Test Drive: Amarok Canyon (2020) is visually striking

Special editions are no longer the preserve of elite supercars. In South Africa the bakkie segment is guilty of concocting its own bling elements or matte paintwork – sometimes at the same time – used to reinvigorate sales particularly at the end of a product lifecycle.

Taking the bait is Volkswagen with two new models; the Amarok Dark Label and the Amarok Canyon. We drove the Canyon with the 165kW (180kW on overboost) 3.0-litre diesel whereas the Dark Label is powered by the 132kW 2.0 BiTDI. Neither are limited to a specific production run, like the Hilux GR Sport, but we still think there will be some exclusivity to be had with either choice.

Back to the Amarok Canyon; all change on the skin leaving the flagship drivetrain untouched. Honey Orange is the colour theme and it takes some internal reminding that you’re not looking out over the bonnet of a Ford Ranger Wildtrak. The updates include a new design matte black styling bar, matte black side tubes with unique decals as well as 17-inch Aragua alloy wheels which, if we’re honest look far too small, and more the visual downgrade. Inside there is coloured stitching, seatbelts with orange-coloured seams, multi-function steering wheel with colour seams, Greenhouse black roof lining, ‘Canyon‘ embroided floor mats, pedal cap in stainless steel and auto dimming interior mirror.

Excluding navigation and heated seats (which are optional), the Amarok Canyon has the same suite of features as fitted to the top of the range Amarok Extreme but costs around R40,000 less. And with the X-Class 3.0 V6 soon to vanish from the mentionable list of rivals worldwide, the only canyon we can think of is the one between itself and rivals. Andrew Leopold

Specification

Volkswagen Amarok Canyon

• R799,000
• 0 6cyl turbocharged diesel
• 180kW
• 550Nm
• 0-100kph in 8.0 secs, 193kph
• 0l/100km, 236g/km