Until the Mercedes-Benz X-Class utility arrives in late 2017, the 3.0-litre Volkswagen Amarok Aventura will be the most expensive ute in the light commercial (under 3500kg GVM) class, at $82,990.
High-specification pickups such as the new Aventura are doing double duty as a business and family vehicle, and while increasing their market penetration, manufacturers such as Volkswagen keep upping the ante on specification and features.
No other ute in the market has the benefit of permanent all-wheel-drive, and it is the 4Motion system that imbues the Amarok driver with confidence no matter the weather and road conditions.
While the Aventura V6 drives and handles like a Golf GTI that thinks it’s a pickup, the sole fly in the ointment would be its subtle appearance.
Except for the 20-inch Talca alloy wheels, the Aventura embroidery on the floor mats and the chrome sports bars, there isn’t a lot to differentiate the V6 from the four-cylinder Amarok models.
Meanwhile, the Ford Ranger Wildtrak and the Holden Colorado Z71, with all their bolt-on bits, loudly scream “look at me, look at me!”
Inside the interior of the facelifted 2017 Amarok is an all-new dashboard incorporating a seven-inch colour touch screen for the navigation and infotainment system.
There are 14-way power adjustable ergoComfort seats for the driver and front passenger, which are upholstered in Vienna leather and offer a two-stage heating function.
There’s also a leather-covered multi-function steering wheel which is adjustable for height and reach, while leather adorns the gear lever grip and the handbrake handle.
Dual-zone climate air conditioning is standard, as is park distance control with an integrated reversing camera, as well as bi-xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights.
As befitting a workhorse, the Aventura receives tow bar preparation as standard, plus a Durabed UV-resistant tray liner, stainless-steel sports bar, stainless-steel side steps with integrated LED downlights, plus front and rear mudflaps.
There are only four additional cost options available to buyers — power-adjustable, heated and folding exterior mirrors for $350, a cargo area lighting function on the LED centre high mount stop lamp for $75, a mechanical differential lock on the rear axle for $1250, and eight lashing eyes in the rear tray for an additional $60.
Volkswagen is fettling its 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel engine for use in the Amarok with a fully variable oil pump, as well as separate cooling for the cylinder heads and crank case, and even the variable geometry turbocharger has an electric actuator and is water cooled.
The V6 unit is positioned within the Amarok engine bay for better weight distribution when driving at sharp angles off-road.
The 2967cc V6 engine offers 165kW (180kW with overboost) and 550Nm of torque from 1400rpm, which is transferred to the 4Motion all-wheel-drive system through an eight-speed automatic transmission, with a sport mode and flappy paddles.
The Aventura will sprint from standstill to 100km/h in 7.9 seconds, yet will return an average fuel consumption of 7.8l/100km.
To improve on- and off-road driving performance Volkswagen made 148 changes to the chassis of the Amarok V6 models for greater rigidity and better handling, and they also receive disc brakes on all four wheels for greater stopping power.
Living with the Aventura is a pleasure thanks to the combination of those very comfortable front seats, the lusty V6 turbodiesel engine, and the very responsive eight-speed automatic transmission that always seems to have the right gear selected for the occasion.
It’s quiet and comfortable regardless of whether you are travelling at speed down a motorway, or picking your way through busy urban streets.
Rear-seat passengers will enjoy the three-person bench seat which is elevated higher than the front seats for increased visibility.
The bases of the rear bench seat fold up in a one-third or two-third split, allowing storage of large items such as tool boxes or large bags inside the cabin for greater security. There’s also a small storage compartment behind the rear bench seat, as the seat back folds down flat in one section.
The Amarok continues to be the class leader not only in the quality of its steering and handling, but also ride comfort, and the Aventura is no exception in spite of those handsome 20-inch alloys.
Price: $82,990.
