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Yes, Volkswagen is Genuinely Taking Aim at the Toyota Tacoma and Ford Ranger

Thankfully, this won’t be another piece of forbidden American fruit.

Beige Volkswagen Amarok V6 pickup truck with black trim and off-road tires on a muddy forest trail.Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
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By Chris Chin

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Volkswagen is apparently now serious about building a new midsize pickup for Americans. Multiple reports from Handelsblatt and Reuters indicate Wolfsburg’s newfound interest in entering the segment after it has seen a monumental uptick in demand.

According to the report, which cites an unnamed source close to the matter, VW wants to build a competitor to fight the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado and other midsize trucks. The decision supposedly comes after Americans have demonstrated keen interest in more affordable, smaller pickups over typical full-sized ones.

Finally, an actual Volkswagen pickup meant for us

Red Volkswagen Amarok pickup truck driving on a mountain road with green trees and rocky hillsides.
Volkswagen just got very serious about potentially offering a pickup in America.
Volkswagen

When shopping for any type of utilitarian vehicle with an open bed, Volkswagen isn’t typically the first brand to come to mind. At least here in America, it isn’t.

That’s because Volkswagen never sold a conventional pickup in the States. The story is quite different elsewhere, where VW sells the Amarok, a model originally introduced in 2010.

Brown vintage Volkswagen pickup truck with black tonneau cover parked on a light textured surface.
Remember this guy? The 1980s Mk1 Golf-based Rabbit Pickup was VW’s last attempt at selling a truck in America.
billtaormina via BringATrailer

The last time VW even came close to offering a truck was the Mk1 Golf-based Caddy, which we got as the Rabbit Pickup. Since that time, VW has mainly focused on cars and eventually crossover SUVs, with a couple of vans mixed in for good measure.

Now, Wolfsburg is apparently very serious about building a new rugged midsizer.

Doubling down on righting its ship

Red Volkswagen pickup truck with open tailgate and black bed liner, viewed from above on a light pavement.
Previously, the Amarok was too expensive to export to America.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

The root of the idea comes from VW’s efforts to revamp its American product strategy. The company has been struggling financially as of late due to a variety of external and past circumstances.

The pickup could help diversify VW of America’s product range, while also generating much-needed profits to get VW’s finances out of the red. With truck- and pickup-loving America clamoring for cheaper and smaller options, Wolfsburg answering the call could be one of its tickets to changing its luck.

Gray Volkswagen pickup truck splashing through a muddy water puddle on a forest trail.
The Amarok also would’ve been too expensive for American customers, compared to the preexisting rivals.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

Since Volkswagen introduced the Amarok in 2010, the carmaker considered sending it to America. It was apparently cost-prohibitive.

Not just for VW itself, but also for potential customers. It would’ve been too expensive to sell in the States. Part of the reason for the cost was due to its assembly. Now, however, the second-gen Amarok is based on the current Ford Ranger.

Black leather Volkswagen steering wheel and dashboard with digital display and vertical touchscreen in a car interior.
Now that VW builds the second-gen Amarok with Ford, there are new potential channels to export the Amarok to the States.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

The latter is a byproduct of a Ford-Volkswagen joint-venture created in 2019. Because of this pact, the channels may have opened up to offer the Amarok here in the States.

Volkswagen didn’t specify a timeline. But the unnamed source hinted at an arrival “before the end of the decade.”

Black Volkswagen Amarok Panamericana pickup truck with rooftop tent in snowy forest.
Do you think we could use a true pickup from VW?
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

Additionally, should all go well, VW will build the new pickup at its signature assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

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