2023 Volkswagen Amarok v Toyota HiLux v Isuzu D-Max comparison review

The arrival of a new double-cab ute to our tub-happy, adventure-loving market is a fascinating thing to behold. When people spot a fresh entrant to the ‘it’s only a light commercial for tax reasons’ segment, the world stops.

A new go-anwhere, tow-anything lifestyle workhorse makes society pay attention. Questions are asked, photos are taken, songs are written, babies are named… it’s quite the event.

And so here, in this fifth month of the twenty-third year of the millennium, we officially welcome the new Volkswagen Amarok to one of the most competitive 4x4 dual-cab battlegrounds in the world.

With a range that starts from $50,990 for a 2.0-litre turbo diesel Amarok Core manual (which has now, ironically, left the chat), there are five grades to choose from (Core, Life, Style, PanAmericana, Aventura), and of course, the option of a 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 on mid and high specification models.

Simply put, the Amarok’s bones are good, as this time around VW teamed up with Ford for the development of the new car to produce an undercover-brother of the new Ford Ranger, the 2023 Drive Car of the Year.

So with strong genes and a hungry audience, the new Amarok is as well prepared as it could be to take on the best in the game. But before we line it up against the Ford, let us first see how the new Amarok fares against two other heavy hitters in the dual-cab ute market.

Enter the ‘benchmark’ Toyota HiLux and the hard-charging Isuzu D-Max, two consistently solid performers whether it be on road, trail, or sales spreadsheet.

As this was our first chance to look at the new Amarok in a competitive environment, and because we only had the car for a short period of time, we're conducting this comparison as a general-use on-road assessment.

We'll look at purchase and ownership value, load functionality, cabin accommodations and equipment, technology implementation and on-road driving performance. Towing and off-road assessment will come a bit later so that we can give both these key functions the attention they deserve.

The Toyota HiLux SR5 4x4 automatic is the second-to-top in the long-standing ute range. It’s the oldest car of our trio, as the eight-generation car originally launched in 2015, but has had a nip, tuck and some tweaks since then.

Our car is priced from $61,930 and features the $2500 premium leather interior option as well as $675 Crystal Pearl metallic paint, making it $65,105 before on-road costs.

Under the bonnet is a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel with 150kW and 500Nm available, and naturally, there is a selectable four-wheel drive system, including low-range, driven through a six-speed automatic transmission. Toyota claims a combined cycle fuel consumption of 7.9L/100km.

Keeping your HiLux running well will see you needing to visit the Toyota dealer every six months or 10,000km. This means three years of scheduled servicing will run $1740 ($580 per year or $290 per service) but five will cost $3765.75 as prices step up significantly in the fourth and fifth years of ownership.

Next dual-cab of the rank is the Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain 4x4 automatic, which is priced from $67,500 and adds $650 Magnetic Red mica paint for $68,150 before on-road costs. It’s worth noting that at the time of writing, Isuzu has one of their regular drive-away deals on offer, making the D-Max $64,990 drive-away, a saving of about $10,000.

The all-new D-Max launched in 2020 and brought a much-needed step forward in technology and comfort to the Isuzu showroom. The X-Terrain is the top of the range and is powered by a 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel with 140kW/450Nm output and a claimed combined cycle fuel consumption of 8.0L/100km.

The Isuzu also uses a selectable 4WD system and a six-speed automatic transmission.

Owners benefit from up to seven years capped price servicing with the first three years costing $1545 and five years $2435.

While there is an Amarok priced in line with the Toyota and Isuzu, the $66,990 2.0-litre turbocharged Amarok Style TDI500, or even $70,990 Style TDI600 with the 3.0-litre V6, we were unable to get our hands on one.

Instead, we’ve stepped a grade higher to the $75,990 Amarok PanAmerica with the 184kW/600Nm 3.0-litre turbocharged V6. The PanAmerica adds painted wheels and sports bars, a tub liner, a premium sound system and leather seats over the Style, but shares the same technical underpinnings and fundamental technology.

This includes a selectable 4WD driveline and ten-speed automatic transmission, but unlike the others, the Volkswagen also includes an automatic setting that will adjust front-to-rear torque split as the conditions require, branded under Volkswagen's 4Motion banner.

