Outside the window it is still dark, the ice-crusty roads of the landfill are pristine - no tire tracks, no other marks of bustling life. But the balloonists are already waiting for us, they have their own priorities: the sooner we start, the less the wind will interfere, usually coming with the first rays of the sun. One pickup truck is already strapped to the ball as a two-ton safety ballast. The candidate is solid, although the oldest one compared to the other two Nissan Navar models (2.5 liters, 190 hp). But then it turns out that he does not have a rear towing eye ... We figured it out, but, frankly, they did not expect such a setup from a pickup.

"We usually pick up the balloon and take off in fifteen minutes." I look at the shapeless mountain of fabric and believe with difficulty. But then the fan rattled, the meter-long flames cut through the twilight haze - it began! In a matter of minutes, the ball took shape and soared into the sky. We watched him go and turned to the other two pickups. The protagonist here, of course, is the brand new Ford Ranger (2.2 L, 150 hp). And the Volkswagen Amarok (2.0 l, 180 hp) should not be discounted. After all, he has not only a new diesel engine with double supercharging, combined with an 8-speed automatic, but also a permanent all-wheel drive with a self-locking center differential "Torsen", as well as a suspension reoriented to greater comfort.

FOR THREE PERSONS

Aeronautics often use four-wheel drive pickups. True, as a rule, they prefer larger models from the American market, which are not officially sold in Russia. But maybe our "undersized" will do?

When such a tiny, against the background of a huge ball, the crew's basket is hoisted into the back of the Nissan, you are convinced that it is not so small! The tailgate slams shut without problems (even space remains), but putting something else here - say, a bag with a shell - is unlikely to work. Moving guides in the body do not help much, deep scratches remain on the unprotected floor.

The impressive "Amarok" with its simply bottomless body against the background of the rest (by the way, it is perfectly protected by plastic) suddenly finds itself out of business. The point is not so much in the uncomfortable cover that covers the cargo platform (for the purity of the experiment, it was dismantled), as in the stainless steel arches, one of which rests against the basket, not allowing to close the board.

Maybe a Ranger? This one, in spite of the tuning, is more practical, besides, the floor and sides are better protected from scratches than those of the Nissan. The tailgate was closed, albeit with an interference fit (unlike the same "Navara").

But none of the machines solved the main problem. Whatever one may say, but if you need to transport people, a balloon, a basket and other personal belongings, you will have to use all three pickup trucks.

RATIONALISM AND FUNCTIONALITY

Examining the rough interiors, you don't doubt their professional suitability for a second. In each of them there will definitely be impressive boxes, a rather large glove compartment, huge mugs of mirrors. In the maximum trim levels, leather seats, a dual-zone climate, rear-view cameras, parking sensors and almost indispensable navigation monitors appear.

Unusual, comfortable, spacious - this is how Ford is perceived. An additional plus - for sturdy seats in the front and rear.

Nevertheless, you immediately prioritize. We obviously like the Ford Ranger: bright instrument scales, a variety of colors and shades on the front panel - in a word, quite modern style. The seats are spacious, but with the necessary support and impressive adjustment ranges, by the way electric. It is immediately evident that the Ranger's ergonomics are at their best: everything is clear and at hand. You can only complain about the lack of longitudinal steering wheel adjustment and the ugly toggle switches for heated seats. They were clearly made in a country where such an option is not used in principle. A trifle, of course, but it catches the eye in a comfortable and spacious (including for passengers) cabin.

Amarok is not the best this time, although Volkswagens are usually among the leaders when evaluating interiors. As if everything was in place, and they did not save money on steering wheel adjustments, unlike Ford. I would like to praise the socket carefully installed at the top of the front panel - it's a dream of fans to connect additional equipment. But the driver's seat is still inferior to the Ford one, and not in size or range of adjustments, but in the ability to fix the body. From the "Amaroka" chair you periodically slide to the side. And behind, with a clear advantage in width, there is especially nowhere to put your legs.

And also visibility. It seems that Volkswagen has huge mirrors, well-tuned parking sensors, with which it is even more convenient to dock than with the help of the Ranger's video camera (where the image is displayed on the inner rear-view mirror is not the best solution). However, everything to the right of the driver is hiding in a huge blind spot. It takes a long time to adapt to this nuance.

