Say hello to the brand-new Volkswagen T-Roc

It doesn’t take long to establish whether a car can be described as a successful model. The T-Roc first appeared on the market in 2017, adding a compact family-friendly model to VW’s existing SUV lineup. After a quick refresh and update in 2022, the T-Roc has gone on to sell more than 2 million units and is now second only to the Tiguan as the brand’s most popular SUV.

The new one had better be good then.

Developed from scratch, the second generation of the Volkswagen T-Roc boasts an expressive design, innovative drive systems, and a newly designed and updated interior.

With a full market launch expected by the end of the year, Volkswagen has now started to reveal a few more details about this brand-new addition to one of its most popular model ranges.

The new T-Roc's development can be seen at first glance in its powerful, clean design that makes the most of being 12cm longer than its predecessor. The coupe-like rear end remains, along with the overall look of rugged dependability. The front has also been updated with new LED headlights now fitted as standard. Depending on your chosen specification, the rear end of the new T-Roc also features a continuous LED crossbar with a red illuminated Volkswagen logo.

In terms of comfort and practicality, the increased length of the new T-Roc also translates to more interior space. The boot volume has been expanded, making it an even more obvious lease choice as a family car, but more importantly the increase to the overall length now means you can sit a six-footer in the front and another in the back and both will have more than enough legroom to make even the longest journeys a comfortable experience.

The interior has been significantly improved with premium quality, soft surfaces and innovative technologies.

The new T-Roc adopts numerous features from the larger Tiguan and Tayron models, such as the latest driving experience control, which can be used to select driving profiles and control the volume, among other things. The high-quality interior features a newly designed cockpit, a 13-inch infotainment screen, and a new background lighting feature that creates a calming atmosphere. The second generation T-Roc also offers the optional windscreen head-up display, a new addition to the equipment list for the compact SUV class.

The new T-Roc is Volkswagen’s third SUV to be based on the latest MQB evo platform, allowing it to share some of the latest technologies with the Tiguan and Tayron that use the same base.

These include the new Travel Assist system that supports automatic lane changes and reacts much more quickly to speed limit changes, and an optional exit warning system that warns occupants of cars or bicycles approaching from behind before they open the door. For the first time, the new T-Roc also offers Park Assist Pro, which appears to utilise a combination of technology and witchcraft in equal measure, allowing your T-Roc to use the memory function to “learn” to park itself, ultimately giving you fully automatic parking over distances of up to 50 metres, as well as letting you use your smartphone to drive the vehicle into and out of parking spaces.

The shared platform also means the new T-Roc will be available exclusively with hybrid turbocharged petrol engines for the European market.

At launch, there will be two 48V mild-hybrid 1.5-litre eTSI options, one producing around 115bhp and one offering closer to 150bhp. All 1.5 mild-hybrid models also feature a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox as standard. They will be followed by two full hybrid drive systems that have been developed entirely from scratch. A T-Roc R will also be available in the future as the most powerful variant.

Volkswagen has also simplified the range with a series of expansion packages designed to incorporate the most popular specifications into an easily understandable lineup.

VW has said that the variants on offer may vary slightly across different markets, but in essence everyone will start with the entry-level T-Roc with its focus on budget and functionality. You can then either stick with what you’ve got or build on that base model with the expansion packages. The 'Life’ pack adds even more functionality and comfort, while the two top-of-the-line options, ‘Focus’ and ‘R-Line’, concentrate on either the design and technology specification or increased sportiness. There will also be an initial choice of six paint finishes and a two-tone roof option.

Full specification for the new Volkswagen T-Roc in the UK should be confirmed soon, so we’ll no doubt bring you more details closer to the launch date.