Volkswagen Amarok dimensions (2023)
The Volkswagen Amarok is a practical pickup truck with a degree of practicality that is generally up with the best.
There is some devil in the detail, though, as not every version is as practical as the rest. The equipment offered on the top-level Aventura trim compromises its gross-vehicle weight, and therefore its payload. This means that the Aventura doesn't hit the necessary 1,000kg level to be classified as a commercial vehicle. As a result, it is notably more expensive when it comes to taxes, and is highly unlikely to be much of a hit in the UK sales charts.
There's more on that, and the implications, below. If you want to know more about how it drives then head to the VW Amarok main review.
All versions of the Volkswagen Amarok sold in the UK come in double-cab format, with seats for five and a large loading area out the back.
There are also a selection of load-bay covers available, with manual and powered versions on offer. Unlike many pickups, these are features you can get as an official accessory, rather than something put on by a third party. This means that they can be controlled from in the cabin or via the key. It also means they will actually fit properly, unlike some retro-fitted covers have historically.
There are no differences between the loading bay dimensions, so all versions will be able to take a Euro pallet sideways between the wheel arches.
2023 Volkswagen Amarok exterior dimensions
- Length: 5,350mm
- Width including door mirrors: 2,208mm
- Width without door mirrors: 1,910mm
- Height: 1,884mm
- Wheelbase: 3,270mm
2023 Volkswagen Amarok load area dimensions and capacity
The loading area is longer, taller and deeper than the previous generation of Volkswagen Amarok, with the increased wheelbase the main reason for that – some of the space was given to the passengers but a decent amount was given over to practicality. The result is a loading area that can take a Euro pallet sideways.
- Maximum load length: 1,624mm
- Maximum load height: 529mm
- Maximum load width: 1,584mm
- Width between the wheel arches: 1,227mm
This is a strong and capable truck, but it is crucial to pick the right version. Not every trim has the necessary payload to qualify for the full commercial vehicle taxation benefits. The real-world difference in payload might not seem like a huge amount - 842kg is still a lot of stuff - but it will have a notable knock-on impact on your costs, so it raises huge questions as to whether it is worth it. In short, it really isn't.
2023 Volkswagen Amarok payload
Almost every version of the Volkswagen Amarok has a different payload, so it is worth paying close attention to which model you are looking at. Not only does the Amarok Aventura fail to hit the crucial 1,000kg mark for payload, but some models are below the 1,045kg mark necessary to fit a hard top over the loading bay and still have the truck classed as a commercial vehicle.
Strictly speaking, this means that if you go for one of these and then fit an aftermarket hard top, you will end up being liable for the much higher passenger car Benefit in Kind rates. In short, adding the Premium or Towing Pack could prove very costly if you want to create a boot-like space on the back of your Amarok.
The full list of payloads are as follows:
| Life trim | Payload |
| 2.0-litre 170PS 6-speed manual | 1,113kg |
| 2.0-litre 205PS 10-speed auto | 1,063kg |
| 2.0-litre 205PS 10-speed auto with Technology Pack | 1,062kg |
| 2.0-litre 205PS 10-speed auto with Premium Pack | 1,035kg |
| Style trim | Payload |
| 2.0-litre 205PS 10-speed auto | 1,060kg |
| 3.0-litre 240PS 10-speed auto | 1,078kg |
| 3.0-litre 240PS 10-speed auto with Premium Pack | 1,035kg |
| 3.0-litre 240PS 10-speed auto with Premium and Towing Pack | 1,018kg |
| PanAmericana trim | Payload |
| 3.0-litre 240PS 10-speed auto | 1,054kg |
| 3.0-litre 240PS 10-speed auto with Towing Pack | 1,022kg |
| 3.0-litre 240PS 10-speed auto with Towing+ Pack | 1,006kg |
And the ones to avoid, unless you fancy paying an additional 20% in VAT and hundreds of pounds more in BIK every year.
| Aventura trim | Payload |
| 3.0-litre 240hp 10-speed auto | 877kg |
| 3.0-litre 240hp 10-speed auto with Towing Pack | 842kg |
2023 Volkswagen Amarok towing capacity
Almost every Amarok can tow 750kg of unbraked trailer and 3.5 tonnes (3,500kg) of braked trailer – the most that is legally permissible.
Once again there is an exception, though, and this time it is the entry-level model. The 170hp 2.0-litre diesel with the six-speed manual in Life trim can only haul 3,420kg.
