The Volkswagen T-Roc compact crossover is now on its second generation, and this latest version wants to pick fights with the Asians in its class. The question is, can it?
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| 2026 Volkswagen T-Roc |
The second-generation Volkswagen T-Roc starts at 30,845 Euros plus additional costs. Although being the most expensive of Volkswagen's fleet of compact crossovers, comprising the Taigo and the T-Cross, it's more affordable than one of its Asian rivals, the Honda ZR-V. A real bargain of the season.
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| 2026 Volkswagen T-Roc interior |
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| 2026 Volkswagen T-Roc interior |
Starting with the design, the all-new T-Roc incorporates Volkswagen's latest design language, which was first introduced in their ID series of electric vehicles, such as the ID.3. However, the side profile might remind you of a Lotus Eletre. It adheres to the typical European crossover styling. The interior follows suit, featuring a driver's side filled with familiar technology that you would also find in its larger siblings, the Tiguan and the Tayron. Asked about space, the improved dimensions made it slightly more spacious than the previous T-Roc, with 475 litres with the rear seats in place, up to 1350 litres with the passenger seats folded down.
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| 2026 Volkswagen T-Roc |
Unfortunately, despite being built on the MQB evo platform that offers slightly better performance than the previous T-Roc model, it is only available in a front-wheel-drive configuration. This limits its use to city-related activities such as visiting thrift shops, touring with friends, delivering goods, and providing transportation services in cities like Berlin and Frankfurt.
The T-Roc is equipped solely with a 1.5L eTSi engine that features mild hybrid technology, paired with a seven-speed DSG transmission. The most powerful variant delivers 150 PS, allowing the T-Roc to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 212 km/h. In comparison, the Honda ZR-V can only achieve a top speed of 180 km/h.
Similar to its larger counterparts, the T-Roc is equipped with a variety of safety features. These include a lane change assist system, autonomous emergency braking, a lane keeping assist system, a rearview camera, a dynamic road sign display, and an optional Park Assist Pro with remote parking capabilities.
The second-generation T-Roc may have looks that could make you mistake it for a Lotus Eletre, with functionality similar to today's Volkswagen models and front-wheel-drive capability. You could call it vanilla, but with such spaciousness, the all-new T-Roc still exhibits common sense.
Available Colors: Canary Yellow, Pure White, Canary Yellow Schwarz, Pure White Schwarz, Celestial Blue Metallic, Flame Red Metallic, Grenadillschwarz Metallic, Wolf Grey Metallic, Celestial Blue Metallic Schwarz, Flame Red Metallic Schwarz, and Wolf Grey Metallic Schwarz.
Photo: Volkswagen AG
