VOLKSWAGEN caused a stir back in 2011 when it launched the game-changing Amarok one-tonne ute, a plucky upstart introducing a level of refinement and dynamic sophistication that instantly made everything else look agricultural, while still being a weapon off-road.

In 2016 the Amarok is the oldest competitor in a market that has undergone a seismic shift during the past 18 months. But the big VW was so far ahead to begin with that it still takes on the best without shaming itself.

Enter the V6 turbo-diesel, an engine shared with luxury cars such as the Audi Q7 that not only outclasses all-comers in terms of power and torque, but delivers those outputs with next-level smoothness and quietness for a ute.

Add to that a much-improved interior, more tech and subtle but effective exterior styling tweaks and the benchmark has clearly moved forward again, in a big way.

Only a lack of the latest active safety features – and still no curtain airbags – keeps the top-spec Amarok from absolutely wiping the floor with its opposition.

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