Does the T-Roc stradle the gap between hatch and urban SUV well?

If you ever wanted a Volkswagen Golf but thought a high-riding SUV would suit your needs better, then the German brand has you covered.

The Volkswagen T-Roc takes everything that is great about the Golf, and jacks it up… literally. The small SUV-cum-crossover sits on a version of the platform that underpins its hatchback sibling, with a gamut of shared components across both models.

But there is no mistaking the two models for each other, the Golf with a familiar hatchback profile seen on every street in every suburb in Australia. It sits in the brand’s portfolio of SUVs alongside the Polo-based T-Cross, the mid-size Tiguan, and the large Touareg. 

The T-Roc, like the proliferation of crossovers everywhere, sits taller on the road than a Golf; a heightened stance highlighted by cladding over the wheel arches.

It’s also the German brand’s best-seller in Australia, easily eclipsing the Tiguan, Amarok and Golf. Last year, 8943 T-Rocs found new driveways to call home in Australia, more than the Tiguan (7298), Amarok (6626) and T-Cross (5762). The Golf, once the face of the brand, sits in sixth place on the VW sales charts with 3592 cars reported as sold in 2023.

The T-Roc, then, is clearly resonating with customers who are after a small SUV with European styling, and decent, if not ground-breaking, performance.

Refreshed for the 2024 model year, it’s timely then we get reacquainted with Volkswagen’s best-selling car in Australia.

On paper, it seems like the 2024 Volkswagen T-Roc range has taken a price-rise hit. But scratch a little deeper and it’s soon apparent that the late-2023 increase has brought with it some extra goodies designed to make the small SUV more appealing still.

Crucially, among the new features for 2024 are blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, which make a return to both Style and R-Line grades following their deletion from the line-up due to the Covid-19-induced semiconductor shortage. There are more, of course, and we’ll detail those later in this review.

There are four grades in the 2024 T-Roc line-up. Things get underway with the CityLife priced from $36,890 before on-road costs. It’s front-wheel drive only and is powered by a turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol engine. It’s the same engine found in the next model on the T-Roc ladder, Style, which wants for $39,790 plus on-roads.

From there, it’s a big jump to the Volkswagen T-Roc 140TSI R-Line. It’s priced at $47,990, some $8200 more than the Style below it. But, R-Line brings all-wheel drive to the party as well as a bigger, and more powerful, 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine.

For those with fatter wallets and a penchant for hot hatch numbers, the performance-enhanced 2.0-litre turbo in the all-wheel-drive T-Roc R is good for a 0–100km/h time of 4.9 seconds. Performance doesn’t come cheap, though, the T-Roc R starting at $63,490 before on-road costs.

But it’s the updated for 2024 Volkswagen T-Roc R-Line getting a workout here, and while it doesn’t quite match the mambo of its ‘R’ range-topper, it still packs plenty of punch. Both in performance and in terms of standard equipment.

New for this 2024 update, as well as the previously mentioned returning safety technologies, are luxury niceties like nappa leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory. Now standard equipment, those features previously formed part of the $3950 optional Luxury Package.

Other standard features include an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with built-in satellite navigation, wireless (and wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, DAB+ digital radio, and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster.

There’s also keyless entry and push-button start, dual-zone climate control, ambient interior lighting, power-folding door mirrors, rear privacy glass, and rain-sensing windscreen wipers.

Outside, the R-Line scores some goodies specific to the grade include 18-inch ‘Nevada’ alloy wheels, some R-Line-specific elements like the front bumper, body-coloured mirror caps, and an R-Line rear bumper with black sports diffuser. There’s R-Line badging, too, to set it apart from lesser T-Rocs.

Our test car, finished in Indium Grey metallic (a $700 option), was also equipped with the optional $2000 panoramic roof. All up, with options, the T-Roc R-Line we had through the Drive garage rolled out of showrooms for $50,690 before on-road costs, or around $55,825 drive-away (in NSW), according to the Volkswagen Australia configurator.

That pricing presents an interesting conundrum for potential buyers who could opt for a more mainstream offering like the new Hyundai Kona Premium N Line and its 1.6-litre turbo four mated to all-wheel drive. It starts at $46,500 before on-road costs, and by the time you add a lick of metallic paint and a sunroof, runs out at around $53,200 drive-away in NSW.

The T-Roc’s brother from a Spanish mother, the Cupra Formentor, which shares much of its mechanical underpinnings with the T-Roc, starts at $56,490 drive-away (nationwide), but adding a panoramic roof to match our T-Roc bumps the drive-away price up to $58,640.

