T-Roc: a car which defies convention

Well, VW would be happy at the confusion for actually all three answers are to a greater or lesser degree correct.

This is what the motor industry calls a crossover and it is a big thing these days.

Maybe it’'s because we lead such complicated lives that we demand so much more of our modes of transport.

So, while an SUV might do shopping or trips to the tip, we also want our set of wheels to double as a people-carrier and – once in a while – to show our sporting credentials on the open road.

SUVs are fine for the necessities of life but we want a touch more excitement. So cars like the T-Roc, tested here, come into their own.

So, what exactly is it? It’s based on a Volkswagen platform which acts as a base for any number of cars – VW Golf, SEAT Leon, Audi A3 and surprisingly even the large Skoda Octavia.

It creates what is essentially a family car capable of no end of functions. It can be a leisure car, a load-lugger, a family runabout and in this high-powered R style it is a more than capable hot-hatch. It’s perhaps a little understated for my liking but that’s the Volkswagen way. The company mantra seems to be: Let the car do the talking, and keep the styling simple.

All the best cars are crossovers these days. It makes sense for them to cover more than one base, as it were. So cars like T-Roc, tested here, manage to be more than just an SUV, a hatchback or even a compact sports car.

It's a very easy car to adore, especially to say it is a conventional shape. The exterior is good enough but it’s the cabin which excels.

The enhanced T-Roc opened for order in the UK in March. Since its initial launch in 2017 the model has sold more than a million. When the T-Roc launched, it was Volkswagen’s fourth SUV. Now it’s one of nine VW SUVs which account for 40 per cent of company sales.

The model now sits between the Taigo and Tiguan in a nine-strong SUV family, with more models in the pipeline.

T-Roc proves the flexibility of the platform, being offered with two body styles, and available with petrol and diesel powertrains, manual and DSG, front-wheel drive or 4MOTION all-wheel drive, with the 300 PS T-Roc R-Line serving as the model’s performance flagship.

Cars are no longer off-the-shelf. Individuality is key so this model comes with 14 alloy wheel designs, nine body colours, three design packs and the option of three contrasting roof colours.

The T-Roc’s D-shaped daytime running lights with integrated indicators are now standard-fit equipment. Previously reserved for the Design trim upwards, these distinctive lights are instantly recognisable and unique to the family of models.

It seems like a compact car but it is just 49mm shorter than the Golf, and is 30mm wider and 82mm taller. It is 273 mm shorter, 20mm narrower and 102mm lower than the Tiguan. And with all respect to Tiguan and the revered Golf, this is a prettier car.

It also has a 445 litre boot, 17 per cent larger than that of the Golf.

Every T-Roc is fitted with a Digital Cockpit (8in or 10.25in), as well as an extensive suite of Driver Assistance Systems.

Style is predicted to be the top-selling trim in the T-Roc range, with more than one in three T-Roc customers expected to opt for the design-oriented specification.

T-Roc Cabriolet – now I’m not sure about this one, to be honest - continues as the brand’s flagship 2022, following seven decades of Cabriolet heritage.

This model is a sports-oriented R-badged model meaning it has power and poise. It produces 300PS from a turbocharged, four-cylinder 2.0-litre (1,984 cc) TSI engine, a 155mph top speed and 4.9-second 0 to 62 mph sprint. I must admit, that last figure surprised me. It is quick but I didn't feel it was quite so swift. It does handle well for a tall car, though.

The £32,000 price tag might sound steep but Volkswagen’s tend to come well specified. It has anti-lock brakes, stability control, traction control, alarms, no end of airbags and Isofix seat fittings.

There is a superb “Climatronic 2Zone” air conditioning system and all-round electric windows. The premium touches include ambient lighting, adaptive cruise control, radar sensor controlled distance monitoring system and Autonomous Emergency Braking system.

There is a lane keeping system called Lane Assist, but it is not as annoying as some, plus a Park Assist device.

The 10.2in screen is stunning, offering easy-to-navigate stereo and satellite navigation and USB links in the front and rear.

It is a good-looking car and well equipped, and proof that being a sensible SUV crossover doesn’t mean you can’t let your hair down occasionally.

The Volkswagen T-Roc R-Design as tested costs £38,080, thanks to extras-cost options. T-Roc starts at £25,000.

It comes with a 2.0 litre petrol engine and manages 0 to 60mph in 6.8 seconds and on to 168mph if you have a racetrack.

It also has ambient lighting and illuminated front grille (£1,650), panoramic sunroof, tilting and sliding (£1,150), Keyless Entry including Start/Stop button on centre console (£375) and ‘Beats’ sound pack with six-speakers plus subwoofer, 300-watt power output and eight-channel amplifier (£470).