So despite our machine, with $990 Deep Red metallic paint, tipping the invoice at $76,980 before on roads (a solid $10k over the others) we’ll do our best to work around the price and focus on the details.

Worth noting too, that while the Volkswagen costs more to buy and paint, it costs less to run. Volkswagen has matched the Ford Ranger's service costs making it $1072 for three years and $1800 for five, the most cost-effective of all three utes.

As the most vanilla offering of our trio, the Toyota ticks the boxes of 'need' to have rather than 'want' to have, which is clearly a sensible approach given it is still the best seller of our contenders.

You score LED head and running lamps, 18-inch alloy wheels, a body-coloured front bumper and a snazzy chrome one on the rear to match the chrome sports bars. Seat heating and power adjustment are included with our premium interior upgrade, but ice-cold air conditioning and a dash-mounted digital clock are yours from the showroom floor. Classic Toyota.

The most recent facelift in 2021 has kept the HiLux looking fresh and smart enough, but an all-new car is expected in 2025. For the time being though, you can have your SR5 in one of six colours (all but solid Glacier White attracting a paint premium), with a full range of accessory items available from your Toyota dealer.

Over in Isuzu town, the D-Max X-Terrain features unique body styling and trim elements to set it apart from other models in the D-Max range. You can choose from nine colours (all but solid Mineral White costing extra) to mix with the contrasting grey over-fender flares and sailplane-style sports bar.

Like the Toyota you are riding on 18-inch alloy wheels, have LED headlamps and running lamps, but also step up to LED tail lights. The power-adjustable leather seats are standard and are heated, as are the mirrors. Dual-zone climate control is also included as is a crowd-pleasing remote start function.

In Style trim, the Volkswagen Amarok includes 18-inch alloy wheels, alloy sports bars and side steps. In our PanAmericana car, it has all of those, but black. The wheels are even the same style. Being a newer model, the LED headlamps offer an intelligent matrix system and LED rear lamps are standard.

Buyers can choose from eight colours with again, the solid Clear White the only selection not to add a premium.

The inside is where the PanAmericana separates from the Style grade, offering leather seats (as opposed to fabric) and a leather-look stitched dashboard. When shopping between the two, the decision is largely a cosmetic one, with that extra $5k contributing to your street cred and cabin luxury, not your usability.

The business end of any ute is a key part of its working or lifestyle functionality, but as our three contenders show, tubs ain't tubs.

Starting with the Toyota, the HiLux shows what a no-frills back end on a ute can be like. You've got a relatively long load bed (the longest of our three contenders) at 1570mm and there's 1109mm between the arches. However the Toyota has the shallowest tub at 495mm, meaning there's a usable load volume of 862 litres from tailgate to bulkhead, between the wheels, and under the tonneau.

I say under the tonneau, but I don't mean it as the SR5 lacks any form of cover, or liner for that matter. These are available from Toyota as genuine accessories, but given the car is the second-top of the HiLux tree, it would have been nice for Toyota to throw in a spray-in liner at least!

From a usability standpoint there are four tie-down points, but a very heavy tailgate with no assistance or support features. No tub-mounted power outlet either.

Moving to the Isuzu, things step up perhaps a bit too far.

The range-topping X-Terrain includes a manual roller cover which is great for load security, but it compromises the usability of the tub by limiting tie-down points to just two, and constricting the height of a load up against the bulkhead. It also makes access to the bulkhead a bit of a challenge.

The usable volume is down on the Toyota, with a 1460mm length and 1105mm width between the arches offering a 1.61 sq m footprint to the Toyota's 1.74 sq m. The D-Max is deeper though, with 522mm providing a usable volume of 842 litres. Less if you account for the roller shutter.

That said, the D-Max includes a tub-liner and a hydraulically damped tailgate for 'soft open' support. No power outlet here either.

Volkswagen proudly claimed the original Amarok was the only ute in its class able to fit a pallet between the wheel arches. The same can't be said of the new ute, as while it can still fit a pallet... so can the new Ranger.