And for those with a keen eye on prestige badges, they might be tempted by an entry-level Audi Q2 that starts from $55,571 drive-away in NSW. But it’s front-wheel drive and its 1.5-litre turbo-four isn’t as powerful as the T-Roc’s, and adding some optional extras to bring equipment levels into line with the Volkswagen soon blows the price out of the water. How much? Try around $64,600 drive-away with metallic paint, a panoramic roof, and a smattering of extra interior features that bring it closer to the T-Roc R-Line’s specification.

It’s an interesting line the Volkswagen T-Roc R-Line straddles. While undoubtedly equipped like a premium car, and with a European badge so many buyers still find desirable, the T-Roc nevertheless belongs at the upper end of the mainstream. But its premium aspirations now see it – on price and features – take the fight to the lower end of the prestige market. 

So how does the 2024 Volkswagen T-Roc 140TSI R-Line stack up? Let’s find out.

The cabin of the Volkswagen T-Roc is a familiar place for anyone who’s spent time in the brand’s Golf hatchback. And that’s no bad thing. With a – mostly – ergonomic layout and some nice design touches, the T-Roc’s interior feels pretty special.

Thanks to the up-speccing of the grade, where nappa leather seats are now standard, the T-Roc looks the part of a Euro small-sized SUV. The seats themselves are comfortable, with good side support and power-adjustable for the driver.

The steering wheel, finished in perforated leather, looks a million bucks and feels nice in hand. It’s festooned with VW’s capacitive buttons that can control both the infotainment screen and the digital instrument display.

Storage amenities include the obligatory pair of cupholders and a central storage bin. There’s also a wireless smartphone charging pad ahead of the gear lever that is, as you’d expect, the ideal place to store your phone.

This grade misses out on the handy storage drawer found under the driver’s seat in Style and City Life models, a victim of powered seat adjustment found in the R-Line. The door pockets can take small bottles, while a glovebox completes the front-row storage line-up.

The climate controls are accessed via a touch panel below the main infotainment screen. It’s great that the controls are on permanent display and don’t need several inputs into a one-size-fits-all screen to access, but they remain fiddly and distracting to us. Even effecting simple changes, like adjusting temperature or fan speed, require you to take your eyes off the road for a moment. Volkswagen has already said it would revert back to more traditional dials in the future. It can’t come soon enough.

The second row is average in terms of available space. There’s decent toe, knee, leg and head room behind my own 173cm driving position, while the seats feel plump and comfortable, although anyone sitting in the middle position will struggle, with available foot room compromised by the T-Roc’s all-wheel-drive driveshaft tunnel and a firm seatback. And three adults across the second row will see plenty of shoulder rubbing.

In terms of amenities, there are separate air vents in the second row, a pair of cupholders in the fold-down armrest, and door pockets that can take smaller bottles. The front seatbacks feature additional pockets for storing slimmer objects. And there are two USB Type-C plugs located just below the air vents.

For those with little ones, the outboard seats are fitted with the two ISOFIX child seats mounts, while all three seatbacks feature top-tether anchor points.

The boot measures in at 392 litres according to Volkswagen, expanding to 1237L with the second row stowed away in 60:40-split fashion. That’s down slightly on the 445/1290L offered in the Style and City Life models, a reduction caused by the R-Line’s larger fuel tank (55L against 50L), and multi-link suspension set-up that takes up a bit more space at rear.

For context, the T-Roc R-Line’s boot is at its minimum (with the back seats in use) the smallest of its immediate rivals: the Audi Q2 35 TFSI has 405L, Cupra Formentor V 420L, and Hyundai Kona Premium N Line claims 407L.

But the T-Roc’s 1237L maximum boot space is among the biggest with the Audi Q2 the smallest at 1050L, and the Kona boasting 1241L. Cupra does not quote a figure for maximum boot capacity.

A space-saver spare lives under the T-Roc’s boot floor.

It might be subtle, but the thoughtful ergonomics of the T-Roc’s 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen are welcome. Angled slightly towards the driver, the screen plays host to Volkswagen’s Discover Media operating system that packs plenty of punch.

The headline acts are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, both wireless and cabled. There’s also Bluetooth streaming for those who prefer the slightly older technology, as well as inbuilt satellite navigation, and the gamut of radio bands (AM/FM/DAB+).

While the screen is quick to respond to inputs, and relatively simply to navigate, the same can’t be said for Apple CarPlay integration. We repeatedly had difficulties in establishing a connection, if at all, and whether trying to connect wirelessly or via a USB cable. When we were lucky enough to establish a connection, it wasn’t unusual to then experience drop-outs.

