VOLKSWAGEN

T-Roc

The T-Roc is a stylish compact SUV that drives as good as it looks. It is packed with all the latest technology and infotainment systems and is competitively priced. Customers can choose from a range of highly-efficient engines, transmissions and generously-equipped trim levels.

The good

Styling, driving dynamics, on-board technology and comprehensive safety kit

The bad

Competing in a sector that is incredibly overcrowded

Tech Specs

Price from

£18,950

Combined Fuel up to

56.5mpg

0-62 from

7.2 seconds

max speed up to

134mph

co2 from

117g/km

Test Drive

VW T-Roc Black edition 1.5 TSI 150PS manual (2021)

Volkswagen’s T-Roc line-up has gained a striking Black Edition and it boasts lots of extra kit plus a very distinctive styling package.

Based on the T-Roc SE model, the Black Edition gains £2,000 worth of additional features for just £400 extra cost, making this an attractive option for anyone who likes their car to stand out in a crowd.

Despite being named the Black Edition, this particular T-Roc is on sale in a number of colour shades, but you will get lots of black-coloured trim such as the front grille, window surrounds, side skirts, door mirrors, roof rails, exhaust pipes, ‘Black Edition’ decal on the C-pillar and even the 18-inch alloy wheels are finished in black.

Step inside and once again that black theme is prominent with a black dashboard and headlining, along with piano black decorative inserts in the dash and door panels.

The popular five-door T-Roc sits between the smaller T-Cross and Tiguan in VW’s SUV line-up and customers have the choice of a number of powertrains and transmissions. We opted for the 1.5-litre 150PS petrol model with a six speed manual gearbox.

Priced at £25,525 (£28,340 with options), this car can sprint to 62mph from a standing start in 8.4 seconds and onto a top speed of 127mph. According to official figures, under stricter WLTP testing, it can deliver a combined 42.2mpg with carbon emissions of 152g/km.

As the Black Edition is very much based upon the generously-equipped T-Roc SE, there is lots of on-board technology included as standard in the starting price, such as MirrorLink with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, an eight-inch colour touchscreen, a quality sound system, adaptive cruise control, air conditioning and lots more besides.

One of the optional extras on our test car was an upgraded media navigation infotainment system with preloaded European mapping, online traffic reports, a wi-fi hotspot and media streaming. This added £920 to the price-tag.

When it comes to driving dynamics and performance, the T-Roc is an absolute pleasure to drive and you will immediately feel right at home behind the flat-bottomed leather steering wheel. The acceleration is impressive from the punchy engine and the transmission is both smooth and responsive with ample firepower at your disposal to overtake slower moving traffic.

Out on the faster country lanes, the road-holding is assured with minimal body sway into bends and it’s a car that’s just as content eating up the motorway miles as it is weaving through busier town centres.

The comfort levels are good with enough space for a couple of adults to sit in the back provided the front seats are not pushed too far back and the storage options are just what you would expect from this type of compact SUV vehicle. The boot can accommodate 445 litres of kit, a limit that increases to 1,290 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat.

Elsewhere, there are numerous practical storage compartments scattered throughout the vehicle, including door bins with bottle sections, front and rear cup holders, a glovebox, a cubby box under the front armrest, seat back pockets and a useful drawer tucked away beneath the driver’s seat.

The T-Roc was awarded the maximum five stars when tested for its Euro NCAP safety rating, so there is a wealth of technology to protect occupants and other road users. Features include traction control, electronic stability control, front assist, predictive pedestrian protection whereby the car brakes if its sensors detect a pedestrian in the road ahead, lane assist and a full suite of airbags.

Optional safety technology on the test car included a rear-view camera costing £190 and pre-crash preventive occupant protection priced at £155 and this system tightens the seatbelts, closes the windows and activates the brakes if a critical driving situation is detected.

All in all, the latest T-Roc is a truly fabulous piece of kit in its own right with nice handling, distinctive styling and impressive on-board techno treats. The arrival of the Black Edition has simply added to its appeal and all-round charm.

