Review: Volkswagen T-Roc (2018)

Volkswagen T-Roc (2018): At A Glance

• New prices start from £22,595, brokers can source from £16,975
• Contract hire deals from £189.97 per month
• Insurance Groups are between 13–23
• On average it achieves 82% of the official MPG figure

Volkswagen T-Roc (2018): What's It Like Inside?

• Boot space is 830–1532 litres
• Euro NCAP rating of five stars

Dimensions
Length	4234 mm
Width	1819–1992 mm
Height	1573 mm
Wheelbase	2590–2593 mm
Full specifications

The T-Roc may not appear as big as your standard crossover, but it does in fact have more standard boot space than a Nissan Qashqai - 445 litres if you're counting (or 392 litres in 4Motion models). That means there's plenty of room for a pushchair and shopping, making this more than enough for a family car. It also has an adjustable boot floor, but only on two-wheel-drive models.

The driver and front passenger get plenty of room and there's loads of adjustment in the seats (and the steering) so even those six-feet tall and more will find enough space. The seats have good support too and we found even after long journeys we didn't have any back ache. 

The driving position isn't as 'SUV' as the likes of the Ford Kuga, but it feels higher up than a Kia Stonic for instance. Visibility is good and it's easy to judge the extremities plus all models (bar the S) have front and rear parking sensors as standard.

In the rear it feels a little more claustrophobic, partly due to the slim windows reducing the light coming into the cabin. Legroom is just about adequate for adults, but with the front seats slid all the way back, it's tight back there.

It is also worth noting that the outer two seats are quite heavily sculpted to offer side support, meaning that the centre seat is significantly higher, reducing headroom substantially. The rear seats don't recline or slide, plus they only split 60/40 rather than 40/20/40.

The quality of the cabin is good if not exceptional. It feels superbly well put together with the usual standards we've come to expect from Volkswagen, but there are some hard plastics in areas. This is where the T-Roc doesn't feel quite as premium as an Audi. 

However, it makes up for it with a brilliant 8.0 inch touchscreen system behind a large glass encased surface. The system is the best around, not only in the way it looks, but how easy it is to use. All models come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.

One of our favourite features is the Active Info Display (standard on SEL), which replaces the conventional instrument dials with a configurable digital display. Not only does it make the T-Roc feel more upmarket, but it's genuinely useful with the ability to have whatever information you want (i.e the navigation map) right in front of you.

All models also get Automatic Post-Collision Braking, active lane keeping system, the Front Assist area monitoring system with Pedestrian Monitoring and City Emergency Braking.

Standard Equipment (from launch):

Volkswagen T-Roc SE comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, chrome exterior trim, LED daytime running lights, black roof rails, variable boot floor, climate control, automatic wipers, 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system including DAB, USB input and Car-Net smartphone integration, adaptive cruise control, lane assist and front assist.

Design adds 2 Zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors, auto emergency braking, composition Media infotainment system with 8-inch colour touchscreen, Car-Net ‘App Connect’, adaptive cruise control  with Front Assist and City, black roof rails.

SEL adds 18-inch sterling silver Arlo alloy wheel, LED headlights with signature LED daytime running light, Car-Net Security and Service and Guide and Inform, front and rear parking sensors, Active Info Display, 8-inch colour touchscreen Discover Navigation infotainment system, Car-Net ‘App Connect’.

What's the Volkswagen T-Roc (2018) like to drive?

• Engines range from 1.0 TSI 115 to 2.0 TSI 190 DSG 4Motion
• Readers report Real MPG to be between 29–61 mpg

In our opinion, the best engine - and the most surprising - is the entry-level 1.0 TSI. It may seem too small for a car like this with just 115PS, but it feels far quicker than the figures suggest.

That's helped by the 200Nm of torque which means the three-cylinder unit pulls really well in gear. As a result it has little trouble keeping up with fast moving traffic and is very capable on the motorway. It rarely feels slow or lacking in get up and go. It's no surprise then that this is the best selling engine in the range. 

The downside is that it's a manual only. If you want an automatic - a seven-speed DSG in this case - or 4Motion four-wheel drive, you have to go for a bigger petrol, either the pricey 2.0 TSI or the new 1.5 TSI Evo. The latter has not been without its issues though, with some owners reporting problems at low speeds (in manual cars). Volkswagen has yet to fully resolve these.

If it's economy you want, the 1.6 TDI should see more than 50mpg in real world driving, although it's far from the most thrilling engine to drive and compared to the zesty 1.0 TSI it feels lethargic. As for the 2.0 TDI, owners are actually seeing better economy figures in Real MPG than the 1.6-litre model, but it's not cheap.

The T-Roc certainly rides well and feels smoother over poor road surfaces than an Audi Q2 or MINI Countryman. It's still well controlled though and doesn't float all over the place or bounce over bumps.

In terms of handling, there's no much to write home about. It's exactly what you'd expect from a crossover of this ilk. The steering is responsive and nicely weighted but it remains an easy car to drive rather than an exciting one. 

Throw it into a corner and the result is more body roll than its aforementioned rivals. Here the SEAT Arona feels more sporty, but then doesn't ride as well as the T-Roc. Top models come with Dynamic Chassis Control as an option, but the differences in settings are so small, we think you're better saving the money.

As for noise levels, the T-Roc is very quiet on the move, with little road or wind noise. There's good sound insulation too so none of the engines is noisy - although 1.6 TDI tends to grumble away whatever the speed. The 1.0 TSI can be a little vocal if worked hard, but this tends to sound more sporty than coarse. Despite being a three-cylinder, there's no vibration through the pedals or in the cabin.

Engine	MPG	0-62	CO2
1.0 TSI 115	54 mpg	10.1 s	117–119 g/km
1.5 TSI 150	52–53 mpg	8.4 s	121–122 g/km
1.5 TSI 150 DSG	51–52 mpg	8.4 s	123–124 g/km
1.5 TSI 150 DSG 4Motion	-	8.8 s	145 g/km
1.6 TDI 115	64 mpg	10.9 s	115 g/km
2.0 TDI 150	-	8.8 s	123 g/km
2.0 TDI 150 4Motion	57 mpg	8.7 s	132 g/km
2.0 TDI 150 DSG	-	8.8 s	123 g/km
2.0 TSI 190 DSG 4Motion	42 mpg	7.2 s	155 g/km

Real MPG average for a Volkswagen T-Roc (2018)

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

What have we been asked about the Volkswagen T-Roc (2018)?

Every day we're asked hundreds of questions from car buyers and owners through Ask Honest John. Our team of experts, including the nation's favourite motoring agony uncle - Honest John himself - answer queries and conudrums ranging from what car to buy to how to care for it as an owner. If you could do with a spot of friendly advice before buying you're next car, get in touch and we'll do what we can to help.