The Quest for Perfection: The MSR T Ford Transit Custom vs the VW Amarok Pickup

When it comes to tackling daily tasks, you need a vehicle that can handle multiple responsibilities with ease. For those who require comfort and speed, yet also need space for bulky materials or outdoor pursuits, the traditional estate car or SUV just won't cut it. This is where the MSR T Ford Transit Custom and the VW Amarok Pickup come in – two vehicles designed to meet the demands of working drivers who spend a lot of time behind the wheel.

The MSR T Ford Transit Custom is an excellent choice for those who need a van with a crew cab, but want more space than just an estate car or SUV can provide. With its remapped 2-liter diesel turbo engine, this van produces 210 horsepower and can deliver impressive performance. The cost? A whopping £42,000 pounds – quite the investment, indeed.

However, for those who require even more power and capability, the VW Amarok Pickup is the way to go. Equipped with a 3-liter diesel motor that develops an astonishing 258 horsepower, this pickup is the UK's fastest production model. It also boasts an impressive 0-62mph time of just 7.4 seconds, making it a formidable force on the road. The Amarok's price tag? A more manageable £42,000 pounds.

Both vehicles are designed to be utilitarian workhorses, but how do they fare in real-world tests? Let's dive into our assessment of these two contenders and find out which one comes out on top.

First up is the MSR T Ford Transit Custom. I have to admit, this van has won me over with its impressive features list. The Fun System, for instance, provides a level of comfort that's hard to find in commercial vehicles – it's surprisingly quiet and refined. The interior design is also noteworthy, with its sleek lines and ergonomic design. However, the steering wheel does feel a bit chunky, and I'm not entirely sold on the suspension setup.

But what really sets this van apart is its payload capacity. We're talking about a vehicle that can carry heavy loads with ease, all while maintaining an impressive level of comfort. It's clear that Ford has put a lot of thought into creating a vehicle that meets the needs of working drivers. And at £42,000 pounds, it may seem like a significant investment – but remember, this van is trying to do the job of two vehicles.

Next up is the VW Amarok Pickup, and I must say, I'm thoroughly impressed with its performance capabilities. The 3-liter diesel engine delivers an impressive level of power, and the auto 8-speed box makes shifting seamless. The Highline trim level adds a touch of luxury to this pickup, complete with standard features like sat-nav, climate control, and premium upholstery.

However, as I spent more time behind the wheel, I couldn't help but feel that this pickup feels a bit...less refined than its Transit counterpart. The steering wheel does have a strange feel to it, and the ride can be a tad firm – especially on rough roads. But hey, this is a work truck, right? It's designed to handle heavy loads and harsh conditions.

Now, let's talk about the real-world tests – our assessment of road manners and comfort. We put both vehicles through their paces, testing them in various conditions to see which one comes out on top.

The MSR T Ford Transit Custom excelled in this department, handling rough roads with ease and providing a level of comfort that belies its commercial nature. The steering feels smooth and responsive, and the suspension absorbs bumps with aplomb.

On the other hand, the VW Amarok Pickup struggled to match the Transit's road manners. While it's undoubtedly capable off-road, on paved roads it can feel firm and unrefined – especially when compared to the Transit's more refined ride. That being said, this is a trade-off for the pickup's impressive capability and power.

Ultimately, our test has come down to one thing: which vehicle offers the best overall package? For me, the MSR T Ford Transit Custom takes the prize. While it may not offer as much power or capability as its Amarok counterpart, its comfort, refinement, and practicality make it an excellent choice for working drivers.

But hey, that's not to say the VW Amarok Pickup is without its merits. Its impressive performance capabilities and off-road prowess make it a formidable force in the right conditions – and at £42,000 pounds, it's certainly a more affordable option than the Transit Custom.

In the end, it comes down to what you need from your vehicle. Do you want comfort and refinement on paved roads? Or do you require raw power and capability off-road? The MSR T Ford Transit Custom and the VW Amarok Pickup are both excellent choices – but which one is right for you?