This does give the Amarok the largest tub of our three utes, with a 1544mm length and impressive 1224mm width between the arches providing a near 2sq m footprint (1.89 sq m). It's even deeper than the Isuzu at 529mm, providing a nice, round 1000-litre usable load area with six tie-down hooks.

Like the HiLux, you have nothing to cover your tub, except a browse through the accessories catalogue. Like the Isuzu there is a bed-liner (spray) included, and like both, there is still no accessory power outlet. The tailgate has a lifting-assistance spring (making it nice and light) and includes the handy embossed measuring tape on the trim we first saw on the new Ranger.

If you want to fill them up, the HiLux and D-Max have a payload of under 1 tonne, whereas the Amarok pushes over 1 tonne. In fact, the Volkswagen offers support for almost 100kg more than the Isuzu, which reflects its high Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of 3350kg, a huge 300kg over the Toyota and 250kg above the Isuzu.

All our utes feature a 3500kg braked tow rating and a tow hitch as standard. The Amarok includes a wiring loom (optional on both others) and offers an optional integrated electronic brake controller, as opposed to the optional third-party system on the Isuzu and Toyota.

Utes have really come a long way from their humble working origin, and in no place is this more evident than in the cabin.

Sticking with our order, there's a reason the Toyota HiLux is considered to be the benchmark vehicle in this segment. In the front of the cabin, everything is laid out in a way that benefits the driver. All the key switchgear is easy to reach, but more importantly, 'blind' to reach in that you can adjust the climate control, four-wheel-drive settings or other key functions by feel rather than needing to push buttons or hunt for a function.

Outward vision is good, the seats are good, storage is good (twin gloveboxes and centre console bin), fit and finish and overall build quality is also good. It's not fancy, not by a long shot, but it's good. And really, this is why people buy a HiLux.

Worth noting is the digital clock that runs on its own, manual time-setting function, and is not linked to the car's other clock (which is linked to a series of satellites thanks to the integrated GPS). Classic Toyota. Also worth noting are the twin 12-volt accessory outlets, for all those things you have that use the cigarette lighter socket, and the lone, singular, solitary, individual USB-port that all occupants must share for all those things you have that use that.

Toyota, please. It's time to add a couple more USB charge ports. Maybe even a USB-C port or two.

Move to the back seat, and things are still designed to benefit the driver.

Passengers sit up straight, there's not a heap of headroom and the space for taller occupants is very quickly summarised as 'limited'. You do get an armrest with cup holders, air vents and windows that go all the way down though, so it isn't all bad. Plus in the centre console you'll find a mains-style 240-volt outlet which partially makes up for the lack of USB chargers around the cabin.

The Isuzu takes the solid ergonomic approach of the Toyota and makes it a little fancier.

Our X-Terrain features a snazzy stitched dashboard, a classy black headliner, and comfy textured seats, making it immediately feel more plush than the HiLux.

Again, all the key functions are accessible through physical buttons, although perhaps not quite as clearly as in the Toyota. For example, the switches to control the air conditioning are like keys to a tiny piano, making it easy to tap the wrong one if you don't take your eyes from the road to check. It's a small thing, and still very easy to use on the move, but perhaps a case of where more modern form doesn't help a more traditional function.

There are twin gloveboxes for the passenger, but also a dash-top storage bin for extra room. The central armrest is good but doesn't hide any helpful power-outlet surprises like the Toyota does. There's still only one USB port up front, but the rear passengers also have one, along with air vents, on the back of the centre console.

Rear passenger room is better than in the Toyota, with more head and leg room, as well as a very comfy bench making it a nicer place to spend time. The windows here also go down the whole way, which can be handy for managing a longer trip with kids, a jiggly ute, and an ill-advised milkshake for lunch.

As the newest of our trio, it makes sense that the Amarok's cabin feels the most modern, but crucially it also feels the most Volkswagen. I say this as when you compare the cabin of the Mazda BT-50 to its Isuzu D-Max cousin, you could be forgiven for thinking you were in the same place, so identical is the layout. But while we know the Amarok is invited to the same family reunion as the Ford Ranger, there's a decent enough difference between the two to allow the Volkswagen to fly its own flag.

