ROC-STEADY?(some text hidden)

By Jonathan Crouch

Ten Second Review word count: 58

The T-Roc set a more fashionable trend for compact Volkswagen SUVs, representing the brand in the affordable style-conscious end of the fast-growing mid-sized crossover segment. Almost everything you can't see on this car comes from a Golf hatch, which is no bad thing. As for the stuff you'll admire in the driveway, well it all looks satisfyingly fashionable.

Background word count: 144

From launch in 2018, the T-Roc provided an entry point to Volkswagen's SUV range, but these days two models, the Taigo and the T-Cross, sit beneath it. So the T-Roc, which unlike those two Polo-based designs rides on the underpinnings of a larger Golf, got a bit of a spruce-up in 2022 to justify its continuing place in the range. Over a million T-Roc sales had been posted at the time of that mid-term update. Of a crossover supposed to appeal to customers who want something larger than a supermini-based crossover design, but don't want to stretch up to Volkswagen's mid-sized Tiguan SUV. People who want something trendier - which is why the T-Roc also comes in Cabriolet and hot hatch T-Roc R forms. There's lots of competition these days though, for this type of car. So this T-Roc will need to be good.

Driving Experience word count: 261

Surprisingly, Volkswagen didn't introduce its mild hybrid tech as part of the most recent T-Roc update. So, as before, there are four TSI petrol engines, a 115PS 1.0-litre three cylinder unit, a 150PS four cylinder 1.5 and a 2.0-litre powerplant offered either with 190PS - or with as much as 300PS in the top T-Roc R. Diesel options have been updated in recent years: you can select between a couple of the brand's now-cleaner 2.0-litre TDI diesels, these offering either 115PS or 150PS. You'll also get the option of DSG auto transmission on most models - which you have to have with the T-Roc R. Engaging drive dynamics won't be a priority for T-Roc customers, which is just as well given what's on offer here, but as usual with a Volkswagen, you get a very well judged standard of ride. All-wheel drive isn't an especially popular customer option in this segment, but Volkswagen offers it with the 2.0 TSI and 2.0 TDI 150PS models - that's another thing that's mandatory on the T-Roc R. The brand has packaged up its 4MOTION system with plenty of extra features, primarily a driving profile selection system (which you can also order on a 2WD variant). This set-up gives you a choice of two on-road profiles ('Street' and 'Snow'). There are a couple of off-road modes too: 'Offroad' (which automatically sets the car up for 'off piste' use) and 'Offroad Individual' (which allows you to set various parameters). Other extras you can add include 'DCC' 'Dynamic Chassis Control' adaptive damping and 'ACC' 'Adaptive Cruise Control'.