Volkswagen T-Roc Review & Prices

The Volkswagen T-Roc is for those who want a compact SUV with smart styling and a good level of practicality – much like a designer messenger bag. While it may not be the most exciting car around, it performs really well as a practical runaround.

Much like its German alternatives, the BMW X2, Audi Q2 and Mercedes GLA, the T-Roc focuses more on function than form – it's pretty smart, but it isn’t quite as funky as the Nissan Juke and Mazda CX-30. 

The smart styling continues inside. Ambient lighting helps add some character to the trim highlights, while the large displays that are fitted are simple yet effective. There are some physical buttons still used, but there’s VW’s annoying sliding climate control setup to contend with.

Overall equipment levels are very good across the T-Roc line-up, with 16-inch alloys, roof rails, LED headlights and wireless smartphone connectivity all standard.

In the back, adults won’t find lots of legroom, while headroom is also a little tight for taller people but good enough for most. Quality isn’t the best though, especially on the window ledge where you might want to rest your arm. The colours also aren’t that inspiring, with plenty of grey and black materials.

For boot space, the T-Roc is one of the best in the segment, with a 445-litre capacity. The load lip is pretty small, making loading and unloading simple, while you can fold the seats down mostly flat. Going for the four-wheel drive versions means the boot space drops to 392 litres. Only the Mercedes GLA and BMW X2 have larger boots out of its alternatives, while the Nissan Juke and Mazda CX-30 lag behind a little.

But where the T-Roc claws back against the Mercedes and BMW is how it drives. It isn’t as refined overall as the GLA, but it happens to be more involving and there’s more feel through the steering. Also in town, it’s compact enough to navigate through narrow streets easily.

On longer journeys, it also manages to be very composed and comfortable when cruising, while there’s limited noise from the tyres and standard-fit roof rails. 

There’s no electric or hybrid alternative on this version of the T-Roc, so you have to choose between petrol or diesel. The entry petrol is more than powerful enough for most with 110hp, and you can choose to have a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic depending on your preference. 

You can also get four-wheel drive on the top-end petrol and diesel options, but it’s not necessary for all but a select few people who need it. 

As standard, you’ll find the T-Roc gets adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, lane keep assist and high beam assist – which are usually available in packs or as optional extras on many alternatives.

But with all the good levels of kit and safety features, the price of the T-Roc is a bit high compared to alternatives, especially the Mazda CX-30 and Nissan Juke. If you do like the look of the T-Roc compared to those though, take a look at the latest deals on one through carwow.

You can also check out the latest used T-Roc models as well as other used Volkswagen models through carwow, and to change your car entirely, you can sell your car with carwow as well.

Against the main alternatives, the T-Roc is cheaper than the likes of the BMW X2 and Mercedes GLA, but is more expensive than the Mazda CX-30 and Nissan Juke. Sitting in the middle ground of the segment, the T-Roc bridges the gap between the premium and more affordable options. 

The T-Roc manages to be composed and involving, just don’t expect it to be the most exciting

In town

Around town, the steering is light to make tight corners easily, while the turning circle is good enough to make manoeuvres simple. Visibility is also rather good on the whole, apart from the large rear pillars. 

With only petrol and diesel options available, you won’t get the opportunity to have an electric or hybrid powertrain on this car, which would have suited urban driving much better. For a zero-emission option, you could look into Volkswagen's ID3 or ID4 that are a similar size, but are much more expensive.

On the motorway

When cruising, the T-Roc feels very composed. With adaptive cruise control as standard, you set your speed on the steering wheel, as well as your distance from the car in front, taking much of the stress out of motorway driving.

Exterior noise is pretty well insulated against. The standard fit roof rails don’t disrupt the air too much, while there’s also little tyre noise. 

On a twisty road

Out on the twistier roads, the T-Roc holds its own really well. It’s not the most invigorating car to drive, but you can certainly have fun with it. You get a good sense of the road surface and grip beneath you as well.  

Body roll is also pretty well controlled too, meaning that you can make quick turns easily without it being too unruly. It also soaks up bumps rather well, although R-Line models with the optional 19-inch alloys are noticeably firmer in terms of feeling the bumps. 

While a lot of alternatives feel a bit reserved and not that involving, the T-Roc manages to be composed and interesting enough to hustle down a back road. That being said, it’s not the most exciting car around. 

While the boot is one of the best in class, the back seats of the T-Roc aren’t the roomiest

Volkswagen has done a good job of making the cabin of the T-Roc as practical as it can. There are large door bins, two central cupholders – the shape of them isn’t ideal though – and a good space in the centre console to hold your phone when it’s connected to the infotainment system. 