Let's call it restrained classicism. Even if he is gloomy. But to be honest, the driver and passengers are not very comfortable in Navara.

The Nissan's age can no longer be hidden by updates. A modern display screen and a rear-view camera have been fitted to its panel, but the low-expressive interior of the Navara has not become more attractive from this. And although this simplicity is not particularly annoying, against the background of a bright "Ford" and a cozy "Amaroka" the Japanese pickup fails.

Even more disappointing are the flat and slippery seats, the modest ranges of their adjustments, especially the longitudinal ones. The steering wheel cannot be put in the correct position, the symbols on the toggle switches and buttons are small. Rear passengers also feel left out: they don't even have a seat, but a bench with a low cushion. And very tight at the knees.

LONG ROAD

How great it is when, having gone for new impressions, you can move so easily, especially without choosing a path. In the city and on a good road, Volkswagen strikes with comfort. Soft, long-travel suspension, unobtrusively distant rumbling of the motor. Almost "Tuareg", sorry for such an association.

But the brakes, or rather, the long-stroke pedal, are embarrassing: it falls out of the general harmony. Well, the eight-speed automatic is puzzling with the number of shifts - it seems that by pressing the accelerator, you are giving the command not to the engine, but to the transmission.

The situation changes radically, as soon as the road becomes uneven, and the speedometer needle rises to 100 km / h. No, the motor is still great, and so is the drivetrain (and even the acoustic comfort). Just in the corners "Amarok" begins to scare the banks. To be fair, I will say: the four-wheel drive car holds up well for the road even in extreme situations. But the feeling of complete connection with her disappears. Behavior on undulating irregularities is also a big hindrance - as if the springs let the vertical swing, not withstanding the peculiarities of our roads. At the same time, the shock absorbers try to knock down the vibrations, but they also fail. As a result - a bump with large amplitudes, frankly shaking out the soul. So Volkswagen is only for flat surfaces?

Here is the "Ranger", having shaken the crew well several times, immediately dotting the i's. This pickup gives rough and detailed information about all small and medium bumps. Here he is definitely a "leader". But with one optimistic amendment: the worse the road, the better the energy-intensive suspensions work, which perfectly cope with most pits and potholes. Under these conditions, you get tired of shaking in it noticeably less than in Volkswagen.

Not the strongest Ford engine, in fact, turned out to be quite playful. It perfectly finds rapport with a 6-speed automatic, as a result of which the two-ton car jerks off. Only at high speed - when overtaking, for example, when it seems that there is still a reserve under the pedal - it suddenly turns out that the possibilities are exhausted. Similar in character and handling. The lack of heel and the accuracy of the reactions are mesmerizing, instilling confidence in the capabilities of the Ranger. With an increase in speed, especially on uneven corners, a pickup with the front axle disabled may unexpectedly jump out of the corner. Therefore, often use sensitive (not like Volkswagen!) Brakes - do not bring the situation to a dangerous one.

Against the background of rivals, "Nissan Navar" seems to be unable to decide which side it is on. An excellent engine, powerful and torque, allowing you to accelerate quickly and smoothly. Logical 5-speed automatic, no oz

What people can't think of to feel an unforgettable moment of excitement from driving their car. Today we will introduce you to a test drive of pickups not in an easy way, but by combining it with aeronautics. Our goal was to survey the performance of models such as the Ford Ranger, Nissan Navara and Amarok. So, we pressed the gas pedal all the way and jerked ...

Pickups plus balloons

It's still dark outside. The surface of the landfill shines with its pristine purity. Not a single mark from tires, not a single cross between our hectic life.

Nissan Navara is a powerful and not-so-old pickup truck

Ballooners are a special people. They are always fussing, although they soar early into the sky before the first gusts of wind. After all, in most cases, it begins with the first rays of the sun that appear on the horizon. So, we tie one pickup to a balloon, like some kind of ballast.

