The Volkswagen Amarok is the competition in the money-making pickup marketplace of the VW Group.

The Canyon comes with the most desired choice boxes ticked (Bluetooth satnav,, 19 heated leather seats) and the choice of Copper Orange paint that was eyecatching.

All versions get a rear diff lock and a host of off road gubbins including hill descent control and - impressively - offroad ABS, allowing foot-stamp emergency braking on earth you had fight to remain standing on.

In addition, there are various tonneau cover and hard top choices for the back deck.

It is the most car-like of the passenger pickups on sale. This is thanks in part to the VW parts bin dashboard's familiarity, but can also be attributable. Being a real leaf-sprung vehicle that was commercial, it is necessarily settled than an average SUV, but it is notably better than its rivals' majority and it's going to take journeys of over an hour for the Amarok.

The steering still comparatively incisive and generally, although it will look a bit slow to those just familiar with SUVs, the Amarok manages quite tidily and naturally with powerful grasp all round. Using an empty payload, it is an enjoyable thing to hustle along at speed that is astonishing, particularly with the punchy BiTDI engine, which includes a midrange punchy enough for the unusual overtake. It bodes well for an Amarok full of goods that are heavy.

The gearing -speed manual evaluation vehicle takes acclimatisation, as the first three gears are extremely short (second gear in particular) and building rate becomes an exercise in surfing the true powerful 295lb ft of torque of the BiTDI with restricted downchanges. For lots of buyers the discretionary eight-rate vehicle may make most sense, and for the Canyon special edition pictured here, 300 -powerful run will be self-shifters.

Offroad, the Amarok is possibly at its most striking; steep and marshy banks can be climbed up by it and negotiate its way back with ease, and if your mud-plugging pickup is the demand, it is not likely to set a foot wrong.

To the remaining portion of the pickup course, quite nicely. It offers a European option to Mitsubishi L200 and the Nissan Navara. If you would like an SUV then it will probably do nothing to carry you; its rear that is open is satisfied to towing and commercial work, not school runs.

If you are in need of something practical often drive big loads around rocky terrain or to tow a track car, it is a great and surprisingly pleasing choice.