Volkswagen 1-2 as Navara, GWM score in Pickup contest
The Volkswagen Amarok Panamericana 3.0 V6 TDI 4Motion is the 2023 South African Bakkie of the Year. The new bi-annual competition established to determine the country’s best diesel double-cab 4×4 bakkie announced its first winner at the Nampo Cape exhibition in Bredasdorp on Saturday.
AMAROK 2.0 TOOK DYNAMIC WIN
The 4×4 version of VW’s two flagship Amarok V6 models, the Panamericana won two of the three principal test categories. It took the Off-Road and Towing Awards. Its sibling Amarok Panamericana 2.0 BiTDI 4Motion AT walked away with the Dynamic, or street driving Award. The GWM P-Series LTD took the 120 kW category. Nissan’s Navara Pro4X 4×4 AT the 150 kW class and the Amarok Panamera claimed the open class. The Mahindra Pik Up 2.2 S11 Karoo Storm took the lowest cost of ownership prize.
NISSAN NAVARA WON 150 kW CLASS
The bakkies were scored by a jury of experts in three categories. Sarel van der Merwe oversaw the Dynamic tests assisted by Auto’s Giordano and Michele Lupini. Gerhard Groenewald of Klipbokkop Off-Road Academy ran the towing discipline with master scribe Ferdi de Vos using a small MobiX off-road trailer. 4×4 guru Francois Rossouw ran the Off-Road Driving tests aided by SAGMJ chair and BotY founder Dirk Gallowitz.
GWM P-SERIES IS 120 KW BAKKIE OF THE YEAR
The bakkies were audited on cost of ownership, on Lightstone value for money data retail price, warranty. Service plans and resale values werer als considered. Where the Mahindra Pik Up 2.2 S11 Karoo Storm came out on top.
MAHINDRA CHEAPEST TO RUN
“The first Bakkie of the Year competition has set a new benchmark for the evaluation of diesel 4×4 double cabs in the highly popular and hugely competitive pickup category,” SA Bakkie of the Year convener Dirk Gallowitz concluded. “Our first winner, the Volkswagen Amarok Panamericana 3.0 V6 TDI 4 Motion impressed our jurors in virtually every aspect and proved great all-rounder by winning two of three categories and the overall title.”
AMAROK 3.0 V6 IS BAKKIE OF THE YEAR
The South African Bakkie of the Year will return in 2025. Auto will meanwhile celebrate 20 years of our own Best Bakkie competition in 2024.
