You have to hand it to Volkswagen for bringing the petrol-powered Amarok to Australia when – virtually unobtainable Raptor flagship aside – its Ford Ranger fraternal twin does not.
Yes, it’s not cheap, but the turbocharged petrol-powered Amarok TSI452 launching next month with the rest of the range means medium-sized dual-cab ute buyers now have the chance to dodge the noise, smell, greasy-fingers-at-the-fuel-pump and pollution endemic to all diesel engined vehicles.
This is an increasingly important factor in the decision-making process.
Speaking of decisions, it also gives consumers more choice besides the basic Toyota HiLux Workmate Double Cab 4x2s and larger American trucks like the Jeep Gladiator, as well as the considerably more-expensive RAM 1500, Chevrolet Silverado, and coming Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra.
With all this in mind, now is the time to dive into the petrol-versus-diesel ute discussion, since Volkswagen Australia is – from today – opening the Amarok II online configurator as well as taking pre-orders from now.
Affordability
Even though the Amarok II starts from $50,990 (all prices are before on-road costs), that’s only for the Core powered by a 125kW/405Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder TDI405 single-turbo diesel. Note that for now, all Amaroks include 4Motion four-wheel drive.
By the way, this grade offers a six-speed manual as well as auto – another plus point over the Ranger (though the Ford is available as a cheaper 4×2).
Indeed, you’re still in diesel-only territory with the $56,990 Life and $66,990 Style, since they come with 154kW/500Nm twin-turbo diesel auto TDI500 upgrade, while even the 184kW/600Nm 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel TDI600 in the $70,990 Style and off-road-focused $75,990 PanAmericana are still cheaper than the petrol-powered Amarok.
That’s because VW reserves the latter for the range-topping Aventura from a hefty $79,990, employing an also Ford-sourced (and related to a Mustang, no less) 222kW/452Nm 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine and – like the TDI600 and previous-gen Amarok – permanent rather than selectable 4WD.
However, the Aventura is very highly specified, unlike the cheapest petrol-powered medium dual-cab ute option, the spartan 122kW/245Nm 2.7-litre four-pot petrol HiLux Workmate 4×2 manual from $34,855. Plus, it’s only slightly more expensive than the less well-equipped Jeep Gladiator Night Eagle from $78,250, which features a 209kW/307Nm 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine that is less powerful despite having two extra cylinders compared to the VW.
And before you write in complaining that the 292kW/583Nm 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol-powered Ranger Raptor is a comparatively small jump up to $86,790, in some parts of Australia its waiting list has shot past two years.
Verdict? Stuffing the sweet Ford Mustang EcoBoost petrol engine in an Amarok will cost you more money than you might expect, and more’s the pity lower-grade versions like the Life and Style don’t get the chance to, but it has the leading power output to help justify the extra cost, and you won’t have to wait an aeon for one.
Still, the TSI452 cannot compete with any of the diesel alternatives on torque.
Fuel consumption
The Amarok TSI452 petrol will also tax your wallet more than the torquey diesels when it comes to refuelling.
The Aventura petrol’s official combined fuel consumption figure is 9.9 litres per 100km, compared to 8.4L/100km, 8.0L/100km, 7.2L/100km and 7.0/100km for the TDI600 auto, TDI405 auto, TDI500 auto and TDI405 manual respectively.
Still, the TSI452’s number is a whole lot better than the Ranger Raptor’s 11.5L/100km combined result.
If economy’s your priority, stick with diesel – but keep in mind the price per litre of petrol and diesel can vary.
Towing capacity, GVM and payload
Regardless of whether it’s a petrol or diesel, the Amarok – like the Ranger –offers a maximum braked towing capacity of 3500kg, or 750kg unbraked.
Despite having a larger capacity and six cylinders, the Gladiator, however, can only muster a braked towing capacity of 2721kg, though it equals the others for unbraked.
As far as the Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM – the maximum total mass of a fully-loaded vehicle) ratings are concerned, the TSI452 trails its diesel counterparts at 3100kg compared to 3250kg to 3350kg depending on model. The Ranger Raptor only manages 3130kg.
All are greater than the Gladiator’s 2880kg GVM.
Finally, for payload, the Amarok petrol’s 858kg maximum lags behind the rest of the range (which is as high as 1031kg for the V6 diesels), but is better again than both the Gladiator’s 693kg and Ranger Raptor’s 655kg ratings.
Keyword: Which ute? Crunching petrol vs diesel 2023 VW Amarok numbers and how they stack up against Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux, Jeep Gladiator and more to help you make the right decision