Volkswagen T-Roc Review (2017-2025)

Small SUVs are hugely popular right now, and the Volkswagen T-Roc aims to be the best all-rounder on the market – and it does just that. It’s stylish, practical, drives well and has all the infotainment technology you really need. It couples all that with more back-seat space than most of its rivals, so tall adults won’t be digging their kneecaps into the driver’s seat unless they’re taller than 6’3”. 

In short, it’s a do-it-all winner of a small SUV that won’t leave you wanting. If you do need a physically larger car with more boot space, then you can step up to the more expensive Volkswagen Tiguan or, for a bit more style, consider the more expensive Audi Q2. If driving pleasure is top of your shopping list, you’ll be better off in the similarly sized Ford Puma, but be prepared to sacrifice rear-seat space. Remember that the T-Roc is also offered as a convertible, making it one of the only convertible SUVs ever made – they’re rare, but an enjoyable oddity. 

Read our Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet review here, or read our new Volkswagen T-Roc review if you're looking at the model launched in 2026.

It’s worth noting that the Volkswagen T-Roc came out in 2017 and received a pretty extensive update (or facelift) in 2022. The pre-facelift model’s dashboard felt pretty un-Volkswagen, with hard plastics that aren’t what you’d expect from a premium brand. The facelift T-Roc gained soft-touch plastics and a dashboard redesign that really does feel a lot more pleasant – you’d have to stretch to a more expensive Audi Q2 to top the Volkswagen’s look and feel in a small SUV.

Whichever age of T-Roc you pick, you’ll get a sharp infotainment screen that has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for mirroring your smartphone apps. All facelift cars will get a digital dashboard as well, which shows you all your driving data, navigation maps and music playlists. It’s a really useful addition and modernises the cabin immensely.

The menus are logically laid out too, meaning you don’t have to hunt through screens to find commonly used functions. The only real downside is that the climate controls on facelift cars are changed using touch-sensitive sliders rather than physical knobs, which can make temperature adjustment a bit hit-or-miss on the move.

The T-Roc range kicks off with the entry-level S model, or Life if you’re looking at a post-facelift car. S and Life models get alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control and cloth seats, while Life models get an eight-inch infotainment system as standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – every trim except S gets phone mirroring functions. Life models also get a small eight-inch digital instrument cluster.

SE model is the mid-spec trim (called Style after the facelift) and adds all-round parking sensors and adaptive cruise control. Style models get a slightly bigger 10.25-inch digital driver’s display.

Next up is the R-Line model which adds sportier looking bumpers, some sporty interior trims and sports seats up front.

Often small SUVs sacrifice rear seat space, but Volkswagen’s managed to create almost Tardis-like levels of room for your back passengers. Even our 6’3” test subject managed to sit comfortably behind his own driving position with kneeroom and headroom to spare, which isn't possible in a Ford Puma for example. Things naturally become a squeeze if you’re trying to fit three people side-by-side, but that’s common to all small SUVs.

We found the doors open nice and wide too, making it easy to fit a child seat, while there’s a pair of USB sockets on the rear of the centre console for mobile phone charging duties.

The T-Roc punches above its size when it comes to boot space too, with 445 litres of space in two-wheel-drive models, and 392 litres if you pick a ‘4Motion’ four-wheel-drive T-Roc. It’s noticeably larger than the 380-litre space in the Volkswagen Golf, and it’s also bigger than the more expensive Audi Q2’s boot. The T-Roc’s load space is nice and square, and can swallow buggies and luggage with no bother.

Don’t be put off by the T-Roc’s entry-level 1.0-litre petrol engine with 110hp – it’s a turbocharged engine and can actually punt the T-Roc along just fine, even at motorway speeds. For a slightly more relaxed drive pick the 1.5-litre petrol, or a 2.0-litre diesel if you mostly do long trips or prioritise fuel economy. There’s no bad choice, and you’ll find automatic gearboxes available with most engines. 

Our pick is the 1.5-litre 150hp petrol engine. Not only does it have more than enough performance to accelerate quickly up to speed, it’s decently economical and quiet. Expect to average about 45-47mpg in real-world driving, thanks in part to clever cylinder deactivation tech that switches off two of the engine’s four cylinders when you’re cruising.

One of the rarest T-Roc models is the T-Roc R – this is a stupendously fast hot-hatch version of the T-Roc, complete with a 300hp 2.0-litre petrol engine and a four-wheel-drive system. Efficient or fun it is not, but it is quick…

You’re out of luck if you want a hybrid or full-electric T-Roc though, in which case try a Peugeot e-2008 or Hyundai Kona.

Despite being one of the babies of the Volkswagen SUV range, the T-Roc drives like a proper grown-up car, with very little wind or road noise at motorway speeds, and a sense of stability that you might not expect. Heck, the T-Roc’s even kind of fun to drive down a twisty road, with very little body roll and plenty of grip. A Ford Puma will put even more of a smile on your face but it isn’t as refined at motorway speeds as the VW.

You can expect a comfortable ride from the T-Roc too – it irons out most bumps pretty well. Again, Volkswagen feels as if it’s ticked all the right boxes with this car.