The package, they claim, isn’t quite to our tastes.
German brand Volkswagen have communicated through their local office that the Tarok compact ute, which was revealed earlier this month at the Sao Paolo motor show in near-as-damnit concept form, will not be making an Australian showing due to the limited differentiation between it and the larger Amarok that we already get. Further, it’s said that the planned capacities for the Tarok, both in terms of propulsion and payload, will limit its appeal on our shores.
“Utes in this country are about capacity in the back and under the bonnet, and the Tarok offers neither. So, no [it’s unlikely to come here]. It’s the commercial world’s equivalent of micro cars.” – Paul Pottinger, Spokesperson, Volkswagen Australia
Additionally, Pottinger says that the planned powertrains for the Tarok, all relatively-small turbocharged units similar to what are offered in the Tiguan & Tiguan AllSpace on which the Tarok is based, will further leave Australian buyers underwhelmed.
“V6 engines are accounting for 80% of Amarok sales, and most of these are the higher-end variants [i.e. 190kW Ultimate 580].” – Paul Pottinger, Spokesperson, Volkswagen Australia
This was revealed by Pottinger to our friends at CarAdvice.
While the Tarok most certainly be the most utility-focused proposition out there, there’s no denying that it has great appeal for buyers who only need its utility capabilities occasionally, and are more interested in the lifestyle appeal of such a product. The Tarok and its 110kW 2.0-litre turbodiesel would have likely sat as an interesting, left-of-field alternative to a traditional SUV, though one with more SUV-like qualities (like in the way of refinement & build quality) than what you’d expect from a proper ute like the Amarok.
Its 1.2m-long tub, fold-down rear seats, and 1030kg maximum load capacity means that the Tarok is hardly a ute in look alone, but we guess that that’s just not enough for our market. We don’t entirely agree with Volkswagen Australia’s decision on the matter, though the justification for it is sound and within reason. Perhaps we’re just stereotypical motoring hacks, who think that every possible option should be offered, and to hell with sustainable product portfolios. But if you too agree that VW should revisit their decision on the Tarok, be sure to leave a comment below and tell us why you think the Tarok would have been an excellent addition to Australian roads.
For the best deals on a new Volkswagen, check out our Showroom.