Test Drive

VW T-Roc SEL 2.0 TSI 4MOTION 190PS 7-speed DSG

The compact SUV sector may be bursting at the seams, but the arrival of Volkswagen’s latest model certainly adds an extra option for customers looking for a sporty all-rounder that mixes style with substance.

It’s called the T-Roc and is priced from £18,950 to £31,485. There is a wide choice of trim levels, powertrains and transmissions and it is proving exceptionally popular with buyers. In fact, recent UK sales figures showed the car has topped the 9,000-mark in just over eight months.

The five-door car looks appealing from any approach thanks to its dynamic, compact styling with sweeping lines, LED lights with signature running lights, 18-inch alloys, body-coloured bumpers and door mirrors, chrome-effect twin exhausts, silver roof rails and privacy glass.

The interior is instantly recognisable as being a VW thanks to its clutter-free yet feature-rich layout with plenty of plush materials and trims to help create an upmarket feel to the car. I particularly liked the smart two-tone seats along with the decorative inserts in the doors and dashboard.

Techno treats are plentiful and include the likes of a 10.3-inch high resolution dash display screen with customisable menus, an eight-inch colour touchscreen with navigation system, a wireless smartphone charger, a six-speaker audio system, a rear-view camera, 2Zone air conditioning, heated front seats, full smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and lots more besides.

Our test car in SEL trim was priced at £31,690 (£35,535 with options fitted) and was powered by a 2.0-litre 190PS petrol engine mated to a seven-speed automatic gearbox. It could sprint to 62mph from a standing start in 7.2 seconds, topped out at 134mph and, according to official figures, delivers combined fuel economy of 41.5mpg with carbon emissions of 155g/km.

Getting comfy inside the T-Roc is a quick and simple process with ample seat and steering wheel adjustment, and the slightly elevated driving position results in great all-round visibility.

There is ample space in the vehicle for a couple of adults to sit comfortably in the rear seats or three at a bit of a squeeze. The boot is also well-sized with a capacity that ranges from 392 litres to 1,237 litres when the 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats are lowered. Throughout the car there are numerous convenient storage compartments such as a glovebox, a central bin, door pockets, a non-slip tray ahead of the gear stick, cup holders, a drawer under the driver’s seat and pockets in the backs of the front seats.

When it comes to driving dynamics and performance, the T-Roc is an absolute delight to drive. The responsive, punchy 2.0-litre engine delivers all the power you need to accelerate smoothly and swiftly through the gears and national speed limits are quickly reached on motorways. In busy town centres, the T-Roc is nimble and easy to manoeuvre with a Park Assist system that helps make light work of parking in tight spaces. Then out on the faster twisting country lanes, the car proved balanced and well grounded. There is minimal body sway into bends and the road-holding is ultra-grippy with ample driver feedback through the precise steering.

At higher speeds or when driving on poorer road surfaces the noise levels within the car are more noticeable, but generally the T-Roc is very well-insulated. And the effective suspension irons out all but the most severe bumps and dips along the way. Our car featured a Dynamic Chassis Control system costing £870 extra that offered variable suspension settings with a choice of Sport, Comfort or Normal.

There are also different driver profile modes called Eco, Normal, Sport or Individual that alter the way the car responds with Sport really livening up the reactions.

It’s worth noting too that the T-Roc boasts VW’s 4MOTION all-wheel drive system which will help keep you motoring during adverse weather and driving conditions. This also has different settings called on road, off road individual and snow.

The car was awarded the maximum five stars when it was tested for its Euro NCAP safety rating. As well as the more traditional safety specifications, the T-Roc is fitted with a number of driver aids, including lane assist, front assist with city emergency braking, predictive pedestrian protection, adaptive cruise control, high beam assist and a pre-crash preventative occupant protection system that increases the seat belt tension, closes electric windows and a sunroof and preconditions the brake systems if a critical driving situation is detected.

All in all, the VW T-Roc may be competing in the fastest growing sector, but it’s a compact SUV with plenty to offer. It is dynamically styled, packed with first rate technology, competitively priced, as safe as houses and it drives beautifully making it the complete package.