4X4 Ute of the Year... Meet the winner

The dust has settled and the five judges have tallied their scores...

When the dust had settled and the five judges had tallied their scores, it was Volkswagen’s brilliant Amarok that had its nose in front.

Four of the five judges scored it above the other four aspirants to the crown of the 2011 4X4 Australia’s Ute of the Year. That's not quite a clean sweep but very convincing nevertheless.

The Amarok is ahead of the game in so many ways. It's powered by the quietest, most refined and most economical engine that gives little or nothing away to the others – Navara aside – in terms of real-world performance. Inside the Amarok's cabin you’ll find the best finish, the most comfortable seats and the most room.

Likewise the tray is as big and useable as any here. On-road, the chassis offers a level of ride and handling well above all of the others, yet the Amarok is still as good as it gets for off-road ability. Whatever way you look at it, the Amarok is the complete package... and the 2011 Ute of the Year.

To read the judge's full review of each of our five Ute of the Year contenders, pick up the latest copy of4X4 Australia, out now.