The candidate turned out to be a soundly “knocked down” and not very old Nissan Navara (190 hp 2.5 liters). But here a small disappointment awaits us. As it turns out, the Navara lacks a rear towing eyelet. Of course, we found a way out, because every Russian is an inventor at heart. However, no one expected such a dirty trick from a pickup truck.

Ford Ranger is the second candidate, a relatively new car

Looking at the huge sheet of the balloon, it is hard to believe that in fifteen minutes it will turn into a huge “flying skyscraper”. But it's okay. The fan started working, the roar of tongues of flame pierced the night mist, and it began! In a few minutes, the balloon filled with burning gas and soared into the sky.

We stood there for a while, watching the majestic symbiosis of the balloon and the pickup skyrocket, and focused all our attention on the remaining pickups. The main of which, of course, was the Ranger (2.2 liters, 150 hp). However, Amarok should not be discounted either.

Volkswagen Amarok is the third candidate for heroes among pickups

Load the Ford Ranger - you can forget about comfort

The first was the Volkswagen Amarok. It is not for nothing that such a pickup truck was made the accelerator pedal travel so long. He confidently and powerfully “floated” over the mud waves. In this case, the main task of the driver was to turn it on, and the electronics itself would pull the car forward.

However, in no case should you forget that the reverse gear in such a car is the most ordinary one. And moving backward such a "tractor" will be worse than forward.

At the same time, Nissan Navara showed soft gas, intuitive reactions, spare power and special torque. At the same time, the car responded well to control and showed its power in full force. This is a real fighter who fights to the last.

Off-road is the second element of these pickups

Ford Ranger is not inferior in its capabilities to the Nissan pickup, except for a sharp reaction to gas, therefore, it requires more careful handling. The Ford car also walked confidently along the tracks. But electronic blocking settings are not that interfering, they are just alarming.

Rationalism plus functionality

Looking at the roughness of the interior of the pickups, you don't even for a moment doubt their functionality. Each of them without fail has:

• impressive boxes;
• huge glove compartments;
• not little mugs of mirrors.

If you choose cars with the maximum configuration, then you will be waiting for:

• leather seats;
• rear view cameras;
• climate with two zones;
• parktronics;
• monitors of various systems.

But the priorities are immediately visible. Here Ford Ranger clearly looks prettier: prominent instrument scales and a variety of color paints on. All this harmony creates modern design and style. The seats look roomy with just the right bolster and additional adjustment ranges (electric).

At first glance, it is clear that making the Ford Ranger test you understand that such a car has excellent ergonomics. Everything here is at a height and at hand.

You can only point out the lack of adjustment of the steering column in the longitudinal direction and ill-conceived switches. Probably, they were made in countries where no one needs such functions. Such a trifle is very striking in the spacious and comfortable interior.

The Amarok is not the best this time around, because usually, when evaluating the interior, Volkswagen comes first. The Nissan Navara test showed that everything is in place here and is nowhere to be seen to save money. The same cannot be said for Ford, however.

You can only praise the outlet. It was skilfully placed on top of the dash, a dream of the driver who occasionally connects additional equipment to the car.

Ford Ranger - just a dream, convenient and everything at hand

Slippery and flat seats, small ranges of adjustment, especially the longitudinal, add even more melancholy. At the same time, it will be inconvenient for the driver to put the steering wheel in the correct position, and some will even consider small symbols on the switches.

Passengers sitting in the back in such a car will feel left out. They got seats that did not look like chairs, but benches with low cushions. Here you feel constrained, and the tightness in the knees clearly interferes.

Trouble with Amarok?

Pickup trucks Ford and Volkswagen have a similar configuration, only slightly differ in power (150 and 163 hp). They put gear on them.

The Ford Ranger deserves second place anyway. At least for the price. It's also worth remembering that Ford adapts well to bad road conditions.

Nissan Navara is not good enough by modern standards. Suspension, brakes and rear passenger comfort need to be improved. By changing this, you can see Nissan again in all the glory and splendor of its brand. Which car did you like from these three?

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It is generally accepted that the meaning of life for a “right” man is to plant a tree, build a house and raise a son. And exactly in this sequence. If we temporarily exclude from this postulate the last point, for which we still need to properly prepare, it turns out that the first two are directly related to our today's "male" test. After all, there is no car more suitable for agricultural work and building a house than a pickup truck.

