VW are ready to Roc and roll

VOLKSWAGEN has opened the order book for its stylish new SUV, which looks set to rock this sector of the market to the core.

The new T-Roc shares the same platform as the hugely successful Golf, and the designers have got the size and appearance of the new SUV off to a tee.

It is the fastest-growing sector of the UK car market, as illustrated by the North East-made Nissan Qashqai, which is now the best-selling vehicle in Britain.

The T-Roc creates a new market for Volkswagen, sitting between the larger Tiguan and the forthcoming smaller T-cross.

In due course the T-Roc will be offered in a wide range of guises, although initially choice will be limited, with the one-litre, three-cylinder, petrolpowered manual model costing from £20,425.

The price rises to £31,485 for the two-litre, petrolpowered version with upmarket SEL trim and equipment including a seven-speed automatic transmission and fourwheel drive.

Four other models will be on offer, including a 1.5litre version with a power output of 150bhp and a six-speed manual gearbox.

With diesels in the doldrums right now, compounded by Volkswagen’s own controversies regarding the emissions figures of its oilburners, petrol will be the only choice at the start.

The company says it is confident that its 1.6-litre and two-litre diesel alternatives will eventually appear.

The initial entry-level version’s three-cylinder petrol engine generates 115bhp with claimed emissions of 117g/km and economy said to average 55mpg.

When all versions are available by December, the T-Roc will be offered in S, SE, Design, SEL and R-Line trims.

Standard-fit items across the range include dualzone climate control, Composition Media infotainment system with eight-inch colour touchscreen, Bluetooth telephone and audio connection, DAB radio, minimum 16-inch alloy wheels and extensive safety equipment.

Ironically, one of the T-Roc’s main rivals will be from the same VW Group stable in the shape of the Audi Q2, with others being the Mazda CX-3 and Nissan Juke.

VW says that the T-Roc has the edge, however, being a full five-seater vehicle with luggage space of up to 1,050.