The fourth member in Volkswagen South Africa’s T-SUV/crossover family – to go with the T-Cross, Tiguan and Touareg – the T-Roc is tasked with filling the admittedly small gap between its already established small and midsize siblings (which once again cleaned up in our Top 12 Best Buys awards) while offering buyers a crossover with sporty exterior styling and driving dynamics. The local range comprises three variants: a front-wheel-driven, entry-level model sporting a 110 kW/250 N.m, 1,4-litre turbo-four coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission; and a duo of 2,0-litre derivatives – a mid-spec Design and range-topping R-Line – directing 140 kW/320 N.m, the latter on tap from just 1 500 r/min to all four corners via a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, operable via steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
Tested here is the top-of-the-range T-Roc available locally (an R performance version is available overseas); the model in the current ensemble which arguably should blend these prerequisites the best. However, figuratively speaking, how well does Volkswagen’s in-vogue crossover fit into the local line-up? Considering the popularity of its aforementioned stablemates and this model’s sticker price that encroaches on that of crossovers in the premium segment as well as the outgoing, pre-facelifted Tiguan, could your money be better spent elsewhere?
Specified in R-Line trim – the Design spec level costs R45 000 less – the T-Roc certainly looks stylish. A first for a Volkswagen SUV, a variety of two-tone exterior paint options are on offer. The palette includes, among others, Ravenna Blue Metallic and White Silver Metallic, paired with a black, white or red (available exclusively with White Silver Metallic) roof. Our test unit’s (R3 150) Flare Red and black bodywork suited the T-Roc to, ahem, a T. The bright body hue showed off its coupé-styled contours and made its rakish silhouette stand out from the sea of traditionally styled crossovers on our roads.
Endowed with the latest iteration of the VW emblem, the T-Roc’s wide radiator grille incorporates dual LED headlamps. The chiselled front bumper integrates a pair of arrow-shaped LED daytime-running lights which illuminate a distinct light signature and doubles as indicators. Prominent fog lamps are fitted to the lower front bumper. The standard 19-inch Suzuka alloy wheels lend it a purposeful stance.
Billed as a lifestyle crossover with SUV characteristics, the T-Roc features roof rails and black plastic mouldings for the wheel arches. Chrome strips sited along the roofline accentuate the bi-tone paintwork and add sophistication. Plenty of chrome detailing can also be found at the rear, surrounding the faux exhaust housings.
Some members of the CAR team noted the T-Roc looked smaller than anticipated. Underpinned by the German manufacturer’s ubiquitous MQB platform, the T-Roc measures 1 573 mm in height, 1 819 mm wide, 2 593 mm between the fore and aft axles and 4 234 mm bow to stern. By way of comparison, the T-Roc is 34 mm shorter than the previous-generation Golf and 252 mm shorter than the Tiguan.
Climb inside (keyless entry and start are standard) and you’ll notice the cabin is also compact. With the driver’s pew adjusted to its lowest setting, headroom up-front should be suitable for most. Rear headroom is sufficient; yet, owing to only 641 mm of legroom, the rear quarters will be a tight fit for taller passengers. With our ISO blocks stacked in Tetris-like fashion, the T-Roc’s boot swallowed just 200 litres. Folding down the 60:40-split rear bench did reveal a more capacious 904 litres of utility space, though.
Although the interior mostly comprises hard plastics, perceived build quality is solid. The front seats’ two-tone Quartzite-Ceramique Vienna leather trim, Shadow Grey inserts on the dashboard and front doors, and (R13 400) panoramic sunroof lifted the otherwise dark cabin. Soft-touch finishes are present on the front door cards and armrests. The multifunction steering wheel and gearlever are wrapped in leather. Some team members commented that the T-Roc’s interior fitment wasn’t quite on par with similarly priced premium rivals such as the Volvo XC40 T3 listed in Match-up, nor more affordable crossovers such as the Mazda CX-30 (turn to page 22 for our first impressions on the Japanese newcomer).
Enhancing cabin comfort, dual-zone climate control and heated front seats ship as standard. The no-cost 11,7-inch digital instrument cluster and eight-inch touch display’s graphics are crisp and the system is easy to operate. The latter item features Apple CarPlay/Android Auto screen-mirroring functionality and Bluetooth connectivity. A pair of USB-C ports is located at the front and rear. Our test unit was equipped with the optional (R17 300) Discover Pro infotainment setup, with satellite navigation and wireless App Connect, and 400-watt Beats six-speaker sound system at R9 500.
Standard safety equipment includes six airbags, a pair of Isofix anchorages and fore and aft park-distance sensors. Specifying the (R6 300) Park package adds a rear-view reverse camera. Adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and lane-keeping assist are listed as further options.
Noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels are commendable. The cabin is whisper quiet, with only a slight amount of wind noise noticeable around the A-pillars at speed. Some testers did note the low-profile rubber relayed a fair amount of noise into the cabin when driving on uneven surfaces. However, on smoother bitumen, the T-Roc was a joy to pilot. One tester said that thanks to the well-weighted steering and sports suspension, the T-Roc handled nearly as well as the Golf 7. A couple of team members did, however, question the need for 4Motion all-wheel drive in this type of application.
Owing to its (relatively) low ride height, body roll is well contained in the corners, which enhances the T-Roc’s dynamic capabilities. Although, with only 158 mm of ground clearance – a mere 16 mm more than the new Golf 8’s – buyers in this segment interested in crossovers sporting taller driving positions should look elsewhere. Our Top 12 Best Buys winner in the Small SUV/crossover category, the T-Cross, has an impressive ground clearance of 180 mm.
A dynamic daily driver it may be but on our test strip, the T-Roc completed the 0-100 km/h dash in 8,20 seconds, nearly one second slower than Volkswagen’s claimed time of 7,20 seconds. In our tractability tests, the T-Roc recorded an 80-120 km/h time of 5,68 seconds. Overtaking from 100 km/h to 120 km/h required 3,10 seconds. Notable figures.
Average braking time was rated as “excellent” by our standards, with the T-Roc coming to a stop from 100 km/h in 2,90 seconds over an average distance of 38,13 metres. Where the T-Roc fell short of its claimed 0-100 km/h sprint time, it bested its claimed fuel-consumption figure by 1,40 L/100 km on our real-world mixed-use fuel route.
SPECIFICATIONS
VOLKSWAGEN T-ROC 2.0-TSI 140kW 4Motion R-Design
Price: R593 600
Engine: 2,0-litre, 4-cyl, turbo
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch
Power: 140 kW @ 4 500 r/min
Torque: 320 Nm @ 1 500 r/min
0-100 km/h: 8,15 seconds (tested April 2021)
Top speed: 216 km/h*
Claimed fuel consumption: 8,6 L/100 km*
CO2: 163 g/km*
*claimed figures
