 10-speed automatic transmission – replacing the previous VW-sourced eight-speed setup – but with permanent four-wheel-drive, as seen on the Ford Ranger.

Lastly, a 2.3L turbocharged petrol engine with 222kW and 452Nm is optional, exclusively in Aventura guise.

Six drive modes are available: Normal, Eco, Slippery, Snow/Sand, Mud/Rut and Tow/Haul.

Combined fuel economy figures for the 2023 Volkswagen Amarok will be announced closer to launch; however, for reference, click here for the 2023 Ford Ranger’s efficiency numbers.

Safety

ANCAP is yet to test the new-generation Ford Ranger or Volkswagen Amarok, but the latest-generation passive and active safety systems are likely to see a five-star result.

Nine airbags (dual front, side, curtain, front knee, and front-centre) are fitted across the range – up from four airbags in the previous Amarok.

Each variant includes the following active safety equipment as standard:

Dimensions

Availability

The 2023 Volkswagen Amarok will launch in Australia in the first quarter of 2023 (January to March inclusive).

Customers can now pre-order the Amarok at Volkswagen dealerships nationwide.

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