By Otsile Kadiege

Volkswagen launched the T-Roc, which is the brand’s compact crossover SUV, back in 2017, however the T-Roc was only launched in South Africa last year. That being said, the people’s brand has revealed the facelifted T-Roc which boasts a fresh design and new technologies. 

Exterior

The updated T-Roc boasts a sharpened exterior design thanks to pronounced body lines. It features LED headlights and darkened tail lights as standard. IQ LIGHT with LED matrix headlights and an illuminated radiator grille strip, as well as tail light clusters with a new graphic structure and dynamic turn signal are available on request. 

Five new colours of exterior paint and it’s available with a set of newly designed 17- and 19-inch alloy wheels. 

Interior

Inside, the updated T-Roc features a foam-backed surface and distinctive seams, the new dash panel. The Infotainment display is now designed like a tablet and positioned on the dash panel in a line of sight with the instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. Depending on the equipment, the Infotainment display measures either 8.0 inches or 9.2 inches.

The compact SUV comes as standard with a digital instrument cluster which is optionally available at a size of up to 10.25-inches as the Digital Cockpit Pro. The multifunction steering wheel, which is also part of the standard package, has a new design that contributes to the vehicle’s intuitive control.

New T-Roc equipment lines

The updated T-Roc is available in a basic version and 3 further pre-configured equipment lines. These include the base, Life, Style and R-Line. There’s also a hotter R version. Buyers can opt for a Black Style design package in conjunction with the Style and R-Line equipment lines. 

Powertrains

In Europe, the new T-Roc will be available with 3 TSI and 2 TDI engines paired to either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 7-speed DSG. The 1.0-litre TSI 3-cylinder engine develops 81 kW. The 4-cylinder drives generate 110 kW as a 1.5-litre TSI and 140 kW as a 2.0-litre TSI. The range is rounded off with two 2.0-litre TDI 4-cylinder engines offering an output of 85 kW and 110 kW respectively. As an alternative to front-wheel drive, 4MOTION all-wheel drive in conjunction with the 110 kW diesel engine is said to ensure superior power transmission. The 2.0-litre TSI with 140 kW is combined with 4Motion as standard.

Volkswagen T-Roc R

The potent T-Roc R has been earmarked for South African introduction in 2022. The updated T-Roc R is powered by a 2.0-litre TSI engine making 221kW and 400Nm. It’s paired to a 7-speed DSG transmission and has a claimed 0-100km/h sprint in 4.9 seconds thanks to the automaker’s 4Motion AWD system.

The new VW T-Roc comes with the advanced assist systems Front Assist and Lane Assist as standard. Moreover, the new IQ.DRIVE Travel Assist and Predictive Cruise Control enable assisted steering, braking and acceleration at speeds of up to 210 km/h. By integrating the signals from the front camera, as well as GPS and map data, the vehicle control system can incorporate local speed limit information, town boundary signs, junctions and roundabouts.

The new Volkswagen T-Roc features the third generation of the Modular Infotainment Toolkit (MIB3), This enables the use of a variety of online-based functions and services.