Overview

Though the Volkswagen T-Roc might be getting on a bit in terms of age, we still rate it as one of the best small SUVs you can buy today. Since it launched back in 2017, the T-Roc has been an incredible success for the brand, though its positioning isn’t quite so clear now that VW’s SUV line-up has expanded its line-up so much.

The T-Roc sits between the stylish Taigo and practical Tiguan in VW’s SUV range. The T-Roc is actually a rather awkward size – it’s positioned as a rival to the Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage, Peugeot 3008, Toyota C-HR et al, but its dimensions are closer to those of the Ford Puma. But it’s a relatively wide and tall car, so it has enough space to pull off the Qashqai comparison.

We’re something of an authority on the small SUV class here at Parkers, having recently assembled almost the whole class to take part in a 2025 giant test. The T-Roc performed well, achieving a third place finish out of 19 cars, but stay tuned for a full report of our findings.

The T Roc was last updated in 2022. Not a lot changed, though some noticeable improvements were made and particularly to the car’s interior. Soft-touch plastics replaced hard and scratchy materials (though there are still quite a lot of those), and Volkswagen’s latest infotainment system was added to the dashboard.

The T-Roc is available in a head-spinning array of models. From the ‘core’ range, there’s a choice of petrol engines ranging from 1.0- to 2.0-litres in size with between 115hp and 190hp, and a pair of diesels with 115hp or 150hp. There are also manual and dual-clutch automatic gearboxes to choose from, and the top-grade petrol and diesel engines can have 4Motion four-wheel-drive.

Then there are four trim levels – Life, Match, Style and R-Line. Life comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, a digital instrument display, wireless phone connectivity, front and rear parking sensors and two-zone aircon. Match adds a rear-view camera, keyless entry and 17-inch wheels; Style gains satnav and LED headlights; R-Line has a sporty-looking bodykit and heated front seats.

Right at the top of the range is the high-performance 300hp T-Roc R and adjacent is the unique drop-top T-Roc Cabriolet, which we’ve reviewed separately. Hybrid and electric power are conspicuous by their absence, but the T-Roc’s continued popularity suggests that isn’t an issue for buyers.

Over the next few pages, we’ll review every aspect of the Volkswagen T-Roc. We’ll consider its practicality, interior quality, driving experience and running costs before offering our final verdict on the car. Head over to our how we test cars page to find out how we reached our final decision.