The Hilux dashboard seemed the least informative. But it has a coolant temperature indicator and an indicator of off-road transmission modes

Toyota's six-inch screen is no match for the brilliant display on the Amarok, but it's still better than the embrasure on the Ford. In addition, there are no complaints about multimedia control and navigation. The "climate" control unit is archaic

In front of the central tunnel there are two 12-volt sockets, buttons for heating the seats, disabling ESP and turning on the accelerated engine warm-up. It's nice that the Hilux has a USB input

The central tunnel is like from the 80s of the last century: condo, no frills, with a nondescript lever for mechanical connection of all-wheel drive and a lowering row

Only at Hilux are the seats trimmed with velor, not leather. From the point of view of utilitarianism - not the best option. They attract all kinds of dirt and are much more difficult to wash.

There is not even an armrest in the back row of a Toyota Toyota. But there is a lot of space, and the absolutely flat floor is especially pleasing. And it is on the second row of Hilux that it is most convenient to get

The body of the Hilux is “naked”. Even the top version of the Lux doesn't have any plastic overlays. The very first shipment will scratch the body, and then it will rust. The cargo platform is only 10 mm shorter than the Volkswagen one (1545 mm). But in width it beats only Mitsu L200 (1515 mm). The distance between the arches is the smallest - only 1010 mm. Platform area - 2.34 m², the height of the sides is the lowest (450 mm). The carrying capacity of the Hilux is 850 kg, but the Internet is full of stories about the transportation of a ton of cargo and more

The rear of the Hilux Lux has a rear view camera. It's a pity that in wet weather it quickly splashes with mud

Ranger's steering wheel controls for media and cruise control are some of the most user-friendly

The dashboard is extremely laconic

The Ford Ranger color screen is only five inches. Navigation maps look especially funny on this.

Convex center panel - easy to reach for driver and front passenger without reaching for it. Below is a climate control unit and two 12-volt sockets. Left - button for turning on the descent system

The rear emblem contains a rear-view camera, which, when reversing, transmits the image to the salon rear-view mirror

The central tunnel contains a pair of cup holders, a niche for small items with a slippery bottom, a convenient automatic transmission lever and a round transmission mode switch (2H, 4H and 4L). The Ford Ranger is the only vehicle to have a cooled armrest box. There is also a USB input

In terms of convenience, only the Amarok can compete with the front seats of Ford. The L200 and Hilux seats are nowhere near as good. The only drawback is the heating button located in the "blind" zone

The rear Ranger sofa is the most spacious. The front seat backs have special knee slots. Of the amenities - an armrest with cup holders and a 12V socket. Only a rather high central transmission tunnel interferes

In terms of the size of the cargo platform (with plastic pads on the floor and on the sides), the Ranger is second only to the German pickup. The length of the cargo body is 1549 mm, the width is 1560 mm, the distance between the arches is 1139 mm. Its area is 2.41 m². But the Ranger has the highest (511 mm) sides and the highest carrying capacity - 1152 kg

Volkswagen amarok

"All-Volkswagen" dashboard and "Amarok" does not cause any complaints. Clean, understandable and informative. But the pickup, in our opinion, would not be prevented by a coolant or oil temperature sensor

Only Volkswagen has such a chic eight-inch touch screen with great graphics. Compared to it, the Hilux and Ranger screens look like cheap Chinese fakes. It is a pity that there is no USB input. The microclimate unit is traditionally impeccable, but it is a pity that there are no “halves” of the degree

The block-like central tunnel houses the automatic transmission lever with the possibility of sports and manual modes, buttons for heating the seats, activating the off-road program Off-Road, locking the rear axle differential (option), as well as two 12-volt sockets

The Amarok's front seats are mechanically adjustable, unlike the Ranger seats. But their profile is the best

The rear row of the Amarok is noticeably tighter than that of the Ranger. It is not surprising, because the Amarok has a 125 mm shorter wheelbase, and the length of the cargo platform, on the contrary, is slightly longer

