Although it’s the oldest pickup of this comparison, the Amarok makes easy work of its rivals from zero to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour). The secret to its performance is the 3.0 TDI V6 engine, which is rated at 255 horsepower (258 ps) and 428 pound-feet (580 Nm).
The overboost function also needs to be highlighted because it briefly offers 268 horsepower (272 ps). On a rather dusty surface that isn’t as grippy as tarmac, the Amarok recorded 8.07 seconds from zero to three-digit speeds.
Cars.co.za tested five more trucks to see, and none came close to the aging Volkswagen. The Mazda BT-50 with the J-series Isuzu 3.0-liter turbo diesel ranked second with 10.04 seconds whereas the Ford Ranger with the 2.0-liter EcoBlue bi-turbo diesel powerplant had to settle for 11.31 seconds.
In third place, the best-selling Toyota Hilux recorded 11.9 seconds with the 2.8-liter turbo diesel that was introduced six years ago by the Land Cruiser Prado. The fifth quickest pickup is a lesser-known fellow, the GWM P-Series that’s also known as the Pao, Poer, and Cannon. Manufactured by Great Wall in China and Thailand, this bakkie takes its mojo from a 2.0-liter mill with 161 horsepower (163 ps) and 295 pound-feet (400 Nm) of torque.
In this scenario, the Chinese truck needed 12.76 seconds to reach the 100-kph mark. Nissan came dead last with 12.84 seconds for the Navara with the 2.5-liter YD25DDTi High Power engine, a very old four-cylinder turbo diesel based on the YD25DDTi with the VP44 rotary injection pump.
Facelifted for the 2021 model year in South Africa and South America, the once-popular Navara will be discontinued from the European lineup at the end of this year due to declining sales. EV manufacturer Rivian was initially expected to buy the Navara-making factory in Barcelona where Nissan also produced the Mercedes X-Class. More recently, Great Wall has expressed interest in a possible takeover, but nothing has transpired so far.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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