Volkswagen has just announced the brand-new T-Roc.
You might not recognise it as a new car, however. The main shape remains broadly the same, and the angled rear pillar and chunky haunches over the wheels recall the outgoing car.
But the T-Roc gains a sharp new face inspired by the Tiguan, with pinched headlights creating a mean look. Beneath that, a full-width grille gives a sporty, snake-like look.
In fact, in this new Canary Yellow Solid paint colour (one of four new paint hues and six in total), the T-Roc looks a bit like the powerful and expensive Lotus Eletre.
On higher-spec models, the front and rear light clusters are linked by a full-width light bar, complete with illuminated VW logos. And all but the cheapest model are available with a contrasting black roof as an optional extra.
We’ll know prices and full specs closer to the car’s market launch in November, but Volkswagen has confirmed that four trim levels will be available – a base model, then Life, Style and R-Line.
2025 VW T-Roc size and dimensions
As well as sitting on the same platform as the latest Tiguan, the new T-Roc has grown so it’s almost Tiguan sized. The new car is over 12cm longer than a used T-Roc, at 4,373mm. Within that, the wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels) has grown by almost 3cm, which should improve passenger space. Boot space is up 20 litres to 465 litres.
Interior
The new T-Roc's interior is pretty Tiguan-like, too. There’s a big touchscreen – measuring 10 inches on base models and 12.9 inches on higher-spec cars – with VW’s latest infotainment software that puts your most used functions front and centre. The hit-and-miss IDA voice assistant that runs on ChatGPT is an optional extra – and one we wouldn’t pick.
Other options will include an enhanced Travel Assist collection of driver aids, remote parking ability, a large and detailed head-up display, and 14-way powered seats with massaging.
Where you used to find a gear lever, there’s a smart dial that controls both the volume and the drive mode selection. It’s one of only a few buttons on the centre console; we’re a bit disappointed to see the physical climate controls binned in favour of touchscreen ones.
Despite boasting a cleaner, more pared-back look, the interior should feel more premium than the outgoing model. Instead of hard plastics everywhere, the new car has a fabric dash-top, with metal-effect edging, plus soft-touch panels on the dashboard and doors. Some of this soft-touch leatherette is illuminated.
VW tells us that 20% of the plastics used in the T-Roc are made from recycled materials, equivalent to 40kg. It proudly says that the T-Roc is the first Volkswagen to achieve such a high proportion of recycled materials, although it seems VW has some catching up to do – the recently revealed Peugeot 308 includes over 400kg of recycled materials.
There’s a fun Easter egg to find on models with wireless phone charging. Because the wireless phone pad is shaped like a miniature swimming pool, VW’s designers have put in tiny little swimmers in the ‘lanes’. What’s more, dotted around the various stowage compartments in the cabin, you’ll find little icons displaying things such as coffee cups, ice creams, keys and pretzels.
Engines
We mentioned that the gearlever isn’t on the centre console any more – it’s now on a stalk behind the steering wheel. You twist it to engage drive or reverse, and press the end of it to put the car in park – just like in the Tiguan, and like VW’s electric cars.
But don’t expect a fully electric option. The T-Roc might be automatic-only now, but your choice at launch is a pair of 1.5-litre mild-hybrid petrol engines.
As standard, you get 116hp, with a 150hp version available as an upgrade. The 48-volt starter-generator boosts power by 19hp for short periods of time, and enables the engine to turn off when not needed – letting the T-Roc coast up to a set of traffic lights, for example. Another fuel-saving measure is cylinder deactivation, which shuts down half the engine when you’re on light throttle.
Two new hybrid engines are in the pipeline – which would be VW's first attempts at a 'full' hybrid engine – although there’s no mention of a plug-in hybrid option at this time. Given it sits on the same platform as the Tiguan, it should be feasible to offer a plug-in option on the T-Roc.
VW’s familiar 2.0-litre petrol engine will be introduced at the top of the range in the future, too. This will be coupled with four-wheel drive; all other T-Rocs are front-wheel drive.
Read our Volkswagen T-Roc review to see what we like about the outgoing car, and shop used Volkswagen T-Roc cars for sale for thousands of pounds off the list price when new.
