The much-trailed Volkswagen T-Roc compact SUV makes its public debut at the Frankfurt motor show, and is being seen as the start of a new era as VW attempts to put its emissions crisis behind it.
The T-Roc is the first major launch in a brand offensive that will see Volkswagen renew its model range over the next three years. “We will be thoroughly updating our vehicle range by 2020 and expanding into important segments,” says VW passenger cars chairman Dr Herbert Diess.
Two-tone paintwork
Lifestyle will be a major element of the T-Roc sales story – as detailed when first unveiled at Lake Como earlier this month – it will be the first VW SUV available in two-tone paintwork, a range of colours on offer with visually contrasting roof, windscreen pillars and door mirror housings.
Volkswagen will offer both front and all-wheel-drive versions of the model. It promises that it will combine the ability of an SUV with the driving dynamics of a hatch and offer ride comfort on a par with the Golf. Three petrol and two diesel engines will be available, matched to six-speed manual or seven-speed auto transmissions.
Also set to appeal to buyers will be the range of assistance systems available on the car, including Front Assist and Lane Assist as standard and an optional Traffic Jam Assist system. The cabin gains the latest generation of VW’s Active Info Display systems and full connectivity. The car on show in Frankfurt is to the brand’s R-line trim, in addition to the announced T-Roc, Sport and Style grades.
The T-Roc is scheduled to go on sale at the end of 2017, at prices predicted to start from around £19,000. It will sit in the VW range below the Tiguan, and will be joined in 2018 by a smaller sister model, the T-Cross.
