The all-new 2022 VW Amarok is coming to Europe this year. Thanks to a partnership with Ford, and the bones of the Ranger, the pickup truck has been redesigned from the ground up, and it’s packed with new features that are sure to impress. From its robust exterior design to its luxurious interior appointments, the all-new Amarok is sure to turn heads.
Take a look at what we know about Volkswagen’s incoming pickup truck.
No PHEV in the foreseeable future
According to a report from Australian publication Drive, VWN (Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge or VW Commercial Vehicles) has decided not to launch an Amarok PHEV. Ford is developing a plug-in hybrid system for the Ranger, and the company has the option of using it for the new Amarok. However, it is not satisfied with the electric range of the plug-in hybrid system, Lars Krause, VWN BoM responsible for marketing, told Drive. Krause added that the company hasn’t ruled out launching an Amarok PHEV, but it is “looking more” at a VW Amarok EV. He said that an Amarok EV is technically possible, and VWN is “seriously considering” it.
2022 VW Amarok to be differentiated from the Ranger
The 2022 VW Amarok will use the new Ford Ranger’s underpinning. The design of the next-gen Amarok will be unique, and nothing the customer sees and touches will be of the all-new Ranger, as per an report from Drive. Kevin Richards, Head of Commercial Vehicles, Volkswagen New Zealand, has also indicated that the next-gen Amarok would have sufficient differentiation from its donor, as per a report on MotoringNZ.
Richards said that Volkswagen engineers have remained involved in the development program from the first day. The next-gen Amarok “definitely has VW DNA,” though it is based on a Ford product. Not just the look, but Richards thinks it will drive differently, too. He didn’t pinpoint the changes, but the engine mapping, suspension and steering settings, and other core aspects could differ in the German ute.
The teasers released by VWN suggest that the next-gen Volkswagen Amarok will be the brand’s toughest model across the range, both PVs and CVs. With the “Built Ford Tough” genes and the German brand’s sophistication, it’ll stand out from its Asian rival group.
Wider headlamps in a more aggressive design and with IQ.Light LED matrix technology, three power bulges in the hood, and “Amarok” embossed branding will make the front brawnier. Depending on the configuration, the radiator grille bars will merge into a horizontal division of the front section or an X-shaped design. Spy pictures from motor.es reveal that the fog lamps would be higher up in the middle section of the bumper.
A slight kick in the beltline on the rear door will add character to the profile, while half-round wheel arches, fender flares, and chunkier door mirrors will heighten its ruggedness. The tail lamps will also be unique, and they will feature LED technology as standard. The redesigned model will flaunt “Amarok” branding in block letters on its tailgate.
Interior
The interior of the 2022 Amarok will find more refinement. VWN will keep the basic layout of the latest Ranger but still offer plenty of distinction to the cabin. The steering wheel and climate control panel will look completely different. VWN will also use a uniquely designed floor console that is clean and contemporary. Another major difference is in the dashboard design, which, unlike in the donor model, gets a wide-open stowage compartment on the passenger side. VWN says that the redesigned pickup will impress customers when it comes to connectivity.
Digital cockpit, tablet-style touchscreen infotainment system, 10-way electrically adjustable front seats, etc., will be some of the other interior highlights of the next-gen Amarok. VWN will offer five trims: Amarok, Life, Style, PanAmericana (off-road-oriented), and Aventura (on-road character).
Interior is where Ford gained a lot from its collaboration with VWN for the Ranger/Amarok twins. Both Ford and VWN have their capabilities. In the interior aspect, the latter “delivered a lot of expertise, specifically in plastic material and the graining of plastics,” Krause said, as per a report from Drive. The Amarok offered one of the highest quality interiors in its segment in the first generation, and it will likely give that impression in the second generation as well.
