So good it does not need extras
SHORTLY after I had given back the BMW X3, I was testing the new Volkswagen T-Roc — one of the most eagerly awaited cars of the year.
This pumped-up small SUV, big sister of the iconic Golf, is an absolutely knockout to look at and to drive.
Many of my colleagues believe it is the best SUV out there and, on my two meetings with it, I won’t disagree. It is a delight to drive and has a lovely confident air about it.
The only problem was that the model offered for testing was the very top of the range T-Roc Sport with 4M all-wheel drive, two-litre diesel engine and an absolute host of extras which gave it an on-the-road price of a few bob short of €43,000.
This is crazy stuff, espe- cially as petrol models of the T-Roc start at €25,525 on the road and even extraordinarily tasty well-specced models with automatic boxes are less than €7k more.
It is only when you get to the diesels and the 4M system that you are pushed into the €35k-plus club. A good 2WD car is all you need 90pc of the time and, as a colleague suggested the other week, a good set of winter tyres is better than a 4WD that does not have them. It makes a lot of economic sense, too.
I’ll try to get a more basic T-Roc for test soon but beware the expensive ones and diesels. Neither is needed for a fine car like this. Beware the PCP lure here, too.