The market for 4x4 pickups has become a fashionable one, and recently a more practical one for many farmers. Only true commercial vehicles where the load area is manufactured separately from the seating are now eligible for lower commercial tax status. This brings the pickups into a fresh value focus, even though the 4x4 pickup market remains marginally down.

Modern 4x4 pickups are more comfortable and stylish with many accessories to add a deal of spice to their appearance, including the very attractive matte paint finish that Volkswagen offers on the Amarok.

Engine performance

Volkswagen has set the power bar higher with the top of the range Amarok V6 version. In one fell swoop Volkswagen has leap frogged the competition by offering a V6 224hp twin turbo-diesel engine.

Pickup drivers were a little apprehensive about the power claims of the previous Amarok. Getting 180bhp from a 2.0 litre turbo-diesel engine seemed to be at the heart of their concerns.

That’s no longer an issue with the three litre V6 turbo-diesel version that pumps out 224bhp and 550Nm of torque. This is now the sole six-cylinder engine option in the 4x4 pickup market.

This Amarok has better acceleration, more towing power and a higher payload capacity than the previous model. That means that this new V6 Amarok is ready to challenge the market leaders, the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux.

Out on the road the V6 engine power and torque is palpable as it flows through the eight-speed automatic gearbox. Manual gearboxes will be the exception in the new Amarok as Volkswagen will claim that this more powerful engine will deliver at its best through the automatic gearbox. Included is the claim that first gear in the auto box has been developed specially for trailer towing starts.

This top-of-the-range Amarok comes with a fuel economy rating of 13km/litre (7.7l/100km or 37mpg). I took the Amarok across a range of driving conditions, including motorways, rural roads, stubble fields and the final and ultimate test was an off-road mountain drive to the Dirkbeg Lough near Tourmakeady in Co Mayo.

My test result delivered an economy rating that was about 12% lower than the rated figure. That was an impressively small real world driving margin difference. The 80 litre capacity fuel tank should give a range of over 1,000km and I found that I achieved close enough to that, even with such big engine performance.

In the 4x4 pickup market I pitched the fuel economy performance of the new V6 Amarok against equivalent 4x4 pickup vehicles at the top end of the power game. The smooth flow of engine power is noticeable and the strength behind the acceleration is clear on and off the road. Challenging off-road mountain driving gives low speed torque to cope with difficult conditions as the eight-speed automatic allows the pickup to inch forward and maintain traction on what were road-type tyres.

Volkswagen did not provide a towbar on the Amarok, so that towing claim of 3.5t with a braked trailer, was not put to the test. That towing rating puts the new Amarok at the top of the class along with the new Nissan Navara.

I was very impressed with the Amarok V6 in terms of power; it was comfortable on the highways where its rear leaf springs were not too noticeable. On smaller rural roads the ride was less comfortable and the bump more noticeable; here is the place to ease off on the pedal power.

The Amarok is wider than the competition and it feels so on those smaller rural roads. It is shorter, however, and its load area is not the longest, if load carrying ability is high on your agenda. While the ground clearance is also lower than some of the competition, I successfully braved some water crossings with confidence.

The Amarok is well equipped with safety gear while its most recent Euro NCAP crash test gave it a four-star rating. The seats are for big guys. The width of the Amarok gives a spacious feeling in the front of the cab, while the rear space is good enough for three adults.

There are some useful driving and economy features including start/stop. There is a very effective rear camera, which along with the parking sensors are a must have for a machine as big as the Amarok.

Entry prices for this engine grade start at €52,240 incl. VAT (£42,857 including VAT in Northern Ireland), which means that the Amarok is one of the more expensive 4x4 pickups on the market. If you can register the Amarok as a commercial and have a VAT number, the deal is most attractive of all, including commercial motor tax rate of €333.

Can that premium be justified? You get a whole lot more in terms of power with this big pickup. The proof is that Amarok sales figures are rising, up by 28% compared with 2017, so the bigger engine option has made the difference.

Volkswagen Amarok 3.0 V6 – Specifications

Engine 3.0 litre

Engine power 224hp

0 – 100km/hr 8.0 seconds

Economy 13km/litre (7.7l/100km or 37mpg)

Fuel Tank Capacity 80 litres

CO2 emissions 204g/km

Road Tax Band Commercial €333

Main Service 20,000km/12 months

Euro NCAP Rating 4 stars 2010

Towing rating 3500kgs

Warranty 3 years (200,000km)

Entry Price €52,240 incl. VAT

NI Price £42,857 incl. VAT