Amarok test/review

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Originally Posted by gavs

... which I'll bet 3 qtrs of the people that say that, havent owned a current model of any of those vehicles ...

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Not knowing from a commercial use perspective, but I've had 1 x Rodeo DC 4x4 and 2 x Triton DC 4x4s for personal recreational use and they had a relatively tough life with me doing beach and semi-serious off-road traveling. All were 100% reliable and never let me down.

I'd be hesitant putting a new and untried VW DC 4x4 ute through the same .... apart from the fact that I wouldn't want to do that to a new VW anyway .....

My opinion on it still stands, I'll wait for some serious offroad mag to test it and deliver a verdict before I'd venture far off the beaten path.

Still would like to have one in TSI and manual form though.

Sharkie, as someone who has owned proper DC 4x4 utes, I value your opinion :D

We will be doing some decent testing once ours arrives off the boat (due some time in the near future) and believe me that in the 4x4 community, the amarok is creating a fair bit of hype, especially with Hilux owners who take the defensive stance of "my 2006 hilux is going to be way more better, after I can pay off the $20,000 worth of engine and gearbox repairs the Toyota refuse to warrant due to the vehicle being used in tough off-road conditions....".

The mags are really hesitant about it because they don't understand it. We have their journos here at work quite a bit and because they are typical hardcore off-roaders (with big lifts and stupid 35" tyres on patrols that spend nearly all their time in workshops because they were built in a backyard with an oxy torch and 5 cases of jim beam/bundy cans.....) and they do not understand technology. Unless it is familiar, they are scared of it and then their general reaction is they hate it because they don't understand it. I am finalising a product (that will publically debut at the Sydney 4x4 show next month) that falls into this category. They keep saying they don't get it, so they hate it.

Don't be surprised if every report that comes from 4x4 Action, 4x4 Australia etc says they don't like it. Don't take this as gospel though as most of these guys think the only good 4x4s have either Land Rover, Land Cruiser or Poo-trol badges on them....

Didn't the Touareg win Overlander 4x4 of the year when it came out? Plenty o' tech there....

I get where you're coming from though gavs, i think one of the amarok articles i've read recently summed it up well...

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VW also faces the challenge of levering buyers away from the Japanese-branded utes (most of which are built in Thailand), which boast generations of loyal, rusted-on customers.

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I saw that ^^ was in stitches :D

from today:

new VW ute | VW Amarok ute

Safety, pricing key for inaugural Volkswagen ute

Cheers,

Jayse.

New review by James Stanford posted on GoAuto from the South Africa drive event.

Volkswagen 2011 Amarok - VW continues Amarok countdown | GoAuto

Looking good!!

Still mentions light clutch like the prototypes.

I imagine clutch feel will be pretty similar to Transporter which is pretty light and has a very sharp take up point. I stall them around here every now and then when I forget about it.

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Originally Posted by flyingfridge

I imagine clutch feel will be pretty similar to Transporter which is pretty light and has a very sharp take up point. I stall them around here every now and then when I forget about it.

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Then thats okay :D

I drove a T5 2.5 with the 96kW engine was the best drivers van I have ever drove.

My Golf has a light clutch which I like now that I am used to. I would HATE for this vehicle to have a Navara or Hilux-esq clutch as they are shockingly heavy. For a 4x4, I can't go past the clutch in a 100 series Landcruiser, perfectly weighted, good travel and really evident friction point.