Earlier this month Ford launched the mildly updated Ranger, which included the addition of a 2.3 EcoBoost derivative.
Until this arrived, fans of petrol power had to spring for the brutish 3.0 V6 twin-turbocharged Raptor, which is a totally different class of double cab vs lesser grades in the range.
Volkswagen, which uses the Ranger’s homework almost verbatim, has an equivalent derivative in the form of the 2.3 TSI. We tested the model soon after our interaction with the blue oval product.
From the get-go, you might already know that the Amarok has the upper hand in drivetrain layout because it has the 4Motion all-wheel drive system, while the Ford is exclusively sold as a 4x2. The German marque also includes a five-year/100,000km maintenance plan as standard.
However — and this is a big one — the Ford versions undercut the Amarok 2.3 TSI considerably, to the point where you could add a maintenance plan and still come away with a saving vs if you were to buy the Volkswagen. The warranty is of a five-year/150,000km duration, besting the four-year/120,000km offered by Ford.
The Amarok 2.3 TSI is sold only in PanAmericana double cab trim and costs R1,099,000. The Ranger in Sport double cab guise goes for R839,600; the Wildtrak trim costs R899,000. Buyers can also have the 2.3 EcoBoost motor in the extended cab variant, which is priced at R735,000.
So it really depends on your application — and whether you are willing to pay for the bragging rights of driving the lesser-spotted Volkswagen equivalent of the bakkie.
Regular readers will recall that we have spent plenty of time testing examples of the current Ranger and Amarok, running various derivatives of both in our long-term garage.
There are finer details that set them apart.
On the outside, the styling executions are most obvious. Compared with the flat, square fascia of the Ford, Volkswagen has deployed a more aerodynamic frontal look that tries to stay in line with its passenger vehicles range.
The rears are both typically upright, but the Amarok has a different lighting signature, with boomerang-shaped clusters that look as if they were carved into the tailgate.
PanAmericana is a trim line that sits one tier below the high-tier Aventura. It is set apart by a silver grille and bumper embellishments, blacked-out alloys (18″; 20″ optional), a rear sports hoop and distinctive PanAmericana livery.
While the cabin of the Ranger — and the Sport in particular — is not what one would describe as lacking, Volkswagen has tried to create a more sophisticated ambience. The PanAmericana has softer, leather-like dashboard and door panel trimmings, metallic decorative inlays and orange stitching. The thread on our unit’s driver-side bolster seemed to be coming apart, but that was about the only issue we could find in terms of quality.
Note that the look and “feel” of the central infotainment and instrument cluster are also different to the Ford’s. So is the steering wheel, which uses the template found in Volkswagen’s passenger cars.
On the connectivity front, the Ranger benefits from the FordPass smartphone application, enabling remote starting, pre-configuration of climate control and the perk of being able to book a service. Volkswagen does not offer an equivalent system.
While the Ranger Sport 2.3 EcoBoost uses the upright gear lever design, the shifter in the Amarok 2.3 TSI is of the balled-up fist type design previously found only in the 10-speed Ranger models.
Again, the little details set them apart, but given the fanatacism reserved for bakkies in South Africa, enthusiasts are likely to make these distinctions.
What was much less obvious to discern between the 2.3 Amarok and Ranger experiences was sprinting ability. If you were to line them up and strap a VBOX to both, the 0-100km/h sprint times would probably be identical.
Like the Ford, the Volkswagen feels rapid with the turbocharged-petrol four-cylinder engine. Its quietness in comparison to the 2.0l diesel counterparts makes for a more refined cabin, while the responsiveness off the mark takes drivers in premium sedans by surprise. Output is 222kW/452Nm linked to a 10-speed automatic.
At the launch of the Ranger, our consumption ranged between 13l/100km and 15l/100km. The route involved a slow trek up Swartberg Pass near George and, as is typical on a launch event, heavier-footed progress on secluded roads. But in the real world, the 2.3l motor demonstrates a more frugal potential — 11.7l/100km was what our Amarok indicated after the week of driving in the usual urban and freeway cycle.
Pitched as an upmarket leisure double cab, there are no glaring omissions from a features perspective. Safety is good — seven airbags as standard, plus assistance functions such as lane-keeping assist, a surround-view camera and adaptive cruise control.
These 2.3l iterations of both bakkies are unique in the double cab market, being the only turbocharged-petrol options available. The Ranger’s execution in Sport guise offers superior value with its lower sticker price — so unless you really need the all-wheel drive requirement, it would be the one to have between the two.
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