Volkswagen Amarok has the most spacious body. Length - 1555 mm, width - 1620 mm, distance between arches - 1222 mm. Area - 2.52 m². The sides are almost the same height as the Ranger - 508 mm. But in terms of carrying capacity, the VW Amarok with Comfort suspension loses to all competitors - it can take on board a maximum of 845 kg of cargo. But in the Heavy Duty version, the Amarok will be able to carry 1044 kg, which is more than the L200 and Hilux

From the inside, absolutely the entire body is upholstered with special material. Provided with a 12-volt socket and lighting in the cargo compartment. The cover on pneumatic supports allows you to keep the body clean, regardless of environmental conditions

The dashboard is built in a similar way to the Hilux scheme: on the left - a tachometer, in the center - a speedometer, on the right - fuel level and coolant temperature indicators. Modern VW and Ford dashboards read better

Of all the instruments, only the microclimate unit looks more or less adequate. Radio and

They are alike. Both are pickup trucks with turbo diesels, automatic transmissions and five-seat leather interiors. But still they are different. And they are so different that the Volkswagen Amarok will never be confused with the Ford Ranger, and vice versa.

Both pickup trucks are pickup trucks of the year, with the Amarok winning the title in 2010 and the Ranger two years later. The Amarok appeared in 2009, and reached Russia in 2010, and the Ranger is a product in 2012. However, last year the VW Amarok production moved from Argentina to Germany, and the long-awaited version with an automatic gearbox was brought to the market. So both cars are relatively new, and the comparison is quite correct, especially since almost complete parity reigns in prices.

Appearance

One can argue about the appearance for a long time, some people like the emphasized faceted style of the German, and some like the smoothed outlines of the American. Ranger in the most expensive configuration WildTruck simply “screams” about the well-being of the owner: inscriptions on the sidewalls, on the stern, proud nameplates “3,2-6 auto” ... All this leaves no doubt about the “steepness”. Amarok in Highline configuration is much more modest, its high cost does not give out practically anything. The visual difference from the cheapest versions is the wheel arch extensions and 18-inch wheels. However, both can be ordered as options in any configuration.

Ford has more length (5 395 mm versus 5 254 mm) and wheelbase (3 220 mm versus 3 095 mm), but Volkswagen wins in width (1 940 mm versus 1,850 mm). Overall, the Ranger looks faster and the Amarok looks more solid.

Body

Volkswagen is very proud that there are two Euro pallets in the Amarok body (1555x1620 mm), but in Ford (1549x1560 mm) there is only one. It would seem that the dimensions are very close, but the whole point is in the distance between the arches.

The Amarok has a distance of 1,220 mm, while the Ranger has 1,139 mm (here it is, the gain in width). The folding sides can withstand a fairly large load (up to 200 kg). The bodies of the two cars are covered with optional covers. Ford has a roller shutter and VW has an optional cover.

Both of these accessories are very expensive. In particular, for the "sliding curtain" Fords ask 65,900 rubles! I'll tell you a little secret - exactly the same roller shutters can be ordered from any seller of plastic windows, and they will cost 15,000 rubles. along with the installation. But these are still flowers. Do you know how much it costs "a plastic cover, body-colored, lockable, sealed?" RUB 139,300! Here, for sure, no censorship words remain.

Open all doors

Inside both pickups, five people can easily be accommodated ... However, there are nuances. The Amarok's rear seats are wider, but the backrest is more vertical. Ranger pleases with a large amount of space in length. The backrest recline is close to that of a middle class car. Second-row passengers are not provided with special amenities in both pickups. They are pleased with rather deep pockets in the doors, a 12 V socket for connecting gadgets, and electric windows.

For ergonomics, there are no serious complaints in both pickups. But VW dispenses with the coolant temperature gauge, and the leather trim of the steering wheel and Ford selector is rough

From the driver's seat, the world is perceived differently. It is clear that any driver can fit in both cars, but ... VW's ergonomics are close to ideal. It has been checked that in these leather chairs you can even overcome 800 km a day without stress. However, Ford seats are even better. In addition to the successful profile, there is also a complete set of electric drives, while in VW everything is regulated manually.

