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The New Generation Of The VW Amarok Arrives With A Renewed Look, But Maintains The Old Platform And The Acclaimed V6 Engine, Focusing On Performance To Compete With More Modern Rivals.
Volkswagen presents the Amarok 2025 with the promise of renewal, but the reality is more complex. Beneath the new generation of the VW Amarok lies a pickup that lives in a dilemma: the powerful heart of a V6 athlete in a body that no longer competes with the modernity of its rivals.
This strategic decision by Volkswagen for South America positions the Amarok 2025 as a niche product. It bets all its chips on the fame of “a pickup that drives like a car,” sustained by the performance of its engine, to compete with technologically more advanced rivals. But is this bet enough to justify the purchase?
The Two Faces Of The New Generation Of The VW Amarok: The Global Model Made With Ford And The Reality Of The Pickup For Brazil
To understand the 2025 model, it’s essential to know the duality of the Amarok in the world. Globally, there is a new generation, the result of the “Cyclone Project,” a partnership between Volkswagen and Ford. This pickup is, in essence, based on the new Ford Ranger, even using its 3.0 V6 engine and being produced in South Africa.
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However, for economic and strategic reasons, Volkswagen opted not to bring this model to South America. Instead of a billion-dollar investment to adapt its factory in Argentina, the brand chose to maximize the return from the existing platform. The result is a facelift of the first generation, focused on a new look to maintain its main attraction: the V6 engine. It was a pragmatic decision: instead of betting big on a volatile market, VW preferred to ensure profitability with a project already paid for, even if that meant giving up technological leadership.
The V6 Engine With 258 Hp
The heart and main selling point of the Amarok 2025 continues to be its mechanical set. All versions sold in Brazil are equipped with the Volkswagen 3.0 V6 turbo diesel engine with 258 hp and 59.1 kgf.m of torque. Derived from Audi projects, the engine has been updated to meet the new Proconve L8 emissions standards.
A notable feature is the overboost function, which increases power to 272 hp for up to 10 seconds, a valuable resource for overtaking. The package is completed by the excellent 8-speed automatic transmission from ZF and the permanent 4Motion all-wheel drive. This powertrain is responsible for the pickup’s reputation for having luxury SUV drivability on pavement.
Technology And Interior: The Points Where The 2025 Pickup Shows The Age Of The Project
If the engine is the highlight, the interior is where the Amarok 2025 reveals its true age. Entering the cabin is like going back in time: the analog dashboard, the flip key, and the lack of now-basic features in cheaper cars betray a project that stopped in the last decade. For a pickup that costs more than R$ 350 thousand, the experience is one of notable obsolescence.
The technological gaps compared to competitors are significant:
Dashboard: remains predominantly analog, with no option for a 100% digital panel.
Starting System: retains the traditional flip key, without a push-button start system.
Convenience: there are no air conditioning vents for the rear seat.
Safety: the main novelty is the addition of curtain airbags, totaling six bags. However, the driver assistance systems are limited to a device that only issues visual and audible alerts, without actively intervening in steering or braking, as complete ADAS systems do with rivals.
The Fight With Rivals: How The Amarok V6 Positions Itself Against The New Ranger, Hilux, And S10
The new generation of the VW Amarok enters a fierce battlefield, where each competitor has its trump cards.
Against The Ford Ranger V6: it’s a clash of brute force against modern intelligence. While the Amarok bets on its ‘analog’ drivability and pure power, the Ranger responds with a superior technological arsenal: digital dashboard, cutting-edge multimedia, and a complete package of active assistances. The choice becomes clear: the pure sensation of a powerful engine or the safety and convenience of a 21st-century project.
Against The Toyota Hilux GR-Sport: the Hilux bets on its reputation for robustness and resale value. Its 2.8 engine, although powerful, does not have the same smoothness as the Amarok’s V6, which clearly has an advantage in highway performance.
Against The Chevrolet S10 High Country: the renewed S10 stands out for its technology and connectivity, featuring a modern interior and built-in Wi-Fi. Again, the Amarok asserts itself with the superior performance of its engine.
Who Should Buy The Renovated Amarok 2025?
The Volkswagen Amarok 2025 is the ideal pickup for a very specific consumer profile: those who prioritize engine performance and driving pleasure on pavement above any other attribute. It is a vehicle for those willing to forgo a modern interior and cutting-edge technologies in exchange for the unique sensation of power from its V6 engine.
In the end, the new generation of the VW Amarok 2025 is not for everyone and not for every country. For those seeking the most modern and complete pickup, its rivals are undoubtedly more rational options. The new Amarok is a tribute to the strength of its V6 engine, a performance machine in a time capsule, ideal for those who value the roar of the engine over the shine of a digital screen.
Tinha que informar que esse modelo não é um novo carro e sim o modelo velho com a frente nova! Já tive várias Amarok e adoro mas a VW tá fazendo o Brasil de **** com essa maquiagem em forma de lançamento!!
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E porque o apelido de bombarok e o calor de revenda com maior depreciação entre as diesel de sua categoria? Tem revendedor que simplesmente nao aceita ela!
O bobão que nunca teve nenhuma das duas fala como se a Ranger nao fosse potente. Tenho as 2, e digo que a Ranger é muito melhor, mais confortavel e macia para o trabalho na fazenda, carregando a mesma carga, fora que nao dá problema de cambio. A Amarok é mais nova e vive mexendo na suspensão.