New Volkswagen T-Roc will be more spacious and more electric – Preview

Highlights Volkswagen T-Roc

• Again between Golf and Tiguan
• Possibly also as a plug-in hybrid
• Longer and more spacious
• No longer as a Cabrio

The automotive industry never stands still and the Volkswagen T-Roc makes it clear how quickly the market is changing. The crossover premiered in August 2017, six months after the now on its last legs Arteon debuted. The T-Roc dates from a time when the Beetle was still in the showroom, Wolfsburg still saw room for the Golf Sportsvan in addition to the Touran and when the Sharan still had a right to exist. In 2017, no one had heard of the ID label, the e-Golf and e-Up were the only electric models found in the VW showroom at that time. Even the SUV and crossover craze had not yet struck Volkswagen. No one had heard anything about an ID.4, ID.5, T-Cross or Taigo. In 2017, the automotive landscape had not yet completely eroded into a plain full of long-legged models. Besides the Tiguan and Touareg – and a stray CrossPolo – the T-Roc was the only urban adventurer with a VW emblem. But a very successful one. Volkswagen would be crazy if it did not give a successor to the T-Roc. That will happen.

Popular

Since the arrival of the new Tiguan at the end of last year, the current T-Roc is Volkswagen’s oldest SUV-type. At least: if we forget the current Tiguan Allspace, which will be succeeded by the Tayron. Despite its advanced age, the T-Roc is still extremely popular. More than 3,000 units were registered in the Netherlands last year. Even more so than the Golf or Tiguan. In Europe it was even Volkswagen’s best-selling SUV-like vehicle last year. Not bad for a car that has been around for a while and was last tuned up two and a half years ago. Volkswagen would logically be wise to keep the T-Roc’s success formula intact.

Volkswagen T-Roc (illustration: Larson)

This is evident from the snapshots that our spy photographer recently took in the far north of Europe of a barely packaged prototype. Based on those images, we put our digital drawing master to work to create a representation of the new T-Roc. Virtually nothing changes in the recipe. Just like the current model, the T-Roc nestles again between the Golf and the Tiguan, which is designed more like an SUV. A real mix, but it is much more than a Golf with some cross trimmings. The T-Roc once again has its own completely unique bodywork. It seems to be growing considerably in length. Although the basic shape remains intact and the VW is immediately recognizable as a T-Roc, especially from the side, the new model looks more stretched. The rear window is considerably flatter. The silver-colored strip that follows the roofline of the current T-Roc returns on the new model. It is also noticeable that the side mirrors move slightly downwards; from now on they are located on the sheet metal of the doors.

Plug-in hybrids

Just like the new Tiguan, the new T-Roc is based on a further development of the well-known MQB platform. You no longer have to expect diesel engines, but there is more that will not return. A whole body variant even. Volkswagen surprisingly launched the T-Roc Cabrio in 2019, a real three-door T-Roc with a fabric folding roof and four seats. A crossover convertible in the style of the Range Rover Evoque Convertible, which has also not returned. However, we may be looking forward to an addition to the range in other areas. The current model has never been available with plug-in hybrid powertrains, but Volkswagen seems to be focusing heavily on plug-in hybrids with its newcomers. It is obvious that the new T-Roc will appear in the showroom with 204 hp and perhaps 272 hp plug-in hybrid powertrains, with an electric range of more than 100 kilometers. Furthermore, the 1.0 three-cylinder engine will probably make way for a four-cylinder 1.5. Count on power outputs of 116 and 150 hp. Will Volkswagen take the plunge again and come up with a crazy T-Roc R? We can’t help but hope. More later this year!