The tough little T-Roc is here to kick some butt.
That name sounds tough and the ads on the telly featuring the little Goat would lead you to believe there’s an edge to this car. From the outside, there’s no doubt that VW set out to make a tough looking package with the honeycomb grill and wide lights. It really does look wider and bigger than it is in the metal, in reality, it’s smaller than the Tiguan and only just bigger than the new Polo.
The T-Roc is another entrant into the B-SUV market and this is very much the fight that’s coming over the domination of this segment. Every one of the car makers is releasing or have released a small SUV car over the last 12 months and those that haven’t will find themselves at the back of a very long queue.
So what’s wrong with the five-door hatch anyway? Nothing, it’s just that there’s a trend on and people seem to want to sit higher in the car and have a more “butch” look than before. With all the choices there’s certainly a big push on to make you change cars.
The T-Roc is one of the better-looking models among the new small SUV’s with that wide front and low stance. It’s not much higher off the road than a normal hatchback but it does look like something that would climb a mountain. It’s that seating position inside that makes it feel like a lot higher and more secure, you’ll feel safe and sound with the kids in the car no matter the conditions.
Speaking of the cabin there are some elements of lower quality plastics on the dashboard, that’s to say it’s lower for Volkswagen but still manages to be as good as the competition otherwise the cabin is classy as the remainder of the Volkswagen fleet.
If you opt for the touchscreens and tech you’ll be rewarded with the best-in-class experience of connectivity and style. There’s a good blend of style and substance with the entertainment, the speakers have a decent amount of bass without too much distortion. The T-Roc cabin would appear to set the benchmark in terms of small SUV cars currently.
From right now there’s a choice of three main engines with the 1.0ltr starting off the run with 115hp from the petrol unit. This is a great choice for the small family who just wants the short commute to work or dropping the kids at school. It surprised me how much power it seems to have, the little turbo mixed with a long rev range really makes it feel like there’s more under the bonnet than a 999cc motor. Sticking with petrol power there’s the 1.5ltr with 150hp and that’s a better cruiser for the long commute. Rounding off the group is the diesel with 2.0ltr and 150hp which is much more the long range, high mileage commuter. All the engines can be mixed with either six-speed manual or seven-speed auto apart from the 1.0ltr which is manual only.
If this is where Volkswagen is headed I can say farewell to the Scirocco and still be left with a bit of style. Overall the T-Roc seems a solid performer but I’ll tell you more when I get a longer test in the next couple of weeks. My kids love the little Goat in the adverts and really want to see the car.
You can find the car in Michael Moore car sales in Garryhinch with prices from €24,750 + charges.
