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Platform-sharing to amortise vehicle development and production costs is common in the automotive industry, from the Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ, Mazda MX-5/Fiat 124 Spider and Toyota Supra/BMW Z4 sports car pairings to light-commercial vehicle tie-ups like the Ford Ranger/Mazda BT-50, Renault Trafic/Mitsubishi Express and more recently Isuzu D-Max/Mazda BT-50.
Following the end of its long platform-sharing agreement with Mazda, Ford teamed up with Volkswagen to provide the underpinnings for the second (and current) generation Ranger and Amarok.
Volkswagen designers and engineers worked closely with their Ford counterparts throughout the design and development process to ensure the latest Amarok embodied enough Volkswagen ‘DNA’ to provide clear distinction between the two brands.
So, wearing our editorial hard-hat and hi-vis, we recently sampled the work-focused base model in the Amarok range to see how it measures up from a tradie’s perspective.
There are currently 14 rivals competing for customers in the Light Duty or LD (3501-8000kg GVM) segment of Australia’s heavy commercial vehicle market. Business buyers and fleet operators are thick on the ground here and competition for their business is fierce.
Chinese brand LDV, a division of the huge SAIC Motor conglomerate which is now the seventh largest automotive company in the world, recently joined this battle with its new Deliver 9 van range that’s priced to entice. We spent a week aboard one to see how LDV’s claim of superior value stacks up when there’s work to be done.
Minimal bling is standard issue in workhorse utes, but the Amarok Core has a more upmarket look and feel than we typically expect in these base-grade models. With its alloy wheels, sharp styling and refined handling, it’s a competent worker with a touch of European panache – and pricing to match.
It has its flaws, like any vehicle, but it’s not as far away from segment leaders in terms of refinement and performance that its bargain-basement pricing might suggest. Whichever way you look at it, this is a lot of van for not a lot of money.
Although it shares underpinnings, drivetrains and technology with the Ranger, Volkswagen has done a commendable job in differentiating the Amarok in both design and dynamics (see Driving).
Its unique styling features a broad and imposing grille and headlights reminiscent of the original model which accentuates the vehicle’s width, resulting in a broad-shouldered look.
The interior design is also pleasing, even at this entry level, with European influence evident in the look and feel of various controls, including a left-hand indicator stalk and piano key-style buttons on the centre console.
There are big assist handles on the A and B pillars and the driver and front passenger seating is firmly bolstered and supportive. The rear bench seat is also comfortable and spacious with good kneeroom, given I’m 186cm and can sit behind the driver’s seat in my position with sufficient clearance. This has cured the cramped rear legroom that plagued the original Amarok.
There’s also ample rear headroom, even for tall people sitting in the slightly higher centre seat. However, shoulder room is tight for three adults (typical in utes this size) so for long trips two would be ideal.
Our only criticisms are the absence of air-vents in the centre console for rear seat passengers and no physical dials on the dash for altering cabin temperature and fan speed. These climate adjustments must be made using the touchscreen, which can be distracting when driving.
If imitation is the greatest form of flattery then Ford should be blushing, because the Deliver 9 appears to draw a lot of exterior design inspiration from the Transit van. It’s a substantial vehicle, as they tend to be in this weight division, with a 3750mm wheelbase and 14.2 metre turning circle, length of almost 6.0 metres (5940mm) and width of 2466mm. Its 2535mm height excludes it from underground and shopping centre carparks with typical height limits of 2.2 metres.
The rear-wheel drive chassis construction is simple and robust, with MacPherson strut front suspension, multi-leaf live axle rear suspension with supplementary rubber cones to boost support of heavy loads, rack and pinion steering and four-wheel disc brakes. There’s also ample use of hard-wearing black plastic on lower body sections where most scrapes and dents appear.
The cargo bay is accessed by one kerbside sliding door and dual rear-barn doors with 180-degree opening. The walls are lined to mid-height and there’s no roof lining. Bright LEDs provide ample lighting and even though our test vehicle was not the high-roof model, there was enough headroom for tall adults to stand without stooping.