The next-gen Amarok will have significantly more than 30 driver assistance systems, 20 of which will be completely new, and impressive connectivity features. It will pack innovations customers have never seen before in this segment, VWN claims. The company is confident about the success of the radically different next-gen VW Amarok. Talking about the upcoming model at the company’s annual press conference in March 2021, CEO Prof. Carsten Intra said:
As I mentioned a moment ago, we’re also going to soon see the new Amarok, a medium-sized pickup, with a market launch planned in 2022. For this Amarok successor, we are using a platform developed together with Ford, and we are also offering inimitable accents in terms of design and trim. And we’re showing you here a design sketch already, which I think makes one thing very clear – this is going to be a great pickup truck, a genuine Volkswagen with a clear design signature of Volkswagen, and the first reactions we received are just outstanding. It’s really going down well, and I personally like it a lot as well. So, at the end of the day, this is exactly what our customers would want because the Amarok already has a very loyal fan community.
Prof. Carsten Intra, CEO, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
Dimensions
The next-gen Amarok will measure 5.35 meters (210.6 in.) in length, 10 cm (3.9 in.) more than its predecessor. The all-new ‘wolf’ will be over 4 cm (1.6 in.) wider than the old model, with a width of 195.4 cm (76.9 in.). The ground clearance will also get better, which was 192 mm (7.6 in.).
Thanks to the increased length, the all-new Amarok should have a longer wheelbase, which explains VWN claiming that it will offer more legroom in the second row. The redesigned Amarok will have a maximum payload capacity of 1.2 tons (2,646 pounds) and a maximum towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes (7,716 pounds). The company says its water-fording depth will also be better than the previous model (500 millimeters or 20.0 inches). Detailed specifications should be released in the coming weeks.
Joint production
Volkswagen Group has acknowledged that a successor to the Amarok would not have been possible without Ford Motor’s tie-up. The partnership will extend the new Amarok to Ford manufacturing it at its Silverton plant in South Africa from this year. Ford and VW deepen collaboration as the former intends to use the MEB to generate products for the European markets. The partnership should allow Volkswagen to price its pickup truck more competitively.
Through the combination of our commercial vehicle platforms with Ford, we are becoming very competitive in the light commercial vehicles and medium pickup truck segment worldwide.
Dr. Herbert Diess, CEO, Volkswagen Group (Volkswagen Group New Auto strategy)
Production of the outgoing Amarok at the Hanover plant has ceased, Volkswagen Group said in its annual report for 2020. “In Europe, we have already phased out production of Amarok, and we delivered the markets from South America,” Holger Kintscher, BoM – Finance and IT, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said during the company’s annual press conference in March 2021.
Release Date
The next-gen VW Amarok will debut this summer and be available to order in Europe at the end of the year. Australian showrooms will get the all-new one-tonne partly German ute in early 2023. Note that the Amarok is available only with diesel engines.
On the Electric VW Amarok
Volkswagen Group has made it its mission to make every type of vehicle electric, from hatchbacks to sedans, SUVs, and vans. The final piece of the puzzle is an all-electric pickup truck. The company is seriously contemplating a VW Amarok Electric, and it could launch the model around the middle of the decade. A U.S. launch is likely if an Electric Amarok is approved for production. Scott Keogh, Volkswagen Group of America’s President and CEO, sees an electric pickup truck as “the chance of a lifetime.” Keogh has said that Volkswagen Group of America is “actively looking at” launching an electric pickup, as per a Business Insider report.
VW Amarok Hybrid FAQs
What is the VW Amarok hybrid release date?
A VW Amarok hybrid is unlikely to be launched. VWN is considering an Amarok EV in its place.
Which pickup trucks will rival the 2022 VW Amarok?
Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi Triton, and Mazda BT-50 in the European market, not to forget its sister product, Ford Ranger.
What is the price of the 2022 VW Amarok?
Expect the new Amarok to begin at under £30,000 in the UK.
Featured Image Source: Volkswagen Group
A Mechanical Engineer by qualification, I started out as an automotive editor of a regional magazine in 2011. In my 11 years of experience in creating automotive content, I’ve traveled around the world to review, analyze and report on the world’s top electrified cars.
