The new Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok are like twins under the skin
A side-by-side comparison of the spec for the new 2023 Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok, shows that the German badge is heading upmarket.
Volkswagen has made some efforts to differentiate itself from Ford, but which parts do they share and where do they differ?
The new Volkswagen Amarok shares its engines with the Ford Ranger, as well as its floorplans, transmissions, and key technology
As reported by Drive, the Volkswagen Amarok and Ford Ranger are products of an alliance. From sharing safety features to engines, they do largely differ too, especially when it comes to exterior and interior styling.
These are two of the most expensive and best dual-cab 4×4 on the market, but there are a few things that the Amarok gets that the Ranger doesn’t. The Amarok is “pure Volkswagen” says company executives, but it shares features like its sat-nav, heated part-leather seats, and parking sensors with the Ranger.
If you were to put both of these beasts side-by-side, you’d be able to see that what stands out the most is the fact that the bonnet and grille designs are different. The headlights and bumpers are also different too.
Both cabins are spacious, so you’ll quite easily fit five passengers in each, but it’s the Ranger’s interior that gives off the more practical vibes. They both have different wheel arch shapes too, with the Amarok’s being more squarer compared to Ford’s. Thankfully though, the shaping of the door skins is just about enough for us to tell them apart, but only just, they are a pretty close match.
Volkswagen says the common elements were engineered and refined by both brands – with Lars Krause, VW Commercial Vehicles board member for marketing, stating that the Volkswagen-Ford partnership was “a logical move for both sides”.
He continued to say that “A lot of what Ford was planning for the Ranger was what we’d already been talking about internally at Volkswagen for the Amarok. Everyone agreed it was a good fit,”.
There is a slight edge to the Ford you could say, with its three in-cabin 12V power outlets and three-prong 230V power outlet in the rear cabin, which means that you can always keep your tools charged up while you’re on the go.
Its been reported that the Ranger and Amarok will each offer Ford-made-single-turbo and bi-turbo 2.0-litre diesel engines
The Amarok will offer five different engines in the 2023 Amarok lineup, all of which will be turbocharged, with four diesel and one petrol. The Amarok is backed by three 2.0-litre twin-turbo, four-cylinder, diesel engine (154kW/500Nm). You also have the option of a single-turbo 3.0-litre V6 diesel and a 2.3-litre turbo-petrol producing a claimed 222kW of power.
There are three engine options in the 2023 Ford Ranger lineup, ranging from 2.0-litre to 3.0-litre, all of which are turbo-diesel with one twin turbo. It produces 125kW and 405Nm and is backed by the 6-speed automatic transmission, which has been carried over from the current Ranger. The Amarok will come with a 10-speed automatic transmission, which replaces the previous 8-speed gearbox. It also offers the same 6-speed automatic too, as well as 5 and 6 speed manuals.
Sadly, there is no manual gearbox offered in the next-generation Ranger. As much of a disappointment that this might be, the demand for cars being more simplified and easy for us to use is top of the list, rather than how the car actually drives, as suggested by Which Car.
Price-wise, we’re talking £25,000 for the Ranger, which is due to arrive in early 2023 and is almost £1,000 more than the current version thanks to all of its new fancy equipment that it will be kitted out with.
We’re yet to receive any of the juicy details about the pricing of the 2023 Amarok, but we can expect these to be announced by Volkswagen soon and we can’t wait. What we should expect though is for the new pick-up truck to carry a premium over the current model, which starts at £33,000 and higher trims pushing it over £40,000.
The Amarok is a performance leader in its class. There are a few things that the Volkswagen gets that the Ford doesn’t and vice versa. For example, the Ranger doesn’t but the Amarok does get the step wedges in the lower section of the rear fenders (for easier access to the ute tub), a fantastic access touch.
All in all, both of these pickup trucks have more than enough to offer, putting plenty on the table for you. For the extra outlay, the Volkswagen Amarok, gives you more of a high-end 4×4 utility package. It’s comfortable and well-equipped, what more could you ask for?
Despite the lack of a manual transmission, the Ford Ranger will continue to be the bigger seller offering a higher degree of value for money in our opinion.