The cabin has a spacious and airy feel, even with a crew of three aboard, thanks largely to a banana-shaped dashboard with ends that curve towards the windscreen providing wide entry access and passenger legroom which is unusually generous for a commercial van.
The cabin has higher-grade look than you would expect at this price, with a tasteful two-tone blend of light/dark grey plastics and faux carbon fibre inserts on the dash along with comfortable, supportive seats with quality-feel fabrics.
However, there is room for improvement, as there’s no cargo protection for driver and passengers, no driver’s left footrest, crackly AM radio reception (too bad if you like talkback) and a poor-quality image projected by the reversing camera.
With its 2269kg kerb weight and 3250kg GVM, the Amarok Core has a 981kg payload rating, which makes it eligible for a novated lease as it's below the 1000kg threshold that applies to those lease agreements.
Up to 85kg of that payload can be carried on the roof when driving, which increases to 350kg when the vehicle is stationary, making it suitable for roof-top tents, viewing platforms etc.
It’s also rated to tow up to the class-benchmark 3500kg of braked trailer, but with its 6200kg GCM (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) that would require a substantial 550kg reduction in vehicle payload (from 981kg to 431kg) to avoid exceeding the GCM.
A practical alternative would be to reduce the braked towing limit by the same amount (from 3500kg to 2950kg) and keep the maximum payload. That still allows for a sizeable towing capacity for most work and recreational tasks, given few (if any) owners need to tow 3500kg.
The load tub’s floor is 1544mm long and 529mm deep, with 1224mm between the wheel-housings ensuring the latest Amarok continues its predecessor’s ability to carry standard Aussie or Euro pallets.
It comes with no protective internal liner (genuine accessory is available) and the tailgate has no lower/lift assistance. However, the load tub does have bright internal lighting and sturdy-looking protective capping along the top edges, including a 130cm ruler on the tailgate. There are also six internal load-anchorage points, plus external rope rails along each side.
Cabin storage for driver and front passenger includes a bottle-holder and bin in each door, an open tray embedded in the centre dash-pad, upper and lower gloveboxes and an overhead glasses holder. The centre console has two small-bottle/cup-holders next to the gearshift, plus a lidded box at the back which doubles as a driver’s elbow rest.
Rear seat passengers get a small-bottle/cup-holder in each door, plus a fold-down centre armrest containing two more small-bottle/cup-holders. The seat’s base cushion can also swing up and be stored in a vertical position if more internal cargo space is required, or to access two underfloor storage compartments.
Its 2358kg kerb weight and 4000kg GVM leaves a competitive maximum payload of 1642kg. It’s also rated to tow up to 2800kg of braked trailer but given the GCM figure (or how much you can legally carry and tow at the same time) is not published, we can’t tell you how much payload it can legally carry while towing that weight.
We struck a similar problem testing a G10 LDV van as far back as 2017, when LDV could not provide the GCM despite a direct approach to the factory in China. Why such a fundamental figure must remain secret is a mystery to us and could be a deal-breaker if you need to tow and carry.
The cargo bay offers a competitive 10.97 cubic metres of load volume. Its load floor’s 3413mm length, 1800mm width and 1366mm between wheel housings means it can easily carry two 1165mm-square Aussie pallets or up to four 1200 x 800mm Euro pallets, held in place by a choice of eight sturdy load anchorage points. There’s also a small cave above the cabin which is ideal for carrying straps, ropes, load padding, tarps etc.
There’s more than ample cabin storage too, with large-bottle holders and two levels of storage in each front door, numerous nooks of different shapes and sizes across the dashboard including a driver’s cup holder, plus a single glove-box and large overhead storage shelf with central sunglasses holder.
Pivoting the two passenger seat base cushions forward reveals another big storage area beneath them. The centre seat backrest also folds down to reveal a handy work desk on the back if it, which includes two cup holders. Overall, there’s smart use of space here.
Our Amarok Core test vehicle is available only with a TDI405 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel and six-speed automatic for a list price of $55,490. That's about 9.0 per cent more than major player rivals like the closely-related Ford Ranger XL ($50,880) and Toyota HiLux Workmate ($50,420).