Fair to note too, that the PanAmericana's interior is a step up on the price-competitve Style, so saying that $5K extra scores you seats that are particularly well trimmed and exceptionally comfortable is a bit of a given. I will say that the dinosaur-crocodile motif on the trim isn't really my thing, but it's easily forgotten by repeating just how comfortable those seats are!

The cabin feels well built, and even things like the downward-sloping top glovebox show that real-world usability has been considered, but as modern and as slick as it is, I can't help feel the giant portrait display that controls all core functions is a step backward from the tactile simplicity of the HiLux.

There are some good points, like the volume knob, integrated trailer brake controller and bank of shortcut buttons, but having the climate control functions only accessible from within the screen isn't always a win, even if it does modernise the Amarok's cabin and further position it as an 'SUV with a tub' more than a working ute.

Case in point: there are both USB-A and USB-C sockets on the centre-stack, plus another USB-A in the rear-view mirror to help power a dash cam. Benefits of a modern platform.

There are some clever items for rear passengers too, with more space than both our competitors (because longer wheelbase), handy pockets on the seat squab as well as on the backs of the front seats to store phones (or stuff lolly wrappers), and again there are large windows that go all the way down.

It's not perfect though, as there's a 12-volt outlet but no USB, and that ridiculous pull-down-to-pull-forward strap release on the centre arm-rest should be resigned to the great automotive usability failure scrapbook and replaced in future iterations of the car.

For a change, let's work our way back from the latest and greatest technology in the Amarok.

In front of the driver is a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster that can be adjusted and configured to display a huge amount of information by using the familiar (to VW owners) buttons on the steering wheel. It's a crisp display that, once you've got the hang of your favourite settings, is very easy to use and adjust on the move.

Infotainment comes by way of a 12-inch portrait touch screen which is supported by a Harman Kardon eight-speaker sound system, integrated navigation and DAB digital radio. There's also wireless smartphone projection for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus wireless phone charging.

While we didn't have a huge amount of time to go through all the features, it's a clean interface to use and feels well-linked to the rest of the Volkswagen functionality. You can jump to key sections of the software using four shortcut buttons (parking technology, the climate menu, driver assistance menu and drive mode selection) which makes changing any of these a bit easier while driving.

Thankfully there's a real volume knob too, a huge improvement on the touch-interfaces we've seen on other VW products.

In the Isuzu, the 9.0-inch media system features eight speakers, including two in the roof for 'Sky Sound' surround, and there is a small 5.0-inch information screen between the traditional analogue instruments.

While you do get support for Apple CarPlay (wired and wireless) and Android Auto (via a cable), integrated navigation and DAB digital radio, the interface is pretty clumsy and doesn't feel totally connected with the rest of the car. It's clearly a third-party unit (the software is the same in the Mazda BT-50), and while it does work well enough, it's not polished in terms of implementation.

That and the Super Mario noises you get on EVERY button push don't make it an overall winner.

However, the Toyota's 8.0-inch system does feel integrated, and is running standard Toyota software, but that doesn't make it a winner either.

Again, the system is well-featured and also includes digital radio and navigation, but it's not very intuitive to use, particularly when you are driving. The radio station list adjusts when you scroll which makes it hard to find stations, the navigation interface only works when you are stationary which is very frustrating and it's all just a little bland, which isn't really a good or bad thing, it just makes it a bit dull.

All of our contenders feature a long list of safety and driver assistance tech. Given this was a relatively short-term assessment, we didn't get a chance to really try all of them out on the road in differing environments.

The up-side is, we have tested all three cars separately, where the assistance tech had a far more in-depth workout.

All our utes feature a five-star ANCAP safety rating. As the time stamp for the HiLux comes from 2019, assessment criteria vary slightly compared to the 2022-dated D-Max and Amarok.

If you drove a HiLux a few years ago and want to know how the new one feels, it's very simple. It's the same.

There's just something so immediately familiar about the Toyota that makes you feel at home straight away. The power delivery from the venerable 2.8-litre engine is good and response, with peak torque from just 1600rpm, is just sharp enough. It's no rocket ship, but it's punchy and reliable, even with people or gear on board.

