The compact SUV segment in South Africa has multiplied in recent years. There has been a shift in the market that has seen a massive decline in sedan sales as more consumers buy vehicles that offer more practicality and capability.
If you remember, 2019 marked the end of the road for the Volkswagen Passat and Jetta sedans for the local market. The brand believed the Arteon swooper would fill the void, but it saw its demise in 2020.
Volkswagen turned to what works, so the T-series has undergone considerable expansion, a move that inspired the birth of the modern-looking T-Roc crossover SUV in 2020. Since then, 4,490 units have found homes in South Africa. The numbers don’t lie.
Bridging the gap between the Taigo and Tiguan, the T-Roc received a tweak and tweak to keep it fresh and original in its stable.
In its top-of-the-line R-Line garb, the T-Roc’s update upgraded its appearance with a tapered front fascia that, in the case of our tester, incorporated optional IQ Light LED matrix headlights, Misano sport alloy wheels from 19 inches, and modified bumpers. This is arguably the most impressive compact SUV on the road today.
Installed inside the T-Roc, nothing feels out of the ordinary if you’re familiar with the latest Volkswagen products. You get a firmly padded interior setup, comfortable seats, simple placement of switches and control knobs, and an 8-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system, replacing the previous model’s dash-mounted system, plus the familiar instrument cluster. digital.
The system still supports Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, wireless App-Connect, a navigation system, Bluetooth, and a rearview camera.
Like all of VW’s latest products, the T-Roc has a multifunctional steering wheel with controls that are now capacitive touchpads with some haptic feedback. This is not as good as having real buttons. We found ourselves activating control functions when our hands accidentally touched the wrong place on the steering wheel.
There’s enough space inside to easily fit up to five passengers, but taller folks will find the rear seats a bit cramped due to the low roofline.
It has a generous trunk that measures 392 liters with the rear seats up and 1,237 liters with them folded. That’s slightly larger than its Golf 8 GTI sibling at 374 litres.
While the T-Roc isn’t the Golf GTI of compact SUVs, it’s rewarding to drive and has the excellent ride quality we’ve come to expect from hatchbacks. It’s comfortable, even on rough roads, thanks to the Comfort Package added to the tester.
What stands out is how the 2.0-litre TSI engine seamlessly delivers 140kW and 320Nm to all four wheels via a 7-speed DSG transmission.
As a proper crossover SUV combining excellent performance and efficiency, the T-Roc R-Line returned 6.9 l/100 km on the combined cycle; however, the numbers would fall slightly below that on the open road.
Although it may take a few glances to notice the changes, inside and out, VW has given the T-Roc a new stance, so it’s hard to find fault.
Despite the aforementioned drawbacks, the T-Roc R-Line represents an affordable option for family-focused drivers looking for a practical vehicle that has mature driving manners.
If that’s you, and the R660 400 sounds reasonably affordable, then this is the car to have.