Having won in landing, Ford loses in finishing - the leather on the steering wheel and automatic transmission selector is rough. And the abundance of metallized plastic on the center console is not for everybody.

The gauges are perfectly readable in both cars, however, VW does without a coolant temperature sensor (not very clear "saving on matches"), and the blue arrows of Ford's gauges look frivolous and cartoonish.

Both cars were equipped with branded radio with navigation. Navigation with detailed cartography across Russia, but the graphics are not very good. The advantage of the Ford media system is that it reads third-party flash drives with pleasure, but VW cannot.

Flame motor and more

Under the hood, the main differences begin. The driving force behind the Ford is a 3.2-liter, 5-cylinder in-line turbo diesel that develops 200 hp. at 3000 rpm and 470 Nm at 2750 rpm. Automatic transmission 6-band, with a torque converter. There are sports and manual modes. Transfer case with low gear and rigidly connected front axle. In general, everything is more or less expected.

But VW is a complete surprise. The power of the twin-aspirated diesel engine was raised from 163 hp. up to 180 hp at 3000 rpm, and the torque shelf remained at the same 400 Nm in a narrow range of 1500-2100 rpm. The use of an 8-speed automatic for a commercial pickup truck is, frankly, a non-trivial solution and is encountered for the first time. According to the manufacturers, the additional stages provide a wider range of gear ratios (7.01) compared to traditional automatic transmissions and allows the diesel engine to work even more efficiently in any mode, providing lower fuel consumption and good dynamics. In reality, first gear (gear ratio - 4.70: 1) is only used for starting off and for overcoming serious off-road conditions or towing. Working gears from the second to the sixth, which is "direct", and the seventh (0.84: 1) and eighth (0.67: 1) gears are already overdrive. Thanks to this, at 100 km / h in eighth gear, the tachometer shows 1900 rpm.

The automatic transmission is supplied to our market only with permanent all-wheel drive and without a reduction gear, which significantly reduces off-road potential, but contributes to the stability of handling on hard surfaces. Permanent four-wheel drive is interesting: the Torsen asymmetrical center differential by default delivers 40% of the torque to the front wheels, and 60% to the rear. But these settings are not hard. Depending on the real road conditions, this ratio can vary from 60/40 to 20/80.

The front brakes are ventilated discs, and the rear ones are drum brakes (also design features).

The automatic transmissions of both cars are full-fledged, with torque converters, sport and manual modes. Ford is equipped with a transfer case with a reduction gear and a rigidly connected front axle. Volkswagen has permanent all-wheel drive without "lowering"

Gentlemen, start the engines

As always, any test begins with leaving a tight Moscow parking lot. And here Ford wins. Special thanks for the visibility - it is at a very high level. True, the front pillars are thick, but in the age of hypodynamia, turning your head is even useful, with visibility back everything is not bad - thanks to the large mugs of the mirrors, almost without distortion. But a salon mirror with such dimensions becomes an accessory, and the fact that a picture from a rear-view camera is displayed on it is a controversial decision. The picture is small and the camera itself gets dirty quickly. But, on the other hand, VW does not offer cameras at all.

In the tightness of parking lots, you understand that parking sensors are not superfluous, especially since with such dimensions, the Ranger does not, as expected, amaze with maneuverability, and the steering wheel has to be turned intensively.

Pouring into the mash of traffic jams, you note the correct operation of the machine, which allows you to both trudge in the stream and instantly accelerate. But the city is still cramped, so we break out of the Moscow Ring Road. This is where the potential of the 200-horsepower engine is fully revealed. The light pickup (2,083 kg curb weight) accelerates easily and at any speed. But controllability remains a question. She "approaches the passenger", but only approaches.

On broken country roads, an empty car, working out the relief, rumbles with unsprung masses of wheels, and the kinematics of the rear suspension (continuous axle) requires constant steering. Cruising speed - 120-130 km / h. Driving faster is tiresome, although if you believe the speedometer, then in the conditions of the landfill you can accelerate to 190 km / h, but you should not believe him, even the manufacturer himself claims a maximum speed of 175 km / h. So the speedometer optimistically overestimates the readings by 10-12%.

