Volkswagen’s new T-Roc is quite a beast – with all the benefits of a Golf
Drivers should bear in mind the T-Roc skimps on the interior to look good where it matters- but once you get behind the wheel it's a joy.
I WAS in my local gym the other day – I needed to use the loo – when I overheard a personal trainer use a phrase that was new to me.
“You’re all biceps and triceps,” he said to some Disney Channel-looking 17-year-old with a wispy top lip. "Those are just the glamour muscles.”
Glamour muscles. I like that. It could refer to any number of cars — especially crossovers, those hatchbacks with inflated ride-height and a few splodges of plastic to look rugged.
They look good but lack substance.
Underneath, they are no more fearsome than the teenage gym-goer who wants to fill his shirtsleeves.
But people fall for it. They buy a crossover because it looks like it could do the Dakar Rally but inside it is cramped and they order it in front-wheel drive.
There ARE some good cars in this segment.
The Nissan Qashqai, which kicked off the trend, is a great family motor.
Audi has done a good job with the Q2. And now there is the VW T-Roc.
It is based on the VW Golf — arguably the best car, pound for pound, on the market.
It uses VW’s hyper-versatile MQB platform (as does the Q2) so its chassis build-quality is second to none, the handling sharp and driver tech plentiful.
T-Roc customers won’t care about that.
They want a car with flair, status and attention-grabbing looks. Being a Golf underneath is just a bonus.
It’s like taking an M&S suit to Vivienne Westwood to jazz it up.
And the T-Roc IS a looker.
The lines are angular and purposeful, while a neat chrome trim and sweeping LED lights make it stand out.
With a starting price of £18,950 for the entry-level S trim — just £720 more than the Golf — VW had to save money somewhere . . . and it has, on the interior.
The finish isn’t up to the standard you expect from German firms.
The cabin is a landscape of cheap plastic dressed up with bright metal that matches the exterior paintwork.
That said, the 8in touchscreen infotainment system is standard across the range and a host of goodies can be bolted on, like adaptive cruise control.
VW T-Roc 1.5 TSI EVO 150PS
Key Facts
Price: £22,085
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo petrol
Economy: 53.3mpg
0-62mph: 8.3 seconds
Top speed: 127mph
Length: 4.2 metres
CO2: 120g/km
Best of all, it drives like a peach.
Actually, it drives like a Golf. The jacked-up ride position can feel floaty on bumpy roads but in essence this is a quality hatchback.
I drove the 1.5-litre EVO engine, which first appeared on the latest Golf and is a characterful plaything.
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Engines range from a 1-litre turbo to a 2-litre petrol, plus a couple of diesels. And it can be optioned in AWD.
This is not just biceps and triceps. The T-Roc is a fine car in its own right.
Right, I’m off to work on my core strength.