Volkswagen T-Roc review

Driving position 

If you’re upgrading from a Volkswagen Golf, then you’re in for a treat, because it’s essentially the same but higher up. 

We’ve spent quite a lot of time driving Mk8 Golfs, and there really isn’t much difference between them. Though the raised driving position really helps when parking or navigating awkward junctions. 

This means that even when you’re not relying on the 360-degree parking camera, seeing in front of or behind you is a doddle. 

One slight drawback, however, is the absence of electric-operated seats. This is something a lot of new Chinese cars offer from the get-go, yet they aren’t in our top-spec T-Roc test car. 

It’s only minor, but it's something that’s mostly standard on other cars at this price point. 

Tech and features 

Volkswagen T-Roc trims 

– Life 

– Style 

– R-Line 

In true Volkswagen fashion, the T-Roc's interior feels very sturdy and well-engineered – in the same way you’d expect a Scandinavian kitchen to look and feel. 

Dominating the centre of the dash is a ‘floating’ 12.9-inch touchscreen with touch-sensitive controls below it for volume and air-con (though we’d just use the volume knob between the front seats and adjust the temperature below the screen itself). 

The central display is really intuitive and smooth, plus it has the usual wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto you’d expect to find, though the car’s own system is superb on its own. 

Below the screen is a wireless phone charger with a unique design – instead of plain rubber, Volkswagen has given it grooves, which it says aid cooling, but we really think it’s just so they could turn them into swimming lanes and add tiny people doing lengths. Don’t believe us? Look closer. 

There are also a couple of USB-C ports to keep all your devices topped up while on the go.  

Having spent many hundreds of miles in a T-Roc, we have to say the overall interior quality supersedes that of a Ford Puma or Renault Captur by a long way. 

Engines and power 

Volkswagen T-Roc performance stats 

– Power: 116hp or 150hp 

– 0-62mph: 8.9 seconds 

– Top speed: 132mph 

– Driven wheels: Front-wheel drive (FWD) 

From the get-go, Volkswagen offers the T-Roc with two different mild hybrid engine options: both based on the same 1.5-litre petrol engine, but with different power outputs.  

But it’s worth noting that Volkswagen will only sell the T-Roc with an automatic gearbox – farewell to the manual and three-pedal combo. 

The entry-level engine produces 116hp and is perfectly capable for everyday driving around town. The seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox does its job of keeping things smooth, but you may find you want a little more poke. 

This is where the 150hp engine comes in. It’s our pick of the bunch because it’s better at motorway speeds and still returns superb fuel economy. That, combined with a brisk 0-62mph time of 8.9 seconds, is a real treat. 

At the time of writing, those are the only two engine options available, but there are more on the way. 

The first is a 2.0-litre petrol with 204hp and four-wheel drive, and the others are two full hybrid versions, with 136hp and 170hp respectively, plus a 333hp T-Roc R for the petrolheads. 

Now for the disappointing bit... Volkswagen told us it has no plans for a plug-in hybrid T-Roc any time soon, and there’s no sign of a fully electric one.  

A shame, but we expect VW knows what it's doing and is well aware of how successful its mild-hybrid engines are. 

Still, there are plenty of other cars in the range that plug that gap, such as the VW Tiguan PHEV and electric ID.4. 

Handling and ride comfort 

It’s all well and good making a solid engine, but what about the rest of the driving experience? 

The good news is that the T-Roc lives up to it. It feels composed at speed on the motorway with minimal tyre and wind noise, and it doesn’t feel too out of place on a twisty back road, either. 

Our only one gripe would be ride quality, but this is entirely spec-dependent. Our test car came on the larger 18-inch wheels with thinner tyres, meaning there’s less cushioning for Britain’s rough roads. 

However, opt for the smaller 17-inch wheels with thicker tyres, and you’re laughing all the way to the next pothole. 

Boot space 

Volkswagen T-Roc boot space:  

– Boot space: 475 litres 

– Incl. rear seats folded: 1,350 litres 

Here at cinch, we like to test boot space... really test it. Whether that’s taking a car on a diving trip full of cylinders and diving kit, or brimming the car with shopping, we’ll give it our best shot. 

On this occasion, we decided to drive the T-Roc 250 miles up the A1 to the northeastern town of Saltburn-by-the-Sea with four six-foot adults, all their luggage and enough food and drink to fuel a small army. 

The result? The T-Roc took it like a champ. This is thanks to its roomy 475-litre boot, which has tonnes more space below where a spare wheel may ordinarily sit, but we didn’t even need to use this space. 

By comparison, the Ford Puma has 456 litres, and the Hyundai Kona has 466 litres. 

You can also fold down the rear seats and access 1,350 litres of space, which is ideal if you’re moving house. 

Rear seats 

The new T-Roc has grown by 120mm in length compared to its predecessor, which translates directly into better cabin space. 

Headroom in the back is excellent, easily managing to clear taller passengers despite the sloping, sporty roofline.  

Foot room and knee room are highly competitive, though exceptionally tall passengers (our tester stands at 6'3") sitting behind an equally tall driver may still find their knees brushing the front seat back. 

Rear passengers in R-Line trim are treated to dedicated climate controls and two more USB-C ports. However, carrying three adults across the back row can be a squeeze; the car features a prominent central transmission tunnel hump, meaning a middle passenger will have to encroach slightly into the footwells of the outer seats. 

Storage solutions 

Being a family SUV, you want the T-Roc to have some nifty storage areas, and it does. 

The front is where you’ll find the bulk of it, with plenty of space directly below the screen and much more in and behind the cupholders. 

The door bins are deep too, and the glovebox is relatively big, but not groundbreaking. 

Rear-seat passengers get a bit of storage space, but not a lot to write home about. 

Volkswagen T-Roc dimensions  

– Height: 1,573mm 

– Width (incl. door mirrors): 2,044mm  

– Length: 4,372mm 

– Kerb weight: from 1,330kg 

Safety 

The T-Roc achieved the full five-star rating following its Euro NCAP safety test, thanks to its standard nine airbags and ISOFIX child seat mounting points, among other things.  

In terms of driver assistance tech, the T-Roc has an autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system that can detect pedestrians and cyclists as well as other cars, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition and rear-cross traffic alert (to warn of other vehicles when reversing). 

Fuel economy 

To ensure we tested the fuel economy of the VW T-Roc correctly, we took it on a 600-mile road trip on motorways, through towns and around some of Yorkshire’s best country lanes. 

The result? An average of 50mpg, which for its peppy 1.5-litre mild hybrid engine, is rather impressive. 

VW claims it’ll return 50.2mpg with mixed driving, so it was pretty much bang on. And bear in mind, a vast majority of that was with a completely full car (seats, boot and fuel-wise). 

Reliability 

On the whole, the Volkswagen T-Roc is a reliable car.   

VW offers a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which is standard for most car manufacturers.  

However, better options are available with other manufacturers, such as Toyota’s up to 10 years of coverage or Hyundai’s five-year/100,000-mile warranty.   

But parts are relatively cheap, should you need to replace them. It’s worth checking out cinchServicing to find out more about keeping your car in tip-top condition.