It may be the workhorse of the Amarok range, with fabric seating, wipe-clean vinyl flooring and rear drum brakes, but it looks a step above with its body colour-coded front bumper and chunky 17-inch ‘Combra’ alloy wheels with 255/70R17 tyres and a full-size steel spare.
Also standard are LED headlights and DRLs, side-steps, underbody drivetrain/fuel tank protection, front recovery hooks, 3.5-tonne tow-bar with 12-pin plug, locking rear differential, tyre pressure monitoring, rain-sensing wipers and more.
There’s also an 8.0-inch digital driver’s display and 10-inch touchscreen for the four-speaker multimedia system which includes wireless phone-charging, wireless Apple/Android connectivity, DAB digital radio, USB A and C ports and two 12-volt outlets.
Our test vehicle is the long wheelbase mid-roof, which is part of a three-model Deliver 9 range offering mixed wheelbase and roof height combinations. According to local distributor Ateco, the van’s unusual name has no real significance beyond the fact that in China it’s sold as the V90, so given Volvo’s existing V90 nomenclature, LDV changed the name to Deliver 9 in export markets.
Available only with a 2.0 litre turbo-diesel engine, the standard transmission is a six-speed manual or there’s the optional six-speed automatic like our test vehicle, which has an RRP of $44,726. Needless to say, that’s a massive saving compared to top-selling van rivals like the Ford Transit 350L LWB RWD auto at $54,090 and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 314 CDI LWB RWD auto at $66,240.
Colour choice is limited to Blanc White or Pacific Blue. It comes equipped with 16-inch steel wheels and 235/65R16C tyres with a full-size spare, plus checker-plate-pattern rubber flooring throughout, LED cargo bay lighting, big truck-style power adjustable and heated side mirrors with indicators, seating for three including an eight-way adjustable driver’s seat with fold-down inboard armrest and an multimedia system with big 10.1-inch touchscreen, two USB ports and Apple CarPlay (but no Android Auto) to name a few. There’s even a rare and endangered cigarette lighter and ashtray.
LDV also offers a $1500 options pack which adds 236-degree rear door opening (except mid-wheelbase model), blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist and remote keyless entry with push button start.
The TDI405 is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel producing 125kW of power at 3500rpm and 405Nm of torque between 1750-2500rpm.
This is paired with a six-speed torque converter automatic that offers the choice of manual sequential-shifting, which can be handy in off-road driving situations and when heavy towing, particularly in hilly terrain. There’s also four different drive modes comprising Normal, Eco, Slippery and Towing/Heavy Load.
The part-time, dual-range 4Motion 4x4 system offers three selectable drive modes comprising 2H (4x2 high range), 4H (4x4 high range) and 4L (4x4 low range). It also has a locking rear differential.
LDV’s Euro 5-compliant 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel produces 110kW at 3500rpm and 375Nm between 1500-2400rpm, which is adequate but not class-leading. It also offers a choice of Eco and Power driving modes and auto stop/start.
The six-speed torque converter automatic is smooth-shifting and easy to use. It also has the option of sequential manual-shifting which can be handy at times when hauling heavy loads, particularly in hilly terrain to save the transmission from continually hunting for gears.
Volkswagen claims an official combined average of 8.0L/100km and the dash display was only slightly higher at 8.7 when we stopped to refuel after our 345km test, of which about one third was carrying its maximum payload. This compares with our own figure calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings of 10.0L/100km, resulting in a ‘real world’ driving range of around 800km from its big 80-litre tank.
The dash display was showing an average combined figure of 11.0L/100km at the end of our 290km test, with the auto start/stop function disabled and about a third of that distance hauling maximum payload. Our figure crunched from fuel bowser and tripmeter came in at 12L/100km, so you could expect a real-world driving range of around 660km from its 80-litre tank.
The driver’s seat is supportive, with prominent side-bolsters on the base cushion and backrest holding you firmly in place and providing (dare we say) a ‘sporty’ feel for the driving position.
Although it shares the same suspension architecture as the Ranger, it has been tuned to provide a distinctive Volkswagen character with sure-footed solidity.
The steering feel is firm, responsive and nicely weighted, combined with a disciplined unladen ride quality with enough suppleness to absorb bumps with ease.
