Volkswagen Amarok vs Honda Amaze

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Volkswagen Amarok in South Africa

Volkswagen Amarok

3.0 V6 TDI Double Cab Aventura 4Motion AT Diesel Automatic
ZAR 1,252,200 ex-showroom
⚡ 125 kW 🔧 400 Nm ⛽ 12.8 km/l
VS
Honda Amaze in South Africa

Honda Amaze

1.2 Comfort CVT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 289,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 66 kW 🔧 110 Nm ⛽ 18.2 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Amarok
Fuel Economy Amaze
🛡 Safety Amarok
📦 Practicality Amaze
🔑 Ownership Tie
Amaze starts ZAR 593200 cheaper Amarok from ZAR 593,200 · Amaze from ZAR 254,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Amarok Amaze
Engine Power 125 66
Torque 400 110
Engine Size 1968 1199
Claimed Mileage 12.8 18.2
Ground Clearance 192 170
Boot Space 0 420
Airbags 6 2
Kerb Weight 2095 980
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 3 3

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Amarok

57
/ 100
+11
pts
#2

Amaze

46
/ 100

Moderate difference between the models.

The Bottom Line

Amarok has a slight advantage, but Amaze remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Amarok +8 pts
Efficiency Amaze +4 pts
Safety Amarok +12 pts
Practicality Amaze +5 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Amarok

Performance 13/20
Efficiency 7/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 7/20
Ownership 12/20

Amaze

Performance 5/20
Efficiency 11/20
Safety 6/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 12/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Amarok

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Amaze

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Amarok

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

Amaze

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Amarok Amaze
Ground Clearance 192 170
Wheelbase 3097 2470
Length 5254 3995
Width 1944 1695
Height 1834 1498
Kerb Weight 2095 980
Gross Vehicle Weight 3150 1420
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 0 420
Towing Capacity 3500 900
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1500
Front Track Width 1550 1550
Rear Track Width 1540 1540
Turning Radius Available Available
Load Bed Length Available Available
Load Bed Width Available Available
Front Legroom Available Available
Rear Legroom Available Available
Front Headroom Available Available
Rear Headroom Available Available
Front Shoulder Room Available Available
Rear Shoulder Room Available Available
Max Payload Available Available
Boot Volume Available Available
Doors Available Available
Seats Available Available
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available
Spec Amarok Amaze
Engine 2.0L TDI Turbo Diesel 1.2L i-VTEC Petrol
Engine Type Inline 4 Turbocharged Intercooled Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated
Displacement 1968 1199
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 4
Power 125 66
Torque 400 110
Fuel System Common Rail Direct Injection Multi-Point Fuel Injection
Turbocharger Twin Turbo Available
Top Speed 180 170
0-100 km/h 10.5 14.5
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard Standard
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 10.5:1
Cylinder Bore 82.0 82.0
Piston Stroke 92.0 92.0
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
Power @ RPM 150 150
Torque @ RPM 400 400
Engine Position Available Available
Engine Oil Capacity Available Available
Power 150 150
Variable Valve Timing Available Available
Maximum Engine RPM Available Available
Engine Type Config Available Available
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Volkswagen Amarok wins with 57 pts vs 46 pts for Amaze

In structured scoring, Amarok emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Amaze may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Amarok edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Amarok 7 vs Amaze 11. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Amarok 18, Amaze 6. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Amarok 12, Amaze 12. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Amarok 7, Amaze 12. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Amarok 13, Amaze 5. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Amarok edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Amarok scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Amarok and Amaze in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Amarok scores 13 vs 5.

Efficiency: Amarok scores 7 vs 11.

Safety: Amarok scores 18 vs 6.

Practicality: Amarok scores 7 vs 12.

Ownership: Amarok scores 12 vs 12.

Final structured scoring gives Amarok the advantage in this comparison.