It’s not the first time this has happened to us in the broader Volkswagen Group stable of cars, and across brands and multiple reviewers. It marred what was otherwise a pleasant experience inside the Volkswagen T-Roc R-Line.

The overall user experience, however – smartphone connectivity aside – is good. The screen is responsive to inputs, and a series of shortcut buttons down each side can bring up the most-used features quickly. There’s also a physical volume dial, a blessing in today’s touchscreen-obsessed world.

A pair of USB-C points help keep devices charged up – or connected if you’re lucky enough to establish a connection – while a wireless charging pad adds an extra dimension to keeping devices juiced up.

The digital instrument cluster, dubbed Digital Cockpit Pro, is a Volkswagen reskin of the same technology found in the broader VW stable of brands. You can tailor it via haptic buttons on the right-hand spoke of the steering wheel to display as much, or as little, information as you want or need – from full-screen mapping to traditional-looking dials for speed and engine revs, as well as driving data and driver assist systems.

The 2024 Volkswagen T-Roc is unrated by Australia’s safety body ANCAP. This applies to all T-Rocs built after 1 January 2024. 

Prior to that, the T-Roc range wore a five-star safety rating awarded back in 2017 at the model’s launch. Under current ANCAP guidelines, safety ratings expire after six years.

That said, this is fundamentally the same car, with the same structural integrity as those built before 1 January 2024.

When the T-Roc last underwent safety testing, conducted by ANCAP’s European counterpart NCAP, and under less stringent 2017 criteria, it was scored at 96 per cent for adult protection, 87 per cent for child occupant, 79 per cent for pedestrian protection, and 71 per cent for its safety assist systems.

Volkswagen has put its best foot forward with the T-Roc’s advanced driver assist systems (ADAS). As well as bringing back blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert in this MY24 update, the full gamut of VW’s suite of safety assist systems is on board.

Called IQ.Drive, the suite includes adaptive cruise control, driver fatigue detection, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian monitoring, and lane assist with lane-departure warning. And there is, as already mentioned, the return in 2024 of blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Six airbags cover both rows of occupants.

ADAS worked well for the most part, although we did find the adaptive cruise control a little overly aggressive, taking too long to react to the traffic ahead and resulting in late and aggressive braking.

Volkswagen covers the T-Roc range with its standard five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Services are needed every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. Volkswagen offers three- and five-year service plans for the T-Roc 140TSI R-Line, prepaid at time of purchase. Three years will set you back $1700 while five years asks for $2850, representing significant savings over pay-as you-go servicing.

It’s a little on the steep side, certainly when compared against some key rivals. The Hyundai Kona Premium N Line, for example, asks for $1197 over three years and $1995 over five. It’s worth noting, though, at 10,000km between services, the Kona’s distance intervals are shorter.

The Cupra Formentor, essentially the same car under the skin, asks for $990 over three years and 45,000km, or $1990 for five years and 75,000km of scheduled servicing. And the Audi Q2 also undercuts the T-Roc, $2600 for five years and 75,000km.

The T-Roc claws back some ground when it comes to insurance, with an annual premium of around $1335. That’s based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates will vary based on your location, driving history and personal circumstances.

For context, using the same parameters, we sourced quotes for the Hyundai Kona Premium N Line ($1405), Cupra Formentor V ($1451) and Audi Q2 35 TFSI ($1822).

Volkswagen says the T-Roc 140TSI R-Line will use 7.3 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle. Our week with the small SUV saw an indicated 7.7L/100km, which is an excellent result considering claimed consumption figures are obtained under controlled laboratory conditions, while our indicated fuel use encompassed a host of real-world driving conditions.

The T-Roc does require 95-octane premium unleaded and its fuel tank measures in at 55L.

The T-Roc’s fuel use compares favourably against some of its rivals too. Our most recent review of the Audi Q2 35 TFSI returned a real-world figure of 9.3L/100km against a claim of 5.2L/100km. It was a similar story with the Cupra Formentor V where we saw an indicated 9.6L/100km against Cupra’s 7.0L/100km claim during a recent road test. We have yet to test the new Hyundai Kona Premium N Line.

With 140kW and 320Nm on tap, the latter from a very usable 1450rpm through to 4200rpm, the Volkswagen T-Roc 140TSI R-Line feels quicker than it ought to. With brisk take-off from standstill and with the seven-speed dual-clutch not displaying any of the laziness or hesitancy we’ve come to know and loathe, the T-Roc is happy to burst away from traffic lights at a clip.

Volkswagen claims a 0–100km/h sprint time of 7.2 seconds, which while not especially fast on paper, is certainly enough to get the small SUV moving. Certainly, it’s the more usable 0–60km/h acceleration that is a better use of the T-Roc’s outputs, a spritely urban-focussed SUV that can easily merge and blend into traffic.

