The Volkswagen T-Roc is a famous person for the model in Australia, having cemented its spot as the corporate’s best-selling mannequin — and the Type grade examined right here makes a reasonably robust case because the decide on your hard-earned.
This one-up from base spec lists at lower than $40,000 earlier than on-roads, however you’re taking a look at $42,990 drive-away as a part of a nationwide promotion present till March 31, 2024.
So, must you check out the 2024 Volkswagen T-Roc Type? And does it convey sufficient to the desk in comparison with the inexpensive CityLife grade that’s $5000 cheaper?
How does the Volkswagen T-Roc fare vs its opponents?
View an in depth breakdown of the Volkswagen T-Roc towards equally sized autos.
Volkswagen
T-Roc
How a lot does the Volkswagen T-Roc price?
The T-Roc Type begins from $39,790 plus on-road prices, and is at the moment marketed for $42,990 drive-away.
2024 Volkswagen T-Roc pricing:
2024 Volkswagen T-Roc 110TSI CityLife: $36,890 ($37,990 D/A)2024 Volkswagen T-Roc 110TSI Type: $39,790 ($42,990 D/A)2024 Volkswagen T-Roc 140TSI R-Line: $47,990 2024 Volkswagen T-Roc R: $63,490
Costs exclude on-road prices
To see how the T-Roc traces up towards its rivals, use our comparability software.
What’s the Volkswagen T-Roc like on the within?
The factor in regards to the T-Roc is that whereas it’s fairly near a Golf in dimension, it nonetheless has the ‘previous’ VW inside.
And what? That’s good.
That’s as a result of you might have extra bodily controls and an ‘older’ 8.0-inch touchscreen media system, which has intuitive contact panel parts down the perimeters of the display screen, and you continue to get a tuning dial and a quantity knob as properly.
It’s a reasonably easy display screen, with simple to study menus and controls. Throughout my time on this automotive I had no points with wi-fi Apple CarPlay connecting and reconnecting on a number of completely different events getting out and in of the automotive. The stereo may do with extra bass, nonetheless, because it has six audio system however no subwoofer.
There’s a correct local weather management panel down beneath, moderately than haptic sliders on a display screen, but it surely does have touch-sensitive model controls for temperature and the fan.
Nonetheless, you possibly can simply merely faucet to alter them in case you don’t need to muck round sliding your finger back-and-forth on that panel.
The good leather-lined steering wheel has standard buttons for quantity, observe, the digital driver data display screen controls, and cruise management features. Past the wheel is a digital instrument cluster with a number of completely different menus and shows accessible.
The buttons to manage it take a bit of little bit of acclimation, but it surely’s an in any other case standard structure for the controls on this automotive… as long as you’re okay with the indications being on the left stalk.
There’s a conventional gear selector – not the little lever factor seen in another newer fashions from the VW Group – and whilst you don’t have a handbook handbrake, there’s a set off for the digital park brake. So it does really feel much less like a science experiment than a number of the different new small SUVs within the phase.
Storage is okay, together with a wi-fi cellphone charger in entrance of the gear selector, which has 2x USB-C ports above it. Behind it’s an open cup holder part, which is surprisingly formed and gained’t embrace all cups lovingly.
Behind that may be a centre armrest console which isn’t particularly giant, and is barely actually going to be able to taking a pockets and telephones or, possibly, some treats for longer journeys.
Peculiarly, whereas there are padded sections on the doorways and padded elbow rests upfront, you don’t get any lining within the outsized bottle holders within the doorways as you do in lots of different VWs. Not less than here’s a rubberised mat within the base to assist forestall gadgets sliding about.
There are ambient gentle strips within the entrance doorways, and the supplies and finishes are all fairly excessive finish… up entrance no less than.
Entrance seat consolation is excellent, though, some folks could also be disenchanted the seats lack electrical adjustment and are unheated, which appears s a bit of bit wealthy for a automotive at this value level.
They do no less than have completely different trim parts, and good gray stitching, and the Alcantara-style cloth on the internal elements of the seats is good and grippy.
Maybe the largest downside with seat consolation within the T-Roc is for anybody who finds themself within the again seat.
