includes black alloy wheels and a touch-
screen compatible with Apple CarPlay
and Android Auto, its black plastic front
fascia and pale interior make it feel more
like a work truck.
You might think 138 hp is meager
power for a truck of this size, and you’d
be right. The Amarok feels quite slow
when driven on the highway and strug-
gled to pass slower vehicles, but it did feel
torquey. The manual transmission helps,
and I found myself downshifting quite a
bit when climbing the hills that surround
the west part of the city. Like almost
every other unladen truck, the Amarok
felt bouncy when driving on city streets
and highways, so a little weight in the bed
wouldn’t hurt.
As befits a work truck, the cabin is
pretty plain with hard plastics every-
where and a steering wheel devoid of
buttons. The crew cab provides decent
space for rear passengers, but the rearseat back is quite upright, which is
reminiscent of the two-door Ranger XL
we had at Truck of the Year.
The Amarok has proven to be a
popular truck globally, and with VW
and Ford forming a joint venture to
produce a midsize truck for us Yanks,
we could see a VW-badged truck in the
U.S. sooner than later. QMAY 2020 MOTORTREND.COM 69With a panoramic roof and three-zone climate
control, the Seat Tarraco has been getting
attention for its value and available features.The exterior is quite appealing; I
prefer it over the Tiguan’s. The LED
daytime running lights and hoodline
give it a distinctive look, as do its
smaller grille and new front fascia.
Strategically priced just below the
Tiguan, the Tarraco is a good alterna-
tive for those seeking ample space and
convenience features. It needs more
power, but as crossovers gain popu-
larity, the Tarraco is a strong addition
for the Seat brand. Now, if only I’d had
time to drive a León or Ateca Cupra ...The popular off-roader is offered in fancier trims, but the
Dune 4x4 variant we tested felt more like a work truck.