Toyota Hilux vs Volkswagen Amarok
Value retention, real cost and monthly money, compared on the same 2026 South African data.
Too close to call on resale: both keep about 76% of their value over three years. Decide on the deal, not the badge.
Both curves, one chart
Head to head
| Hilux | Amarok | |
|---|---|---|
| New price (from) | R 379 700 | R 596 800 |
| ±Monthly instalment | R 6 637/m | R 10 431/m |
| Retained after 1 year | 87% | 87% |
| Retained after 3 years | 76% | 75% |
| Value after 3 years | R 288 289 | R 450 499 |
| Lost to depreciation (3y) | R 91 411 | R 146 301 |
| Value after 5 years | R 245 282 | R 382 006 |
| Our tier | Workhorse bakkie & ladder-frame SUV | Workhorse bakkie & ladder-frame SUV |
Toyota Hilux →
South Africa's best-selling vehicle for most of the past two decades, built locally in Durban. The range runs from basic single cab workhorses under R400k to the new ninth-generation double cabs approaching R1 million. Used Hilux values hold up better than almost anything else on the market, which keeps demand strong even for high-mileage examples.
Known for: unkillable reputation and rock-solid resale
Volkswagen Amarok →
The second-generation Amarok is built by Ford in Silverton alongside the Ranger, sharing its platform and engines. The first generation earned a reputation for car-like road manners and a strong 3.0 V6 TDI. Resale is solid even though it trails the Hilux and Ranger in outright sales volume.
Known for: car-like refinement in a bakkie
Common questions
Which holds value better, the Toyota Hilux or the Volkswagen Amarok?
They are close to inseparable: 76% vs 75% retained after three years. Buy on price, spec and the deal you can get, not on resale.
Which is cheaper to own over three years?
Depreciation is the biggest ownership cost. The Toyota Hilux loses about R 91 411 over three years and the Volkswagen Amarok loses about R 146 301. Fuel, insurance and servicing can narrow or widen that, but the depreciation gap is the number to start from.
What do they cost per month?
On typical finance (10% deposit, 72 months, 11.75%), the Toyota Hilux runs about R 6 637 per month and the Volkswagen Amarok about R 10 431, before fees and insurance.
Keep going
Modelled estimates on a retail basis; spec levels and real transaction prices vary.