We saw 9.1L/100km fuel use against Toyota's combined cycle claim of 7.9L/100km (and urban only claim of 9.4L/100km ), but with a little more highway driving (and less idling while filming) we know we can bring this down. Simply put, the HiLux is predictable.

It's predictable in terms of efficiency and performance, but it's predictable in terms of ride comfort and on-road behaviour. Predictably utey.

The HiLux had its origins as a working truck, and that is still very apparent, even at urban speeds, as you can feel it jittering and moving about over bumps and imperfections in the road. It feels taut, and is perhaps the most susceptible of any of our three cars to 'settling' with a load in the back, but even without one manages to feel comfortable, especially when touring.

Sure, it's communicative, but the way the Toyota manages a highway run is again why this car is still considered a benchmark in the segment.

When the current generation D-Max arrived back in 2020, we were shocked at how far forward the big Isuzu had moved on from its predecessor. This is a refined, comfortable and tractable machine at any speed, and when stepping from the Toyota, feels lighter and more modern in every way.

The D-Max's beating heart, the 3.0-litre 4JJ3 engine continues to be a relaxed and reliable performer. Its output is lower than the Toyota, and while it may not feel as eager (peak torque also from 1600rpm), the somewhat 'lazy' performance makes the fuel consumption and general behaviour even more predictable than the HiLux.

We returned 8.7L/100km consumption on our test (against a combined cycle claim of 8.0L/100km) but regularly find we can hit Isuzu's claim, even with a load on board. If you get into a nice usage pattern, you can basically set your clock by it.

The ride feels far more supple than the Toyota, and skews the Isuzu toward 'working SUV' more than 'comfort ute' territory. Touring is effortless, and thanks to the electrically assisted steering, it feels manageable in urban environments too.

Just when you think utes have gone and sorted themselves out, someone goes and throws a V6 in one, and the game moves forward again.

When Volkswagen threw two more cylinders at the previous Amarok, the car (which was already well into its life at that point) found a new lease on life. Smooth, SUV-like performance, reasonable fuel use and just a bit more punch... there was no looking back.

The new engine (a Ford one rather than a Volkswagen one this time) offers a little more oomph than the old car (184kW vs 165kW) and keeps things feeling syrupy smooth throughout the rev range. There's no sharp punch or shocking response, just a lazy, effortless surge as you wind the power on.

It's the sort of surety that makes you feel that the 'Rok can do whatever you ask of it, further helping the workhorse transition into the Swiss Army knife of cars. Our fuel use was 9.2L/100km against a claim of 8.4L/100km for a combined cycle. Like the other two, up on the combined but down on the urban (10L/100km) claim.

The ride feels more compliant than the Isuzu, the cabin better insulated, the steering lighter. The car as a whole is more resolved and complete in its approach to being a solid and usable tourer, and now genuinely feels more 'car-like' to drive, the SUV with a tub in nearly every way.

It's no surprise that the car developed in partnership with the Ford Ranger, the car we consider to be not only the best in segment, but also as the Drive Car of the Year, the car that moves the game forward the most for Australian new car buyers, is the winner here.

The Volkswagen Amarok is a very accomplished machine that can offer buyers in this hugely popular segment a more top-shelf option in a bar already stacked with well-known and solid performers.

As the continual benchmark for double-cab buyers, the Toyota HiLux is still a brilliant base for comparison. The fact it is already eight years old and yet still relevant is a testament to what Toyota brings to the table in terms of predictable reliability. It may be vanilla, but the ergonomics and ease of use are still second to none. Just watch those service costs.

As noted in the video, if the HiLux is the benchmark then the Isuzu D-Max should be the benchmark, refined.

The approach taken by Isuzu to offer a level of quality, comfort and style in a tremendously capable and great value package is still impressive no matter what your budget. In terms of bang-for-buck, a D-Max is pretty hard to beat.

But turning again to the new Volkswagen Amarok, that while a price-step above the others, can deliver enough difference to the buyer set and provide a true 'SUV with a tub', is great news for the segment. This is the style of car many people are wanting: an easy, comfortable, well-featured family warrior that can take you anywhere.

So, now that we know the Amarok is good, how does it measure up against the Ford Ranger on which it is based?

You'll find out later this week!