Volkswagen T-Roc R Review: A hot-hatch engined crossover
OVERVIEW - What is it?
It’s almost surprising that it took Volkswagen as long as it did to get to this point. The VW Group already has the Cupra Ateca and the Audi SQ2 as fast crossover things, and a quick glance at the headline stats would seem to suggest that all it took to create this new T-Roc R was a transplant of all the important bits from the Golf R.
The engine is the same 2.0-litre turbo producing 296bhp and 400Nm of torque, the gearbox is the same seven-speed DSG, and the all-wheel drive system is – yep you guessed it – the same 4Motion system as in the Golf R.
It’s likely that the T-Roc R will sell in huge numbers too. The UK still loves a performance car, no matter what shape it comes in, and the standard T-Roc has already broken into the monthly top tens for new car sales as customers clamber for crossovers like stragglers at the bottom of Tough Mudder obstacles. So why has it taken this long for VW to make one? We’ll come to that soon.
The R looks pretty good, though. The bumpers at either end have been slightly redesigned, even from the pretender R-Line models, so there’s a new diffuser at the rear and fresh daytime running lights up front. It’s also 20mm lower than the standard car and the 19-inch ‘Pretoria’ wheels come as standard in the UK. In the flesh it’s a squat little thing, but your opinion will probably depend upon whether you view the sports crossover niche as perfect or pointless.
It’d be fair to say that most of the TG office is yet to drink that particular Kool-Aid so far, but will the T-Roc R start to turn a few heads?
DRIVING - What is it like on the road?
VW could have just plumbed all the performance Golf parts into its higher-riding sibling and hoped for the best, but it really has spent some quality time on the T-Roc. Much of that time was apparently spent at the Nürburgring; although R boss Jost Capito assures us that the B-roads around the circuit had just as much bearing on its development.
We’ll start with what hasn’t changed much – that engine. As you know from our Golf R experiences, it’s a belter. Just shy of 300bhp is plenty in a compact SUV that weighs 1,575kg, and maximum torque is available from 2,000rpm so momentum is relatively easy to maintain, even on a windy stretch of road. If you do fancy working those shift paddles, though, the gearbox is smoother than some rival offerings.
The presence of launch control means 0-100kph in 4.8 seconds, and it’ll top out at 249kph (155mph) – that’s not electronically limited as is the case with the hatch, the extra weight and slightly shorter gearing mean it’s all you’ll get.
On the previously mentioned windy road, the steering is direct and the 4WD system will keep the T-Roc R remarkably stable – especially given that more of the weight lives higher up than in the hatch or estate. You get the sense it’s tuned to be slightly more sensible than the Golf, though; that more of the torque is heading to the front wheels more of the time. Perhaps that reflects the audience that the T-Roc is aimed at.
Perhaps Volkswagen’s biggest achievement here is the (optional) adaptive damping. In Comfort mode the T-Roc R is manageable in town. It’s not flawless, but even with 19-inch wheels the ride isn’t backbreaking. Moving into Normal (which Capito says is essentially a sport mode) and Race modes, the suspension firms up and body roll is kept to a minimum. It even tempts you to attack a few hairpins. That’s not something we’d expected to admit about a crossover, but the presence of chunky brakes from the Golf R Performance Pack certainly helps.
Would this all be enough to tempt you from a Golf R? Probably not, but the engineering feat is genuinely impressive.
ON THE INSIDE - Layout, finish and space
In what are genuinely surprising scenes, we haven’t had too many gripes with the T-Roc R as of yet. The interior does throw up a few things, though. The plastics are hard and scratchy – and not just in the lower half of the cabin.
Slightly plusher dashboard and door card materials would have gone a long way in here, particularly as the steering wheel is leather and quite lovely. Our test car had the optional blue dash insert that you can see in the images above. At £115, it’s something to avoid.
The infotainment setup is classic VW and works well. Standard equipment is an eight-inch touchscreen that mercifully doesn’t include the climate controls – that system is still operated by actual buttons. VW’s App Connect brings with it Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, though, and the main screen is accompanied by a 10.25-inch digital cockpit.
The cloth seats are standard R-division fare, but they’re supportive and comfy on a fairly long journey. The driving position is surprisingly low – no bad thing but we’d expected to sit higher in a crossover.
OWNING - Running costs and reliability
If you’ve been browsing the VW website recently then you’ll have noticed that orders are already open for the T-Roc R. Deliveries will apparently begin as early as November 2019 and prices will start from £38,450.
You’ll want to tick at least a few boxes on the options list – chief among which should be the aforementioned adaptive damping, or Dynamic Chassis Control as Volkswagen calls it. It’s £695 and seems well worth the investment.
The other big talking point on the options list is the £3,000 Akrapovic exhaust system. We haven’t driven a T-Roc R without it yet, and although it makes a few pops and bangs in Sport and Race modes, the noise is too distant and actually sounds better from outside the car. It’s pleasing to see VW offering the Akrapovic as an option, but you still get the four-pipe look with the standard setup and that’s quite a chunk of cash to save.
You can have the R in all of the standard T-Roc colours, but the Lapiz Blue Metallic that you see above is unique to the R and is the pick of the bunch. And for those who want a bit of lifestyle with their crossover, the R can still be optioned with a tow bar despite the new diffuser.
VERDICT - Final thoughts
This is where we come full circle and find out opinions on the fast crossover niche as a whole. Many don’t understand why you would want to make a taller car a performance car. Some love the extra practicality offered by a slightly higher stance (it’s easier to lower kids in to for one) but those people still want something to enjoy when they get the time to drive alone. And others couldn’t care less as long as the fast crossovers and performance SUVs of this world don’t kill off traditional hot hatchbacks.
Whichever camp you reside in, it’d be hard to argue that the VW T-Roc R doesn’t fulfil its brief.
It’s an extremely confident, quick and grippy thing, although the noise and clinical interior might make it difficult to fall in love with. The Golf R is a cooler car, and the Golf R estate is infinitely cooler still, but if you’ve really got your heart set on a crossover then the T-Roc R should make any shortlist.
Nope, we didn’t expect that result either.
Golf R-engined crossover drives brilliantly, but you’ll have already made your mind up on the niche.
| FOR | AGAINST |
| Punchy engine, 4WD grip, smooth DSG gearbox | Is a fast crossover, scratchy interior plastics, droney noise |
| SCORE | 7/10 |
