LONG-TERM UPDATE 4 | Our VW Amarok goes cross-country touring

The brain's ability to connect old memories between present experiences is impressive. As my shin hit our VW Amarok's tow bar in the midnight darkness, while loading luggage, my mind went to an Ignition TV studio discussion from almost a decade ago.

Former anchor Marius Roberts was lamenting how bakkies can be a pain to live with where certain basic tasks are concerned. Like carting luggage or groceries: the items always end up sliding towards the furthest end of the loading bin.

Even with a bruised leg I was not complaining. An average passenger car was not going to be able to handle the space requirements for my trek to Gqeberha via Strand in the Western Cape. The Naidu clan's female occupants hardly pack light. Add to that the amenities required for an extended stay from home, and everything but the kitchen sink was packed into the back of the Volkswagen.

With a full tank, the white 2.0 TDI was gently nosed onto the N1 on-ramp, where it would chug along for many hours. We hit the road just before 2am but the silly season congestion was brewing noticeably. Crossing Verkeerdevlei toll plaza in the Free State, there was a stream of headlights bearing down the rear-view mirror.

Fully-laden Toyota Fortuners and other SUVs tugging trailers were driven aggressively as if trying to seize the gaps in morning traffic on Winnie Mandela Drive. So tiresome to witness. As for me, it was a sedate pace between 80km/h and 100km/h, sipping oat milk coffee, nibbling on sandwiches. Slow and steady wins the race.

An easy pace and steady consistency also translates into superior fuel economy. The Amarok's cluster data was reset before the journey and its consumption figure had settled around the 6.2l/100km during the first leg of the shift. Quite a decrease from the combined average of 7.8l/100km.

Early in the trip, a shortcoming of the vehicle's interface became clear. Whereas the rival Ford Ranger retains physical buttons for fan and temperature adjustment, the Amarok requires that its user access those functions via the screen. It became a bit tricky; switching between demister and adjusting climate settings through the varying ambient temperatures of early morning driving.

Another ergonomic quirk to get accustomed to was revealed much later in the day. Enthusiastic shifts from fifth to fourth for expedient overtaking had me knocking my elbow into the large centre storage box which doubles as an armrest.

The Amarok proved to be comfortable, with plump rubber and a well-tuned suspension delivering pleasant road manners, supported by excellent cabin insulation. We should not forget that the bakkie it shares an identity with has a few trophies in the cabinet, lauded for overall refinement and elevating expectations of a commercial vehicle.

But despite the easy-going nature of the double cab, my fatigue levels began to rise about an hour after a stop in Colesberg. Too tired to push ahead until Beaufort West, I took a break outside Three Sisters and caught a 20-minute nap. Much better than trying to soldier on and fight through the tiredness. It gave me the recharge needed to push ahead. Eventually, as the sun began to set, my destination in Somerset West had been reached. The on-board computer showed a distance of 1,428km, covered in 17 hours and 32 minutes. Average consumption read 6.7l/100km.

Two days later, the next leg of the journey from Strand to Gqeberha was a lot more enjoyable, especially with stunning N2 Garden Route scenery to please the eyes. By contrast to the 1,400km+ slog to Cape Town, this 704km drive felt like a stroll to the shops. In Nelson Mandela Bay, the Amarok looked at home with its EC registration plates.

Hauling back to Johannesburg before the Christmas rush, our Volkswagen maintained its sub-7l/100km average diesel consumption. After taking its bay in our Parktown offices 3,700km later, the trip computer showed 6.9l/100km.

Now back to the routine of the daily grind we expect those figures to creep back towards the high 7l/100km region.

We still have a few months with our Amarok and look forward to putting its off-road and workhorse capabilities to the test. For now, we can happily confirm it fares decently as a cross-country hauler.

LONG-TERM UPDATE 4 | VW Amarok 2.0 TDI manual

ODOMETER ON DELIVERY: 1,400km

CURRENT ODOMETER: 7,400km

PRAISES: An easy-going, frugal companion on the open road.

GRIPES: We wish it had physical buttons for climate control temperature and fan speed.

AVERAGE CONSUMPTION: 6.9l/100km