The Volkswagen T-Roc is a small SUV that lives up to its name - it’s a bit of a rock star of a car. It has the confidence and style of a Golf, but it is beefed up and performs well on the road.
The T-Roc 110TSI Style is a recent addition to Volkswagen’s range of SUVs. This compact SUV is based on a Golf, whereas the other small SUV in the VW range, the even smaller T-Cross, is based on a Polo. And driving the two feels as different as a Golf and a Polo.
Volkswagen T-ROC 2021: 110TSI
Engine Type | Turbo 4, 1.4L |
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Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
Fuel Efficiency | 6.2L/100km (combined) |
Seating | 5 |
Price From | $25,520 - $31,570 |
Safety Rating |
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What does it look like?
If we are talking about appearance, this T-Roc looks pretty damn good! Inside and out. The sporty exterior has a flashy front grille, nice looking lights, roof rails as standard and a bulked up back, rounding out that SUV look.
The alloy wheels and smooth lines all add up to the sleek but fun appearance.
Inside the lines are smooth and refined, with some luxury touches thanks to the inclusion of the optional packages - but more on that below.
How does it drive?
Just like the Volkswagens I’ve had in the past, the T-Roc is easy and a bit of fun to drive. The car has a sturdy, safe feeling on the road, though steering is still light, with a nice, tight turning circle.
The leather steering wheel feels high quality, and adds to that stable, strong feeling.
The optional double sunroof on this model makes the kids happy in the back - though when closed some sunlight does still come through. I'd rather have the option of full cover.
I was surprised at the lack of electrics on the seats, it seems a missed feature when everything else feels top-of-the-range.
How spacious is it?
For a small SUV the space isn’t too bad - but it’s not huge, as you’d expect. Inside it feels very much like you’re in a rather nice Golf.
The seats are very comfortable, and the back is best suited to children. My little one described it as ‘cosy’ - funny from someone less than a metre tall.
I had two car seats in the back, one booster and one five-point harness, and you’d really be pushing it to include a third seat.
The boot is 445 litres (VDA) - really good for a car of this size, and you can certainly get a pram or a few suitcases in there. There is also an adjustable base to the boot which you can raise for easier access, or drop down for more room.
In addition is easy access from the back seat into the boot through the middle seat, making packing those skis or longer items into the car simple.
There are only two cupholders in the front console, and two in the door (that are a little impractical to use with most bigger bottles) but there’s not really room for any more.
There are two more cupholders for the back seat in the flip down middle console. The back seat also gets directional air vents, which is a bonus in a car this size, as well as two USB-C ports.
How easy is it to use every day?
Inside this optioned up version has high quality leather seats with a three-colour accent to the trim, and they are super comfy to sit in.
These seats come as part of one of the two optional packs fitted to this car, totalling $5800! Which makes it more like a $40,000 small SUV.
There is keyless entry and start, and it is easy to open and close the boot (it opens with a button on the remote, and can close with either the remote or a button on the door).
The sound system in this car rocks. This model came with the optional Beats premium audio which gives a quality sound that is easily adjusted to exactly how you like to listen to your tunes on the road.
How safe is it?
Safety features include 'Front Assist' (VW-speak for AEB) with 'Pedestrian Monitoring', 'Blind Spot Monitoring' with rear cross-traffic alert and 'Lane Assist' - and beyond this, this car feels very secure when driving.
Airbags are in the front for the driver and front passenger with side curtain airbags that go to the back row.
There are two ISOFIX points and three top-tether points for kids car seats - but to get the three in one seat would need to be very narrow.
The T-Roc scores a maximum five ANCAP stars, against 2018 criteria.
What’s the tech like?
On top of these safety features, the tech includes park assist, which will automatically park the car (with driver control over acceleration and braking).
But I really didn’t need it - with the high definition reversing camera and front and rear sensors with easy parking guides on the screen, I found the car really easy to park.
The optional Wireless App Connect means that after Apple CarPlay or Android Auto are set up initially via Bluetooth, they automatically connect when you get into the car. No cables needed.
The 8.0-inch multimedia screen is seamlessly integrated into the dash and looks very sleek, compared to other screens which look like an afterthought - this is simple, elegant design.
The optional digital dashboard in front of the steering wheel is what Volkswagen calls a ‘Digital Cockpit’. It is customisable and shows all the information you would normally get on the centre display right in front of you.
This seems like a really safe addition on this model so you aren’t looking away to see information about your drive.
If you did want to plug your phone in though, the connection isn’t with a standard USB, but rather the newer USB-C connector. There are four of those throughout the T-Roc Style's cabin.
How much does it cost to own?
Pricing starts at $33,990, plus on road costs and extras. The version I drove had two extra options packs totalling $5800 ('Luxury Package' - $3800 / 'Sound & Vision Package' - $2000).
Fuel efficiency from my time on the road was 12.2L/100km. Not great, but this was in some heavy city traffic that was stop/start for quite a while. This is also against the official combined cycle fuel figure of 7.2L/100km.
Verdict
So to wrap up - I did really enjoy driving this car, it looks great, it feels solid and safe on the road, and the added features on this model really made it fun to drive.
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