Behind a seat set for my very own driving place (at 182 cm or 6’0” tall) my knees are onerous up towards the seat forward, and whereas head room is sweet and ingress and egress isn’t tough, it isn’t essentially probably the most commodious place. It’s extra appropriate for 2 adults than three, and there’s a transmission tunnel dividing the rear footwells.
There are some good facilities for these within the again seat. This consists of map pockets on the again of each seats, first rate sized door pockets for bottles – however with none lining within the backside of the rear door pockets, directional vents, a pair of USB-C ports, and a fold down armrest with adjustable cup holders. It’s unusual, although, that the cupholders are higher within the backseat than they’re up entrance. Lastly, the center seat additionally has a ski-port for longer gadgets to be stashed through the backseat.
There are barely completely different trim parts within the again, together with onerous plastics on the doorways and the door toppers, no ambient lighting, and completely different design parts, too. Not less than there are smooth elbow pads.
Dad and mom! It’s roomy sufficient for a toddler to take a seat behind an grownup, and my 2 ½ yr previous daughter was in her forward-facing automotive seat for a lot of my time with the automobile. There are ISOFIX factors within the window seats and top-tether factors as properly.
Each the entry-level CityLife and Type fashions have 445 litres of boot house, which extends to 1290L when the rear seats are folded down. That’s higher than their AWD counterparts, which cop a reduce in capability to 392L/1237L respectively.
The boot house has an adjustable ground part so you can also make it bigger if you could, or have a flat load house from the lip forwards if that’s what you like.
There’s a space-saver spare wheel beneath the ground, and within the baggage space there are a few tiedown factors and buying bag hooks as properly. It’s going to be large enough for a pram and a few further baggage, or a weekend price of suitcases for a small household.
One subject that presents itself if you’re loading the boot is that it isn’t electrically powered, and likewise there’s no dangly deal with to drag the boot lid down. There are hidden handles with illustrations which are seemingly supposed to assist, however they’re really a bit complicated – even for IKEA instruction interpretation specialists.
What’s beneath the bonnet?
Each the bottom mannequin CityLife and the second-tier-up Type make use of VW’s tried and true 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing 110kW of energy and 250Nm of torque. This engine has remained primarily unchanged for a number of years now.
Regardless of being a carryover the engine has class aggressive outputs, and these grades are fitted with an eight-speed computerized transmission, with energy going solely to the entrance wheels.
It has a claimed 0-100km/h time of 8.7 seconds, but it surely has paddle shifters and a Sports activities mode for the transmission if you wish to see how briskly you are able to do the dash.
Considering of becoming a towbar? The towing capability is 690kg for an unbraked trailer, and 1500kg for a braked trailer.
Gasoline consumption for the Type and CityLife is acknowledged at a mixed 6.3 litres per 100km, with 95 RON premium unleaded gasoline required. The gasoline tank capability is 50 litres.
Over my week of driving throughout a mixture of completely different eventualities together with daycare drop-off and assortment, city driving, freeway cruising and lots extra, I noticed a displayed return of seven.6 litres per 100km. And for these taking part in alongside at residence, I saved the engine start-stop energetic your complete time.
How does the Volkswagen T-Roc drive?
That engine and transmission behave themselves fairly properly in most conditions, but it surely’s not fairly as snappy a drive expertise as VW Group fashions with this 1.4 turbo geared up with a DSG dual-clutch auto.
That’s all the way down to the truth that this computerized, whereas much less advanced, isn’t as decisive in loads of conditions. It may be busy on maintained ascents, shifting between a number of completely different gears to keep up say, 80km/h.
I stay within the Blue Mountains and there’s a piece the place – in a Golf with a seven-speed DSG – there have been no perceptible shifts occurring. However this drivetrain makes a bit extra fuss throughout that very same stretch, with the field ‘searching’ a bit extra to attempt to keep tempo.
That may not be a deal breaker, and you’ll change it by adjusting the drive mode to Sport, or the transmission mode to Sport, or by utilizing the paddle shifters your self. In actuality, it’s not a giant deal – and in case you’ve by no means pushed a DSG-equipped automotive, you then’re most likely questioning why I’m even rabbiting on about this.
In reality, in most different conditions, it’s a reasonably first rate transmission. It offers higher with visitors jams and visitors lights, with the engine stop-start system being much less disruptive and the auto taking off in a zippy method from a standing begin.