But on the off-road, despite the road winter tires, thanks to the high-torque engine, you can confidently crawl through very serious obstacles and plow the virgin snow.

Oddly enough, the VW Amarok, despite the lower power and torque figures, does not lag behind. We start the engine, put the selector in Drive mode - and let's go. The automatic machine smoothly goes over the ranges, and for the sake of fuel economy seeks to switch to higher ranges in advance. If you drown the gas pedal "to the floor", shocks begin to be felt when switching "up". A pickup truck joins the city traffic without any problems. Despite its immodest dimensions, the car is quite easy to drive and fits into the chaos of Moscow traffic jams.

The impressions on the track are brighter and more positive. For example, you can switch the automatic transmission to sport mode, then the acceleration dynamics will become significantly better. The two top gears are not used at all at permitted speeds up to 110 km / h. The top speed of 179 km / h is also higher than that of the Ranger. The claimed acceleration to 100 km / h differs by the elusive 10.5 s-10.9 s for the Amarok versus 10.4 s for the Ranger.

In terms of handling, the Amarok was one of the best in the class in this discipline even with a manual transmission, and the suspension with small leaf springs only added stability when driving at high speeds and comfort in normal mode. Snowfalls in Moscow also helped to evaluate the permanent all-wheel drive transmission.

In reality, the car behaves predictably on almost any surface. True, the stabilization system, when trying to fool around on the ice, pacifies the ardor of the driver, "strangling" the engine. The comfortable rear suspension with three-leaf springs also owes its merit to such reliable behavior. Even an empty car does not "goat", allowing you to overcome our "directions" with a relatively high average speed.

It is difficult to imagine a Russian buyer who will really load a pickup truck to the fullest. Therefore, such a suspension is the most reasonable choice. But the lack of a downshift is alarming. It is clear that few Amarok owners with automatic transmissions will climb on serious off-road, but if something happens ... No, the car copes well with off-road of medium weight, confidently climbing a slippery slope in first gear in “manual” mode. And traction cross-country ability in relatively deep snow is enough. Thanks to the "short" first gear and intelligently tuned electronics, which, when the Off Road button is pressed, effectively simulates the differential locks and puts the ABS in "off-road" mode.

It remains to report only the fuel consumption. Under the same conditions, the Ranger spends 1.5-2 l / 100 km more. This is to be expected given the engine size.

Of course, they can object to me that there is a 2.2-liter 150-horsepower version with an automatic transmission in the Ford lineup, and that would be a more correct comparison, but ... Such a version is much cheaper and will obviously lose in terms of traction characteristics of VW. Therefore, the real choice remains only between the top-end versions of the Volkswagen Amarok and Ford Ranger.

Both cars can boast of the current automatic transmission in this segment, which was another important reason for the comparative test.

Presented

Sales of the current, fifth generation Ranger started in the fall of 2012. It has grown significantly: in length by 279, in width by 62, and in the base by 220 mm, and, as a result, literally went beyond the pickup in the European sense and approached overseas standards.

VW Amarok Double Cab Highline 2.0 biTDI (180 HP) AKP8: 1,670,000 rubles

The Amarok, introduced in 2009, is Volkswagen's first independent experience in this class. Invading a new segment for themselves, the Germans immediately made a large car with an eye more likely to the Australian and South American markets than the European. In Russia, this size of pickups is also honored. In 2012, our customers were pleased with the modification with permanent all-wheel drive and a unique 8-speed automatic transmission in the class.

Looked

In brutality, Ranger has far surpassed its ancestors. Large headlights and a "grill", an insert under the metal in the front bumper leave no doubt - we have "Yankees" in front of us. The cockpit has a massive front panel and a wide center console in a deliberate off-road style. Three people can sit behind without much hesitation.

The Amarok, despite its size, is not devoid of elegance. The headlights, radiator grill and front bumper are also not small, but they show a relationship with the passenger models of the brand. The cab is no less spacious in length and 100 (!) Mm wider than that of the Ranger. The interior also has a massive dashboard and a central tunnel. There is more German rigor in design than American sweep.