Volkswagen T-Roc Cabrio
FIRST DRIVE Updated soft-top SUV gets a new look and a boost to interior quality
YOUR choices are fairly limited if you’re after a relatively affordable cabriolet these days. There’s the Mazda MX-5: brilliant to drive, great to look at, and even cheap to run but just two seats. The MINI Convertible has four, but the rears aren’t much use to adults. Both cars’ boots are small, too, so if you want an open-top car with some semblance of practicality, there’s pretty much only one choice.
The Volkswagen T-Roc’s crossover body seems like an unlikely starting point for a drop-top adaptation, but it continues VW’s roofless lineage that dates back 70 years, taking the mantle from the Golf when the T-Roc Cabriolet launched in 2017.
Like the rest of the T-Roc family, the open-roofed model has received a series of mid-life updates for 2022. These start with fairly subtle changes to the exterior design; the distinctive D-shaped LED running lights feature alongside a revised grille. Bolder chrome strips make the integration of the headlights slicker. New colours and wheel options are available, while the car’s taillights have been subtly reprofiled.
The best – and worst – changes come inside. The perceived quality of the previous T-Roc left us a little disappointed, but the update has reduced the use of hard plastics on the dashboard. However, we’re not fans of the new touch panel for the temperature control; it’s just not as easy to use as the old physical knobs and buttons.
If you’re buying a T-Roc Cabriolet, chances are you’re far more interested in taking it easy and enjoying the fresh air rather than driving with much enthusiasm. Which is
lucky, because this isn’t a car for keen drivers. The T-Roc feels a little lazy through turns, and over rough roads there are telltale signs of scuttle shake as the rearview mirror shimmies with the rest of the windscreen frame.
A slightly softer ride has gone some way to mitigate this feeling. However, even on our car’s 17-inch wheels, there’s a little more fidget and a little less composure than the conventional T-Roc over most surfaces. That’s no surprise, because the Cabriolet weighs nearly 270kg more.
So it’s no sports car, but despite the added weight, it’s still commendably economical. Our 1.0-litre TSI model returned an mpg figure in the mid-40s. It’s an engine that’s well matched to the fairly laid-back nature of the rest of the car, too. With 108bhp, performance is fairly leisurely; 0-62mph takes 12.3 seconds. At least its 200Nm of torque and the well-spaced ratios of the six-speed manual gearbox give it enough flexibility. A brisker 1.5-litre turbo petrol is also available.
Although the Cabriolet’s performance isn’t the sharpest, the powered folding roof is one of the most rapid around. With it down, the front-row occupants are fairly well shielded from the wind, although a wind deflector – a £315 option which stows away neatly under the boot floor – makes things calmer. It sits immediately behind the front seats, though, so you can’t use the rears when it’s in use.
While there’s less rear-seat room than in the T-Roc SUV – and only space for two instead of three – there’s similar knee room to a slightly smaller crossover such as the T-Cross and plenty of foot space beneath the front seats. Headroom is fine with the roof up, while the 284-litre boot is reasonable.
Prices for the T-Roc Cabriolet start from £31,495 for the 1.0-litre TSI Style, and that’s the car we’d go for. It has a decent kit list, with LED headlights, climate control, heated front seats and an eight-inch touchscreen system with Apple CarPlay and Android
Auto all standard.