The Volkswagen Amarok range is being joined in September by a new Walkinshaw-tuned W600, which tops a recently reshuffled lineup.
Announced in March, the rejigged Amarok lineup – referred to by Volkswagen as the model year 2026 (MY26) range – no longer offers a bi-turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, following Ford’s decision to axe the engine for the Ranger ute on which the Amarok is based.
That leaves the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 – badged as the TDI600 – as the only diesel engine available. It sits alongside the lone petrol engine, a turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder mill that powers the TSI452 Style.
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This powertrain was previously exclusive to the Amarok’s high-spec Aventura trim, but now sits at the bottom of the range.
As for variants, the base Core and Life trims were axed as part of the model year update, with Style now the cheapest available model. That brings the starting price of the Amarok range up by $18,250 to $73,740 before on-road costs.
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New is the special edition Black Label, of which just 200 units were confirmed for our market. Powered exclusively by the turbo-diesel V6, it brings blacked-out cosmetic changes to the Style on which it’s based.
At the top of the range is the W600, the second Amarok to have been tuned by Australian automotive firm Walkinshaw. Like the W580 that came before it, it brings various ride and handling changes to target a sportier on-road setup, rather than prioritising off-road prowess.
At its heart are new Koni ‘Frequency Selective Dampers’ with bespoke valve tuning, while a rear sway bar has been added to complement the leaf-sprung rear axle.
It also features new 20×10-inch alloy wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tyres, giving the Amarok a wider track, along with retuned steering.
There have also been cosmetic tweaks to match, namely a new front bumper with a new grille, the latter incorporating a light bar for a unique front lighting signature.
Rounding it out are new power-retractable side steps and twin side-exit exhaust tips behind the right-hand rear wheel. Like the Black Label, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Australia expects 200 W600 units to be produced as part of the 2026 model year.
The lineup changes bring the Amarok’s individual variant count down from 10 to seven, covered by five trim levels. The cab/chassis body style is still available, but only in one variant with a V6 engine.
Pricing
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Drivetrains and Efficiency
Two powertrains are available in the Amarok lineup.
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Dimensions
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Servicing and Warranty
Volkswagen Australia backs its range with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Servicing for the Amarok is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.
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Volkswagen’s individual service costs are detailed below:
Additionally, Volkswagen currently offers a five-year service plan for the Amarok that costs $3200.
Safety
The Volkswagen Amarok has a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted by Euro NCAP in 2022. Volkswagen Australia has confirmed this also applies to the W600.
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Standard safety equipment highlights:
- 9 airbags, incl:
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Adaptive cruise control with stop/go
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Driver attention monitoring
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Hill descent control
- Lane departure warning
- Lane-keep assist
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Roll-over mitigation
- Surround-view monitor
- Swerve steer assist
- Traffic sign recognition
- Trailer assist
- Tyre pressure monitoring
Standard Equipment
There are now five trim levels in the Australian Amarok lineup.
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2027 Volkswagen Amarok Style equipment highlights:
- 18-inch ‘Amadora’ diamond-cut alloy wheels
- Goodyear Wrangler Territory Highway-Terrain tyres
- Full-size spare wheel
- ‘Standard’ twin-tube front suspension dampers
- Auto IQ. Light Matrix LED headlights
- LED tail lights
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Power-folding heated side mirrors
- Puddle lamps
- Chrome exterior accents
- Chrome side steps
- Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
- Stitched leather-look dashboard and door trim
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Leather-wrapped gear selector
- Black/grey ArtVelour microfleece upholstery
- 10-way power driver’s seat
- 8-way manual front passenger seat
- Heated front seats
- 12.3-inch digital instrument display
- 12.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Bluetooth
- Satellite navigation
- DAB+ digital radio
- 6-speaker sound system
- Dual-zone climate control
- Rear air vents
- Rear privacy glass
- Chrome sports bar
- Tailgate lift assist
- Plastic tub liner
- 6 x tub tie-down points
- 12V power socket in tub
- Tow bar
- Steel engine and transfer case protection
- Keyless entry
- 6 drive modes:
Amarok Dark Label adds:
- 20-inch ‘Bendigo’ matte black alloy wheels
- Dark smoke halogen tail lights
- ‘X-Design’ black front bumper
- Black exterior accents
- Black roof rails
- Black side steps
- Dark Label decal pack
- Dark Label-branded carpet floor mats
- Dark Label steering wheel badge
- Black door trim
- Black ArtVelour upholstery
- Black sports bar
- Soft tonneau cover
- Spray-in tub liner
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Amarok PanAmericana adds (over Style):
- 18-inch ‘Amadora’ matte black alloy wheels
- Goodyear Wrangler Territory All-Terrain/Sport tyres
- ‘Dynamic’ monotube front suspension dampers
- Dark matte grey exterior accents
- Silver roof rails
- Black side steps
- PanAmericana decal pack
- Black headliner
- Black/Anthracite/Brown leather-appointed upholstery
- 10-way power front passenger seat
- 8-speaker Harman Kardon sound system
- Black sports bar
- Soft tonneau cover
- Spray-in tub liner
The PanAmericana removes the tub’s 12V power socket.
Amarok Aventura adds:
- 21-inch ‘Varberg’ diamond-cut alloy wheels
- Goodyear Wrangler Territory Highway-Terrain tyres
- ‘X-Design’ silver front bumper
- Chrome exterior accents
- Chrome side steps
- Heated steering wheel
- Black-Grey/Fossil Savona leather upholstery
- Body-colour sailplane
- Electric roller cover
- Plastic bed liner
- 12V power socket in tub
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Amarok W600 adds:
- 20-inch ‘Walkinshaw’ dark matte grey alloy wheels
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tyres
- Frequency Selective Damping (FSD) Koni suspension dampers
- 22mm rear anti-roll bar
- Signature front light bar
- Wide track mud flaps
- Wide track fender flares
- ‘Walkinshaw Design’ body-colour front bumper
- Gloss black exterior accents
- Black roof rails
- Walkinshaw Shield puddle lamps
- Black power-retractable side steps
- Walkinshaw brushed aluminium door sill plates
- Walkinshaw Shield headrest embroidery
- W600-branded carpet floor mats
- Stainless steel sports pedals
- Walkinshaw badge pack
- ‘AMAROK’ lettering tailgate decal pack
- 3.5-inch Shadow Chrome twin side-exit exhaust tips
The W600 removes the heated steering wheel.
Options
There are just a handful of options available across the Amarok range, along with a vast assortment of general ute accessories. It’s worth visiting a dealer for information on those accessories.
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2027 Volkswagen Amarok options:
- 20-inch ‘Bendigo’ diamond-cut alloy wheels (TSI452 Style only): $1290
- Electric roller cover (W600 only): $3450
Colours
Eight colours are available on the Volkswagen Amarok, with Clear White the only no-cost option.
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2027 Volkswagen Amarok colours:
- Clear White
- Bright Beige Metallic: $1100
- Bright Blue Metallic: $1100
- Dark Gray Metallic: $1100
- Deep Red Metallic: $1100
- Medium Silver Metallic: $1100
- Midnight Black Metallic: $1100
- Reed Green Metallic: $1100
The W600 isn’t available in Bright Beige, Bright Blue, or Reed Green. Volkswagen Australia has designated one ‘wildcard’ colour for the W600, which will change for each model year. It’s currently Deep Red.
