2017 Volkswagen Amarok on sale in UK

Orders for the facelifted Volkswagen Amarok pickup truck have opened ahead of deliveries starting in January next year.

The revised car benefits from mild styling tweaks and a completely revised engine line-up. At launch, all models will come with an automatic gearbox only, while later on a less powerful model will be available with a six-speed manual gearbox. Four-wheel drive is standard across the range.

Buyers will need to be Amarok experts to spot the styling tweaks at first glance, however, as they’re limited to some pretty minor adjustments. There are new front foglights, a new front bumper and a revised radiator grille. There’s also a new design of alloy wheel, while the high-level central brake light now features LEDs.

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Meanwhile, the interior has been significantly redesigned, with a new dashboard layout and new touchscreen infotainment system right in the middle. Bluetooth and DAB radio are fitted as standard, while buyers will be able to specify sat nav, as well as ‘Car-Net’ services including App-Connect and Inform.

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App Connect allows you to connect your smartphone to the car’s touchscreen via Apple CarPlay, Android Auto or MirrorLink, depending on what sort of smartphone you’ve got. Meanwhile, Guide and Inform can give you traffic updates and lets you send your intended destination to the car from your smartphone, as well as giving weather forecasts as well as news updates.

The revised Volkswagen Amarok will eventually be available in three different trim levels. Initially, just Trendline and Highline will be offered, with an entry-level Startline model appearing later in 2017. From launch, there’ll also be a special Aventura model available, only 240 examples of which will be sold in the UK. This top-spec version is based on Highline trim, adding bi-xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights 19-inch alloys and sat nav as standard, along with a self-parking system.

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Under the bonnet, the 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel from the outgoing Amarok has been replaced by a 3.0-litre V6 diesel. At launch, this is available in two different power outputs (201 and 221bhp), both of which come with permanent four-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard.

Alongside the introduction of the entry-level Startline trim later in 2017, a less powerful 161bhp version of the engine will join the range, coming with a six-speed manual transmission and switchable four-wheel drive (which means you can switch the car between two and four-wheel drive as and when you need it) as standard.

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Orders for the revised Amarok are open now, with prices starting at £32,495 on the road (including VAT) for the Trendline model. The Highline starts at £36,981 (including VAT). Meanwhile, the top-spec Aventura model – which is only available with the most powerful engine – starts at £39,381.

Prices for the forthcoming entry-level Startline model will be announced closer to its arrival.