2023 Volkswagen Amarok Is The Ranger’s German Twin

The 2023 Volkswagen Amarok has finally been revealed more than a decade since the previous generation model first made its debut. Whereas the previous Amarok is Volkswagen’s own R&D from the ground up, this new model comes with a bit of DNA from the new Ford Ranger.

While it shares the same heavily-updated T6 platform as its American sibling, you wouldn’t know that it shares the same fundamentals as the Ranger simply by the looks of it. Volkswagen’s designers spent a lot of effort in separating the Amarok from the Ranger, and that starts with the X-shaped front fascia that integrated well with the grille and standard adaptive matrix LED headlights. Even most of the car’s side panels are unique to the Amarok as it comes with sculpted wheel arches and the obligatory unique set of alloy wheels. At the rear, the Amarok likewise looks distinct as it comes with its own unique LED taillights and tailgate design, wherein the Amarok logo is also directly stamped onto the sheet metal.

The interior of the Volkswagen Amarok also looks quite different from the Ranger. In the case of its German sibling, the electronics come with Volkswagen’s own software, while the overall design is your typical German level of seriousness. There are not a lot of contrasting colors, but there’s a good amount of soft-touch materials dotted around the interior. The colors and textures are also much more subdued compared to the Ford Ranger, and that’s a good thing from Volkswagen’s perspective at the Amarok comes with its own visual identity. Some of the Amarok’s other interior highlights include a Harman Kardon sound system, electronic parking brake, power-adjustable front seats, just to name a few.

Engine choices for the 2023 Volkswagen Amarok are, however, the same as what you would find in the upcoming Ford Ranger, and with that, the range kicks off with the 2.0-liter EcoBlue turbo diesel engine that produces 150 hp and 350 Nm of torque. There’s another version of that same engine that produces 170 hp and 405 Nm of torque. Both of these engines are mated to a 6-speed automatic, driving the rear or all four wheels.

The 2.0-liter twin-turbo EcoBlue diesel engine also makes its way under the hood of the Amarok, and it produces the same 210 hp and 500 Nm of torque. The flagship engine choices of the range are the 3.0-liter PowerStroke V6 turbo diesel engine that produces 250 hp and 600 Nm and a 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbo gasoline engine that produces 302 hp and 452 Nm of torque. These three engines are then mated to a 10-speed automatic.

The 2023 Volkswagen Amarok will be produced at South Africa in the same production line as the Ford Ranger. Both of these vehicles assembled in this plant are destined for Europe, South America, and Australia, which means that a Philippine launch of the Volkswagen Amarok is almost zero to none.