First impressions: why the new Volkswagen T-Roc is a vast improvement over the old one

• The new Volkswagen T-Roc is here…
• …And Jamie Edkins has been poking around it
• The exterior design hasn’t changed a huge amount
• But the cabin is much improved over the old car
• A new hybrid engine is also on the way
• UK sales will start early next year

The new Volkswagen T-Roc has some big tyres to fill. The outgoing model is VW’s third best-selling car in 2025 so far, beaten only by the Tiguan and the Golf, so it’ll come as no surprise that this new model looks very much like an evolution of what went before.

That’s from the outside at least – inside the T-Roc has had a complete makeover with new materials and new technology, and there are some new engine options on offer as well. Order books are expected to open in the UK early next year.

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New Volkswagen T-Roc design: nothing revolutionary, but a lot brighter

With the T-Roc being such a popular car for Volkswagen, you can see why it’s played things fairly safe in terms of the exterior design. It does look a lot more modern than before, but it retains the same basic proportions.

Up front you have a much wider and more imposing grille, and the headlights are more swept-back than before as well. There’s also a full-width light bar with an illuminated VW badge in the centre, which is becoming a common feature on Volkswagens lately.

You still get a sporty sloping roofline, and there are new alloy wheel designs to choose from. This bright yellow paint scheme is also new, and there’s a more modern-looking light bar at the rear to finish things off.

New Volkswagen T-Roc interior and infotainment: a massive improvement

One of the biggest criticisms we had of the old Volkswagen T-Roc was that the interior just felt a bit cheap for a supposedly premium SUV. Well, I’m pleased to report that this new car is vastly improved.

There is still some hard, scratchy plastic in places, such as the lower dashboard and door cards, but everything you see and touch on a regular basis feels plush and dense, such as the door handles and the centre console. The overall layout looks more modern than before as well, with a full-width air vent surrounded by silver trim and funky-looking fabric on the dashboard.

A Peugeot 2008 still has a more exciting-looking cabin, but the new T-Roc still feels suitably posh inside.

As for the infotainment system, it’ll be familiar to anyone who’s spent time with other new Volkswagens. Entry-level cars get a 10.4-inch screen, which rises to 12.9 inches in higher spec models.

The graphics are bright and clear, and the menus are easy enough to navigate. It’s just a shame that, like with most VWs, the climate control is operated using some fiddly touch-sensitive sliders.

You do get one knob in the cabin, a multi-function dial in the centre console. It’s the same as you get in the Volkswagen Tiguan, and it can be toggled to control your stereo volume and driving modes.

This has always left me perplexed because you can adjust the volume on the steering wheel and using a slider beneath the screen, why do we need this third way? I’d rather this dial had the ability to change fan speed and temperature.

New Volkswagen T-Roc space and practicality: it has both of these things

Getting comfortable behind the wheel of the new T-Roc is easy thanks to plenty of adjustment in the seats and the steering wheel. Once you’re settled in, there are also loads of places to stash your bits and bobs.

The door bins are a good size, as is the glovebox. I’m less convinced by the cupholder solution though. You can move a couple of dividers around to adjust it for various cup sizes, but you can only ever fit one drink in there and it doesn’t really grip it that well. Sometimes simpler is better.

At least phone charging options are more generous. There are two USB C ports to choose from, as well as an optional wireless charging pad which is cooled by the air conditioning.

Moving to the rear seats you’ll find a generous amount of space. I’m around 6’ 3” and I had enough kneeroom, even with the driver’s seat set up for me, and headroom’s not bad either considering you have that sloping roofline. A Skoda Kamiq is slightly more roomy, but the new T-Roc isn’t far off. There are also a couple more USB ports in the rear, as well as a handy armrest with some cupholders.

The new T-Roc also has a bigger boot than before at 465 litres, up from 445 litres in the outgoing car. That’s 65 litres more than the Skoda Kamiq, and it’s nine litres up on the Ford Puma as well.

There’s no load lip to lift stuff over, however the boot sill is still quite high which could make it a chore to haul heavy items in. Still, the rear seats do at least fold completely flat to make it easier to slide items to the front of the car.

New Volkswagen T-Roc engines: petrol to start with, hybrids to follow

From launch, the new Volkswagen T-Roc will be available with a choice of two petrol engines. Both use mild hybrid technology, which uses a small battery to improve efficiency, and both are only available with an automatic gearbox. Manual is no longer an option.

Entry-level models use a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 116hp and front-wheel drive, or you can get that same engine with 150hp if you’d prefer a bit more oomph. A 2.0-litre petrol engine and four-wheel drive will also be available later down the line.

Volkswagen is also adding a full hybrid system to the T-Roc at a later date, making this the first model it’s ever offered with a system like this. It works in a similar way to the hybrid system in the Toyota C-HR, meaning it can shuffle along at slow speeds using only electric power. This will make it much more fuel efficient in town.

When can I buy the new Volkswagen T-Roc?

The new Volkswagen T-Roc will go on sale in Germany on 28 November this year, and you can expect UK order books to open in early 2026.

There’s no word on pricing just yet, however you can expect to see a slight increase over the outgoing car. The T-Roc currently starts from just under £29,000, so a figure of around £30,000 seems likely.

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