The seven-speed dual-clutch (DCT) automatic transmission is a pearl, responsive to throttle inputs and devoid of any hesitancy during our time with the T-Roc. We’d still suggest a regular torque converter automatic would be a better bet at this end of the market, but car companies like to impress with tech. So here we are.

That said, we could find no complaints with the DCT, which proved equally adept at tootling about in city traffic as it did out on the highway and during a short stint of more adventurous driving.

This grade of the T-Roc is fitted with what VW calls ‘sports suspension’, and it’s immediately obvious it’s not as supple as the set-up lower down the T-Roc ladder.

The T-Roc’s ride control is still good, the R-Line’s damping swallowing up minor imperfections nicely. But there’s a slightly harder edge under-wheel that can be felt in the cabin. Road noise too is heightened, although not at uncomfortable levels.

You can add the optional $2900 Black Style package if you’re seeking more ride comfort. As well as a swag of black styling elements, the Black Style package also adds VW’s excellent Adaptive Chassis Control, which can transform the T-Roc’s ride from sporty firm to soft as a mattress through 15 distinct settings.

The steering feels nicely weighted too. It’s light enough to dispatch tight urban enclaves with ease, yet with enough feel to provide some reassurance out on the open road. It’s also nicely calibrated and requires minimal corrections when cornering. Simply point and go.

There are several drive modes to choose from covering the gamut of on- and off-road driving. We left the T-Roc mostly in its default comfort mode, which proved perfectly fine around town and out on the highway.

A sportier mode does sharpen things like throttle response while also recalibrating the DCT to give the 2.0-litre turbo-four a longer leash. The steering also gets some added heft. It’s ideal for when you want to hustle through some twisties with driving fun front and centre of mind.

Body control remains pretty impressive too when you do decide to throw the T-Roc at some corners. It’s not razor-sharp like a hot hatch might be, but it’s certainly composed enough to not provide any ‘Hail Mary’ moments either.

The all-wheel-drive underpinnings come to the fore, offering good grip and control, meaning you can hustle just that little bit more confidently.

The T-Roc R-Line is, of course, not a hot hatch, but it’s still charming around town and engaging enough out on your favourite rural back road to leave you feeling satisfied.

As for off-road modes, they’re good for slipperier surfaces like gravel and snow, but any serious off-roading is off the books in what is, essentially, an urban-focussed SUV that can, when pushed, be driven confidently on looser surfaces.

A small urban-focussed SUV isn’t exactly the ideal vehicle for towing. But, Volkswagen reckons the T-Roc 140TSI R-Line is capable of hauling 1700kg braked and 750kg unbraked.

Additionally, Volkswagen claims a maximum downball weight of 80kg, something to be aware of if you’re intending to haul a box trailer or small camper trailer with the T-Roc.

Certainly, its 750kg unbraked capacity does mean you can tow a small trailer for the annual run to the tip or load it up with camping equipment. But, realistically, if your needs extend to regular towing, the Volkswagen T-Roc is probably not the best vehicle for you.

The Volkswagen T-Roc 140TSI R-Line presents an interesting conundrum. With pricing edging close to the entry level of Audi’s smallest SUV, buyers might be tempted by what is undeniably a prestige brand.

But you get more for similar money with the T-Roc, making it an astute choice for buyers who are after a small SUV with all the modern wizardry we’ve come to expect. 

Certainly, it’s a stylish take on the formula, with clean lines and a perky drivetrain that offers enough performance without straying into silly territory.

Yes, the buy-in for the 2024 Volkswagen T-Roc 140TSI R-Line is more than it was previously. But the price rise for MY24 models has been offset by more than enough extra goodies to elevate its value equation further. It’s better equipped than it has ever been, and well worth adding to your short list.

This T-Roc R-Line’s blend of sportiness and creature comforts makes for a compelling proposition. And while that has come at a cost, we still think there’s value to be found.

If your budget doesn’t stretch to the R-Line, the Style and City Life grades might be a viable option, although both are powered by a smaller 1.4-litre turbo-four making less power. And that means you lose some of the sporting intent inherent in the R-Line.

Those buyers looking at a T-Roc will be comforted by the fact that current supply levels are described as strong, meaning minimal wait times on new orders.

However, we would recommend test-driving the T-Roc R-Line against some of its rivals in the segment like the Hyundai Kona Premium N Line, Cupra Formentor V, and Audi Q2 35 TFSI.

And you can check out all the latest news if you want to stay updated with everything that’s happened to this car since our review.