Noise insulation is also commendable for a base-grade model, with negligible engine, tyre and wind noise on the highway. It provides low-stress cruising at these speeds, thanks to adaptive cruise control and long-legged gearing which ensures the turbo-diesel only requires 2000rpm to maintain 110km/h.
To test its GVM rating we inflated the tyres to their recommended pressures (38psi front, 44psi rear) and forklifted 890kg into the load tub, which with driver equalled the 981kg payload limit.
The rear leaf springs compressed 70mm under this weight, but there was no chance of bottoming-out because of long cone-shaped jounce rubbers that engage with the springs early in their compression.
This design eliminates the hard thumps at full travel like traditional bump-stops and provide what is effectively a second stage of load support. The result is a smooth ride under maximum loads, regardless of road conditions.
We stuck with the 'Normal' drive mode, to assess its performance without resorting to the 'Towing/Heavy Load' setting and found it more than capable of doing the job.
Acceleration from standing starts was brisk given the load it was carrying, making light work of city and suburban driving. It was just as competent on the highway and when tackling our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km set climb at 60km/h, self-shifting down to third gear and 2000rpm to easily haul this load to the summit.
It’s pleasantly civilised to drive unladen, even on bumpy roads. With rock-hard tyre pressures (front 51psi, rear 71psi) recommended for load-carrying, the unladen ride remained disciplined and relatively smooth, so LDV has done a good job with the suspension tuning.
We were also pleasantly surprised by the low internal noise levels, not only in city and suburban driving but also at highway speeds. We can only assume that the load floor’s thick rubber flooring, which also covers the rear wheel housings, is effective in reducing the higher noise levels typically experienced in vans without cabin bulkheads like this one.
There are clear eye-lines to the door mirrors and the view through the rear doors using the central mirror is also uncluttered. There’s evenly-balanced elbow support for the driver between the fold-down inboard armrest and door moulding. However, we did miss having a left footrest.
With maximum torque available across a broad band between 1600-2400rpm, the engine displays good flexibility in city and suburban driving, even though it lacks the instant punch of rivals like the Transit’s stellar 2.0 litre EcoBoost engine when operating in its peak torque zone. The engine only needs 2000rpm at 100km/h and 2250rpm at 110km/h, but the degree of push required on the accelerator pedal to maintain it feels like it’s punching above its weight a little in either drive mode.
Our only major gripe is the adaptive cruise control. Usually these systems will automatically resume their pre-set speed, after being given clear road ahead following a lane change from behind a slower vehicle. However, our test vehicle required tapping the accelerator each time a lane change was made to resume the set speed. It also required this reset technique after downhill braking, so some refinement here would be welcome.
The Amarok boasts a five-star ANCAP rating from assessment in 2022 and features nine airbags, including side-curtain protection for rear seat passengers that was missing in the original. There’s also AEB with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring, lane-keeping, trailer-sway control, adaptive load control, reversing camera and more, but our base model misses out on front/360-degree cameras plus blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. There’s also ISOFIX child-seat mounts and top-tether anchorages on the two outer rear seat positions.
There’s no ANCAP required in the 3501-800kg GVM class but it comes well equipped for the money with AEB, lane-departure warning, reverse parking sensors and wide-view reversing camera, hill-hold assist, adaptive cruise control and stability control. There’s also driver and passenger front, side and curtain airbags. No cross-traffic alert but blind-spot monitoring and lane-change assist are available as part of the previously mentioned options pack.
Volkswagen covers the Amarok with a five year/unlimited km warranty plus 12 months complimentary roadside assist, which is par for the mainstream market course.
Scheduled servicing is 12 months/15,000km whichever occurs first. Capped-price five-year servicing plan costs $1900, or an average of $380 per year.
LDV’s national network of 82 dealers inspires more confidence than the three years/160,000km warranty, which is less than the major players – but then its purchase price is much lower too. Scheduled servicing is six months/5000km then 12 months/35,000km whichever occurs first and 12 months/30,000km after that. Capped-price servicing program of $1895 covers the first three years or 95,000km whichever occurs first.