The engine is a little bit of a go-getter, too. It’s no T-Roc R when it comes to outright efficiency, however you’re not going to really feel shortchanged in any approach in case you’re contemplating this towards different small SUVs that don’t have turbo engines – even a number of that do.
It revs fortunately at low speeds and holds tempo properly on the freeway, and for commuters there’s additionally the helpful, fatigue-reducing Journey Help perform that may do adaptive cruise management (stop-and-go) and lane-keeping steering in some conditions, too.
One factor I ought to point out is that my associate drove this automotive a bit, and he or she discovered the throttle to be a bit onerous to stability as soon as you bought to freeway tempo. She doesn’t use cruise management practically as a lot as I do.
It additionally has the anticipated dynamics of a Volkswagen, that means it primarily drives identical to a Golf, however a bit larger up and with a bit extra suspension journey over bumpy bits.
The journey is excellent, even with a much less refined torsion beam rear suspension setup. The 18-inch wheels and barely lower-profile tyres of the Type jolt a bit of extra over sharp edges than the CityLife I drove not too long ago, however the journey is healthier than acceptable within the majority of circumstances.
It additionally steers fairly properly, too. The Sport setting makes the weighting a bit heavy, and you’ll alter the Particular person mode to have heavy steering if you’d like it, however I discovered that it wasn’t as fulfilling in that mode when it got here to city driving and coping with intersections and parking.
I had no main complaints in regards to the drive expertise right here, however it’s fairly loud over coarse-chip street surfaces and, whereas I would by no means have discovered this out if the climate wasn’t monsoon-like throughout my week with this automotive, the quickest windscreen wiper velocity is a bit too sluggish!
What do you get?
T-Roc CityLife highlights:
LED headlights (reflector-type)Computerized headlights17-inch alloy wheels6-speaker sound systemKeyless entry and startDigital Cockpit digital instrument cluster8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment systemApple CarPlay, Android Auto (wired)DAB+ digital radioWireless cellphone chargerDual-zone local weather controlLeather-wrapped steering wheelPaddle shiftersRoof railsCloth upholstery2 x entrance and rear cup holders2 x entrance and rear USB-C charging ports
T-Roc Type provides:
Efficiency LED headlights (projector-type)1025-inch Digital Cockpit ProWireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto Satellite tv for pc navigationBlack exterior rear-view mirrors18-inch Grange Hill alloy wheelsTitanium Black-Anthracite upholsteryManual driver and passenger lumbar adjustmentRain-sensing wipers
Is the Volkswagen T-Roc secure?
The Volkswagen T-Roc has a five-star ANCAP security ranking, primarily based on testing carried out in 2017 by Euro NCAP.
It obtained an grownup occupant safety rating of 96 per cent, a baby occupant safety rating of 87 per cent, a pedestrian safety rating of 79 per cent, and a security help rating of 71 per cent.
Customary security options embody:
Autonomous emergency braking (ahead, reverse)Lane-keep assistFront, rear parking sensorsReversing cameraLane departure warningDriver consideration detectionCollision warningTravel AssistAdaptive lane centringAdaptive cruise controlBlind-spot monitoring Rear cross-traffic alert
The T-Roc is barely fitted with six airbags – twin entrance, entrance facet and full-length curtain – that means it misses out on driver’s knee and entrance centre airbag safety.
How a lot does the Volkswagen T-Roc price to run?
VW Australia has a five-year, limitless kilometre guarantee for its mannequin line-up.
Consumers may also select to pay for servicing each 12 months or 15,000km, or prepay for 3 years ($1515, saving $150 over pay-as-you-go), or 5 years for $2750, a saving of $458. The latter has been elevated by $300 as a part of MY24, whereas the previous has jumped $65.
For those who service your VW with VW, you get your roadside help topped up yearly. In any other case you simply get one yr of canopy from new.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Volkswagen T-Roc
It’s a formidable small SUV, with a assured drive expertise and a few likeable options.
It isn’t as roomy as some rival crossovers, however these others simply can’t match its all-round niceness.
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BUY: Volkswagen T-RocMORE: Every part Volkswagen T-Roc
