…Sort of. On-sale now in Brazil only, the VW Saveiro, which has been around since 2009 has been face-lifted to give it a baby Amarok look.
TAKING ITS NAME from the Portuguese word for “sloop” which is more impressively another name for an agile sailing warship, the VW Saveiro has been updated and is now available in double-cab form – it had previously only been a two-seat ute.
What’s more, the names of the various models in the range mostly reflect the Amarok naming: Startline (single cab); Trendline (single cab, extended or double); Highline (double-cab); and Cross (extended or double-cabs).
Volkswagen Brazil said in a statement that one of the difficulties it faced with the updated Saveiro was to maintain the vehicle’s design integrity but ensure that it fitted in with the global design language. The vehicle, from the B-pillar back is all-new while the front carries a nose very reminscent of the Amarok.
In terms of dimensions, the Saveiro boasts more room inside and out than its competitors, with VW claiming the double-cab variant offers a tray that’s 17% bigger than its nearest competitor (1106mm long able with 580 litres of storage, payload ranges from 667-629kg depending on the model variant).
Under the bonnet is a flex-fuel 1.6-litre 16-valve four-cylinder engine which is available in two states of tune 74kW+ when running on either petrol or ethanol, or 81kW+ when running on either petrol or ethanol. This engine is mated to a five-speed manual and is available as front-wheel drive only – the Saveiro is based on the Volkswagen Gol, not to be confused with the Golf.
Should Volkswagen consider expanding the market for the Saveiro? Since the death of the Subaru Brumby and, er, the Proton Jumbuck there hasn’t been a compact ute available Down Under. Could the VW Saveiro find buyers in Australia? Does it need all-wheel drive? And a diesel?
