Volkswagen tweaked their T-Roc in late 2022 & we recently got our hands on one to see what’s new. As a family, we ran a 1.0 T-Roc for 3.5 years & found it to be a comfortable, reliable motor. Truth be known we would have had another but for Covid interrupting the supply of the updated version, so a look at the new one was most welcome.
What is it ?
The T-Roc has been one of VW’s best sellers since launch. It shares its wheelbase & the widely used VW Group MQB platform with both the Audi Q2 & VW Polo. The Q2 wins hands down for interior quality, whilst the T-Roc is better looking & comes with more standard equipment for a lower price point. It’s also roomier inside than the Polo, so a real win win.
Exterior
The main upgrade from the previous T Roc is the addition of VW’s new ‘IQ Light’ adaptive LED headlights, nine colours to choose from with 14 alloy wheel designs, three design packs & the option of three contrasting roof colours,
Engines
Customers can choose from three petrol engines, a 1.0 litre with 105 bhp, a 1.5 litre with 148bhp & a 2.0 litre with 188bhp. Plus two diesel engines with a 1.6 litre offering 114bhp & a 2.0 litre offering 148bhp. The 1.0 & 1.5 litre petrol versions that are still the best sellers, with the former the best priced to business lease. Four-wheel drive is also an option, as are auto gearboxes with some engines.
Trims
Offered in four trim levels; Life, Style, R-Line & R . All models feature an 8″ touchscreen infotainment system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, DAB radio & USB connectivity. Safety wise, the Life comes with Front Assist, featuring Pedestrian Protection & City Emergency Braking plus Lane Assist, whilst Style the model we were testing adds Adaptive Cruise Control & parking sensors.
Also fitted as standard on Style are 17″ Johannesburg alloys, Digital CockpitPro, SatNav, silver roof rails, rear tinted glass, 6 speakers, 4X USB & wireless App connect.
Fitted to our test car was an optional panoramic sunroof front & rear, which really helps make the interior feel larger & brighter.
Practicality
Size-wise, the T-Roc is 4,234mm long,1,879mm wide & 1,573 mm high, making it shorter than the Golf but both wider & taller. The T-Roc cleverly utilises it’s size & shape to offer passengers better head & leg room than in the Golf & a larger boot too, with 445 litres compared to the 380 litres available in the Golf. Fold the 60:40 split rear seats down & the boot increases in size to a very useful 1290 litres. The boot floor can be raised & lowered offering a flat load lip or a deeper boot as required. A massive bonus is that you still get a spare wheel with your T-Roc. Rear space though is very much for two adults & not three.
Inside
Here is where things have changed the most on the updated T-Roc. The cabin & dashboard are logically laid out with the 8” touchscreen now sitting higher on the dash rather than integrated as before. We found the touchscreen system clear to the eye & simple to use. It comes flanked by touch sensitive buttons that are quick to react. The climate controls have been updated & whilst the new sliding touch-sensitive system looks better it’s a bit fiddly to use as we know from our own Tiguan.
On Style & above another new addition is VW’s Digital Cockpit Pro, a 10.25″ high resolution dash display screen with customisable menus & information, It looks brilliant & scrolling through the menus is really easy using the steering wheel mounted controls.
Connecting to Apple-Car-Play & the Bluetooth hands-free phone system were both quick & easy to do. A double USB socket in the centre bin in front of the gear lever helps connectivity & the electronic parking brake features a Hold system, which we found very useful in traffic. The buttons on the steering wheel control the volume for the infotainment, allow you to select your media or radio station, go into vehicle settings & use the adaptive cruise control. You can also scroll through the functions on offer, so for example, you can choose to have your SatNav destination in front of you rather than on the screen.
On the Mk1, some of the plastics in the cabin, notably on top of the dash & on the interior doors, were not up to Volkswagens usual quality & the new model does go a little way to address this so the finishes & the plastics & finishes look & feel better than before.
On the road
We were driving 1.5 TSI petrol engine, which when we got out in it was fun to drive, with the car’s steering light & responsive whilst on the move. The chassis is quite forgiving & offers up a comfortable ride, even in the rear, where some cars are let down by their concrete firmness.
Around town, the T-Roc is nippy when required & easy to park with good visibility. The 148bhp petrol engine is refined too, especially on the motorway. Set Adaptive Cruise Control & you can relax into your motorway journey as the T-Roc moves along quietly, with only some noticeable wind noise when you’re at 70 mph.
The 1.5 TSI with 148bhp feels brisk, with a top speed of 127mph & a 0-62mph time of 8.3 seconds. With emissions of 120g/km & a combined fuel economy of 53.3 mpg, from it’s engine. The only negative is that it does take a little time to get up to speed mid-range in fourth to sixth gear for example on the motorway & you will ned to change down to get the revs up.
Economy
From a real world point of view, the 1.5 TSI claimed combined full economy is 53.5 mpg. Out & about on a mixture of roads in urban, country & motorway, I drove the T-Roc for 300 miles averaging a respectable 46.2mpg, which is better than I ever averaged in the 1.0 litre T-Roc we owned. Food for thought.
Pros
Decent teach & safety as standard. Improved interior quality over Mk1. New infotainment & digital cockpit are better too. The 1.0 & 1.5 litre petrol manuals are the ones to have, with lower BIK offered. Still one of the better ‘B’ SUV’s out there.
Cons
Rear passenger space is a little cramped. Auto & diesels decrease fuel economy or increase your BIK. Some cheapish finishes lower down.
Conclusion
With a new touchscreen & digital Cockpit, plus more safety features, the updated T-Roc is definitely an improvement over the original. Whilst not physically looking that much larger than Golf, it most definitely offers customers more cabin space, easier access, a larger boot & cleaner looks than the Golf. It’s also more stylish, comes with a higher more comfortable driving position, all in a compact city-friendly package with a selection of on-trend colour combos to brighten up your day.
A Dwayne T-Roc Johnson 4/5.