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enbut we're starting with van versus pickup a challenge between two contenders in a fast growing sector of the car market here's the scenario you've got a family so you need a good-sized car that can cover miles quickly and comfortably however you've also got a job that dictates carrying bulky sometimes mucky materials around or you're into outdoor pursuits or you're a massive DIY nutter or you breed dogs like Newfoundlands and you've got 12 of them so you need comfort and speed but also far more space than an estate car or an SUV could provide which means you need two vehicles right wrong you need a van with a crew cab and I'll go one further you need Batman this is the MSR T Ford Transit custom it has two rows of seats and a remapped 2-liter diesel turbo that puts out 210 horsepower it costs 42,000 pounds and is one of the quickest most powerful production vans in the UK by the idea Johnny but it's the wrong motor if you want a properly rugged low blogger and a fast five seater all rolled into one you want one of these it's the VW Amarok pickup with crew captain in its 3-liter diesel form the Amarok develops a whopping 258 horsepower and gets the 62 in 7.4 seconds making it the UK's fastest production pickup and it to cost 42 grand oh good you know good it's a good-looking thing it's very premium so it's quite posh it's very very posh indeed you get all the kids in there yeah three in the back yeah it's got a roll top so you can put stuff in its gonna lock on but the great thing about this this is just a more impressive package ultimately you can fit more in it I would say you got the children the back cos look we've got two rows of seats like yours but we've got an enclosed area where the proof could be a campervan we've got a whole day now to find out which of these two is the best multitasker yeah oh yeah are you gonna wear that all day we're gonna subject this pair to three tests and as both are designed for working drivers who spend a lot of time behind the wheel with dartie with an assessment of road manners and comfort I love this Jen of transit I personally think when this this generation of transit came out I think it was better than the VW Transporter there's a vehicle yeah it's a good bit kit isn't this fun system that these are not noisy no it's not she's really cool that I like a body controller of things in crying I know it's unladen but normally unlaid in commercial vehicles are a bit Skippy you'll find that with your pickup I've got you know this you know slightly concerned that how much I'm gonna hate that thing that the time and a relatively to this I think I should have a drive this don't like that steering wheel it's far too chunky yeah this is forty millimeters lower right so it's got proper motor sport springs dampers and O's EDD wheels yeah it's a real very same payload oh is it so it can still carry the original forward payload oh look at there's a lot kid here that is a USB there's a USB there's a USB look at that man down by the handbrake look there's a three-pin plug that's well hardly so it's well equipped but forty grand about 15 more than a standard double cab transit sounds a lot of money until you remember it's trying to do the job of two vehicles anyway time for the four-wheel drive Amarok going on a job doing a quote as far as I've got with the lyrics so this is the Highline top-spec sat-nav climate control the auto 8-speed box that you know it's great at it do you hear that I've got standard lovely these three 650 horsepower more than yours this is rapid but the transit rides better ah substantially better yeah but this can go off-road the transits front-wheel drive I think that level of trim and fit and upholstery in yours quite a bit better than this yeah it's a good car but it doesn't feel like a good value for money necessarily but if you turned up to do a quote with your hard hat on in this what I've forgotten I had dogs actually would I go he's earning too much money because he's in a very posh pickup Saudi mate you fancy having to drive this steering wheels a good shape because it are you see compared to that that's that's as good as the transit wheel is just a pitch you feel that those shudder yeah it's weird one of my kids gets travel sick or one of them would not work there they wouldn't like you here whereas the transit behaves so well on these back roads this is not a lifestyle choice this car this is a work car whereas I think the is totally lifestyles so it's round one to the transit as it winds the on road test it's more refined and it has better road manners than the pickup youbut we're starting with van versus pickup a challenge between two contenders in a fast growing sector of the car market here's the scenario you've got a family so you need a good-sized car that can cover miles quickly and comfortably however you've also got a job that dictates carrying bulky sometimes mucky materials around or you're into outdoor pursuits or you're a massive DIY nutter or you breed dogs like Newfoundlands and you've got 12 of them so you need comfort and speed but also far more space than an estate car or an SUV could provide which means you need two vehicles right wrong you need a van with a crew cab and I'll go one further you need Batman this is the MSR T Ford Transit custom it has two rows of seats and a remapped 2-liter diesel turbo that puts out 210 horsepower it costs 42,000 pounds and is one of the quickest most powerful production vans in the UK by the idea Johnny but it's the wrong motor if you want a properly rugged low blogger and a fast five seater all rolled into one you want one of these it's the VW Amarok pickup with crew captain in its 3-liter diesel form the Amarok develops a whopping 258 horsepower and gets the 62 in 7.4 seconds making it the UK's fastest production pickup and it to cost 42 grand oh good you know good it's a good-looking thing it's very premium so it's quite posh it's very very posh indeed you get all the kids in there yeah three in the back yeah it's got a roll top so you can put stuff in its gonna lock on but the great thing about this this is just a more impressive package ultimately you can fit more in it I would say you got the children the back cos look we've got two rows of seats like yours but we've got an enclosed area where the proof could be a campervan we've got a whole day now to find out which of these two is the best multitasker yeah oh yeah are you gonna wear that all day we're gonna subject this pair to three tests and as both are designed for working drivers who spend a lot of time behind the wheel with dartie with an assessment of road manners and comfort I love this Jen of transit I personally think when this this generation of transit came out I think it was better than the VW Transporter there's a vehicle yeah it's a good bit kit isn't this fun system that these are not noisy no it's not she's really cool that I like a body controller of things in crying I know it's unladen but normally unlaid in commercial vehicles are a bit Skippy you'll find that with your pickup I've got you know this you know slightly concerned that how much I'm gonna hate that thing that the time and a relatively to this I think I should have a drive this don't like that steering wheel it's far too chunky yeah this is forty millimeters lower right so it's got proper motor sport springs dampers and O's EDD wheels yeah it's a real very same payload oh is it so it can still carry the original forward payload oh look at there's a lot kid here that is a USB there's a USB there's a USB look at that man down by the handbrake look there's a three-pin plug that's well hardly so it's well equipped but forty grand about 15 more than a standard double cab transit sounds a lot of money until you remember it's trying to do the job of two vehicles anyway time for the four-wheel drive Amarok going on a job doing a quote as far as I've got with the lyrics so this is the Highline top-spec sat-nav climate control the auto 8-speed box that you know it's great at it do you hear that I've got standard lovely these three 650 horsepower more than yours this is rapid but the transit rides better ah substantially better yeah but this can go off-road the transits front-wheel drive I think that level of trim and fit and upholstery in yours quite a bit better than this yeah it's a good car but it doesn't feel like a good value for money necessarily but if you turned up to do a quote with your hard hat on in this what I've forgotten I had dogs actually would I go he's earning too much money because he's in a very posh pickup Saudi mate you fancy having to drive this steering wheels a good shape because it are you see compared to that that's that's as good as the transit wheel is just a pitch you feel that those shudder yeah it's weird one of my kids gets travel sick or one of them would not work there they wouldn't like you here whereas the transit behaves so well on these back roads this is not a lifestyle choice this car this is a work car whereas I think the is totally lifestyles so it's round one to the transit as it winds the on road test it's more refined and it has better road manners than the pickup you\n"