Volkswagen Amarok vs Toyota Fortuner

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
Toyota Fortuner in South Africa

Toyota Fortuner

2.8 GD-6 4X4 GR-Sport 6AT Diesel Automatic
ZAR 999,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 165 kW 🔧 550 Nm ⛽ 14.2 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Fortuner
Fuel Economy Amarok
🛡 Safety Fortuner
📦 Practicality Fortuner
🔑 Ownership Tie
Amarok starts ZAR 620000 cheaper Amarok from ZAR 593,200 · Fortuner from ZAR 620,000

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Amarok Fortuner
Engine Power 125 165
Torque 400 550
Engine Size 1968 2755
Claimed Mileage 12.8 14.2
Ground Clearance 192 225
Boot Space 0 296
Airbags 6 7
Kerb Weight 2095 2210
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 3 3

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Fortuner

62
/ 100
+5
pts
#2

Amarok

57
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both Amarok and Fortuner are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Fortuner +5 pts
Efficiency Amarok +7 pts
Safety Fortuner +2 pts
Practicality Fortuner +5 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Fortuner

Performance 18/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 12/20

Amarok

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Amarok

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency
🏆 Overall Winner

Fortuner

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Amarok

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

Fortuner

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Amarok Fortuner
Ground Clearance 192 225
Wheelbase 3097 2745
Length 5254 4795
Width 1944 1855
Height 1834 1835
Kerb Weight 2095 2210
Gross Vehicle Weight 3150 3100
Seating Capacity 5 7
Boot Space 0 296
Towing Capacity 3500 3100
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1500
Front Track Width 1550 1545
Rear Track Width 1540 1535
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 Fortuner
Engine 2.0L TDI Turbo Diesel 2.8L Turbo Diesel
Engine Type Inline 4 Turbocharged Intercooled Inline 4 Turbocharged
Displacement 1968 2755
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 4
Power 125 165
Torque 400 550
Fuel System Common Rail Direct Injection Common Rail Direct Injection
Turbocharger Twin Turbo Turbo
Top Speed 180 190
0-100 km/h 10.5 9.5
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard Standard
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 15.9:1
Cylinder Bore 82.0 92.0
Piston Stroke 92.0 94.6
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Diesel
Power @ RPM 150 150
Torque @ RPM 400 400
Engine Position Available Front, Longitudinal
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?

🏆 Toyota Fortuner wins with 62 pts vs 57 pts for Amarok

In structured scoring, Fortuner emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Amarok 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 Fortuner 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 Fortuner 0. 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, Fortuner 20. 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, Fortuner 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, Fortuner 12. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Amarok 13, Fortuner 18. 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 Fortuner edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Fortuner 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 Fortuner in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Amarok scores 13 vs 18.

Efficiency: Amarok scores 7 vs 0.

Safety: Amarok scores 18 vs 20.

Practicality: Amarok scores 7 vs 12.

Ownership: Amarok scores 12 vs 12.

Final structured scoring gives Fortuner the advantage in this comparison.