The glove box is a decent size too, while the central armrest lifts up to reveal a small cubby. You can adjust the armrest by sliding it forwards and backwards, making it easy for you to get comfortable. 

Space in the back seats

Where alternatives of the T-Roc take a lead is in terms of passenger space. The T-Roc is by no means small, but it’s much tighter in the back seats compared to the Mazda CX-30 and Mercedes GLA. 

Taller people in particular will find the rear seats to be a squeeze, with the legroom being rather limited. You’ll find your knees digging into the back of the front seats, while there isn’t the most foot room either. Headroom is quite good, even for adults. 

The middle seat though is not really an option for anything more than a short journey, as you’ll take up precious space from the feet of other passengers, and it’s not wide enough to hold three adults for too long. 

Storage is pretty good though, as you get a decent door bin, seat pockets for any devices or books, and a large folding armrest in the middle. 

Boot Space

Compared to alternatives, the T-Roc’s boot space is one of the best available. The 445-litre space is only behind that of the Mercedes GLA, which offers 495 litres, and the BMW X2, with 470 litres. Smaller alternatives include the Nissan Juke (422 litres) and Mazda CX-30 (430 litres).

The space is squared off, making it easier to fit plenty of things in, while there is a minimal load lip to deal with. You can also fold the middle part of the middle seat to get through loading, although the opening isn’t the biggest. You get 60:40 split rear seats that fold down easily enough, and the space you get is flat enough. It’s easy to slide things to the front too, as there’s no lip between the seat and boot floor to contend with.

The T-Roc hasn’t got the most exciting cabin around, but it’s simply styled and well-equipped

The T-Roc isn’t and never will be a style icon. It’s all simply laid out and has clear lines across the dash. The majority of T-Rocs will come with dark grey and black trim for the cloth upholstery and dashboard.

The materials used high up are of good quality, but lower down and in the back, scratchier plastics are easy to find and detract from the overall feel of the cabin quite a bit. There’s some ambient lighting that’s fitted as standard, which adds a little more character.

What you will have to contend with is a reduced amount of buttons in the central console. Yes, it looks simpler and easier to navigate, but the air conditioning controls are now consolidated to a touch-sensitive slider that’s tricky to use on the move.

With Apple CarPlay and Android Auto fitted as standard, you’ll more likely than not use that rather than using the standard-fit infotainment system. That being said, it’s not a bad system — running smoothly and is easy enough to navigate on the go. 

As standard, you also get a digital driver’s display rather than conventional dials. There are multiple configurable displays too, so you’ll be able to find the setup and screen you’re happy with. 

On the whole, the T-Roc line-up is reasonably efficient across the board – with the diesel options returning the best economy figures. Only the base 115hp diesel with the six-speed manual can return upwards of 60mpg, with the rest of the diesels returning in the 50s on the official test cycle. 

That low-powered diesel also has the best emissions of the lot, at 122g/km CO2, with the non-four-wheel drive option the only engine to return more than 130g/km with 145g/km.

For the petrol engines, the 1.0- and 1.5-litre engines, you can achieve more than 40mpg on a combined cycle, while both 2.0-litre power options return figures in the 30s. The stand-out for the worst emissions is the R model, with 193g/km the figure listed for the performance model.

Performance-wise, the T-Roc R takes some beating, though. Denoting the most rapid version of a lot of Volkswagen’s models, the R version has 300hp and can sprint from 0-60mph in 4.9 seconds.

With road tax, the three lowest-emitting diesels have the lowest first-year cost, with the 1.0-litre and 1.5-litre petrols and most powerful diesel in the bracket above. The most powerful petrol engines have the worst first-year rate, with the R two brackets further up from the fellow 2.0-litre unit.

The refreshed T-Roc hasn’t been retested by Euro NCAP, but when it was put through its paces in 2017 it scored five stars. That included high scores for both occupant categories (96% for adults, 87% for children) and decent returns on assists and pedestrian safety. That being said, Euro NCAP testing has become more intense since then. 

As standard, the T-Roc comes with automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, front and rear parking sensors, driver alert system and cruise control. If you have an automatic, you get adaptive cruise control with distance control, which makes driving longer distances much easier. 

You also get curtain airbags for the front and rear, ISOFIX points and e-Call for Europe to make sure you and your passengers are safe.

A limited number of the pre-facelift T-Roc had issues with bonnets coming loose and a faulty seatbelt retractor, but besides those, the T-Roc manages to be quite a reliable car. Not the most reliable, but certainly unlikely to let you down. 

Volkswagen doesn’t offer the best warranty package around, but the first two years have an unlimited mileage warranty which is helpful. The third year of warranty can be finished early if you reach 60,000 miles from new. VW does offer extended warranty packages from £140 per year.