Overview

The T-Roc is one of Volkswagen’s most popular cars, having sold more than a million copies worldwide since it was launched in 2017. But now the brand offers no less than nine SUVs of various stripes, the T-Roc’s appeal has been diluted somewhat. Still, a mild facelift in 2022 freshened the car up a bit and added extra kerb appeal.

It 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.

Not a vast amount changed in the ’22 facelift, though some noticeable improvements were made, 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. Still, given the T-Roc is up against many, many newer rivals and a brand-new version is arriving in late 2024, should you consider putting your money into one?

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.