Volkswagen T-Roc R review

From Cain and Abel to Liam and Noel, there are plenty of examples of sibling rivalries getting seriously heated. And the Volkswagen T-Roc R is involved in a fight that fits that tradition.

You see, it’s one of the most affordable sports SUVs you can buy, and competes for sales with three other models from the VW Group: the Audi SQ2, Cupra Ateca and Cupra Formentor.

What’s more, due to those family ties, all four share the same four-wheel-drive system, automatic gearbox and 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine. That engine gives them 296bhp, except the Formentor, which gets 304bhp.

The $64,000 question, then, is does the T-Roc R make the best use of those mechanicals and put a bigger smile on your face than those three rival cars, while remaining usable for the everyday grind?

That’s what we’ll be considering in this review, along with how the VW T-Roc R stacks up for practicality, quality and fuel economy against the best sports SUV rivals. If you're interested in the regular, small SUV version of the model, you can read all about that in our full VW T-Roc review.

After a brief pause while its turbocharger spins up, the VW T-Roc R accelerates with the kind of ferocity that would put many two-seat sports cars to shame.

And, because maximum pull is available from 2,000rpm all the way through to 5,200rpm, its seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox doesn’t even have to shift up or down that often for you to make rapid progress.

Volkswagen quotes a 0-62mph time of 4.8 seconds, and we managed 0-60mph in 4.7sec using its standard-fit launch control system, which is designed to get you off the line with the minimum of wheelspin.

True, the Audi SQ2, Cupra Ateca and Cupra Formentor are similarly fast, but the T-Roc R sounds more exciting than those cars if you specify it with the Akrapovic sports exhaust system (it's just a shame that's such an expensive extra).

The standard exhaust still pops and crackles when you lift off the accelerator after hard acceleration, but doesn't have anything like the depth of sound you get with the Akrapovic.

The T-Roc R’s most decisive advantage over rivals is in the way it handles. From its quicker-reacting steering and tighter body control to its vice-like grip on the road, it feels more like a hot hatch than a sports SUV and will leave the other VW Group models behind on a winding road.

What’s more, that grip is spread evenly front to rear, and you can really feel the power being sent to the back wheels when exiting corners, helping to prevent the nose from running wide.

We've only been able to test the T-Roc R with optional adaptive dampers, which allow you to stiffen or soften the suspension on demand. But no matter which mode you’re in, you get less body lean than you do in the SQ2 or Ateca. The penalty for its composure is a constant patter, although the ride isn't harsh in the way the BMW X2 M35i's is. 

The engine fades into the background at a steady motorway cruise, and wind noise is well controlled, but you do have to put up with a fair bit of road noise.

Driving overview

Strengths Properly punchy; agile handling

Weaknesses Adaptive dampers are optional; quite a bit of road noise

To match the muscular swagger of its exterior bodykit, the interior of the VW T-Roc R features a flat-bottomed steering wheel, a good few R emblems and figure-hugging front sports seats.

Those seats hold you in place really well during hard cornering. Plus they remain comfortable even after hours in the saddle, partly thanks to the wide range of adjustment they offer, including for lumbar support.

The slender windscreen pillars and raised driving position mean you have a good view of the road ahead, too, although it's worth noting that you sit higher up in a Cupra Ateca.

Wide rear pillars restrict your view out of the rear window, but you get front and rear parking sensors as standard to get round that. There’s the option of a rear-view camera to make manoeuvring even easier, while bright LED headlights are standard and provide great illumination at night.

The one big disappointment when the T-Roc R first came out was the quality of the materials inside. However, in a mid-life facelift it gained a soft-touch upper dashboard and a piano-black climate-control panel. There are still some scratchy plastics, but they’re better hidden.

The T-Roc R’s infotainment touchscreen is easy to use, because its menus are logically laid out, there’s a rotary knob for scrolling up and down lists, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring are standard.

The system is augmented by a large digital driver's display in place of analogue dials. It's highly configurable and able to show you lots of useful information, including sat-nav mapping, the audio menus and trip computer.

Interior overview

Strengths Comfortable driving position; supportive seats; brilliant digital instruments

Weaknesses Interior materials are a bit disappointing 

Even tall adults will have no issues with head or leg room when sitting in the front of the VW T-Roc R. The door bins are wide and there are useful storage cubbies dotted around the driver.

However, the rear is much less roomy than in the Cupra Atecas, so two 6ft back-seat passengers will have their knees touching the seats in front. You get a bit more rear head room in the T-Roc R than you do in the Cupra Formentor, and while it's a bit of a squeeze to seat three people across the rear bench, it is at least wider than in the Audi SQ2.

Like all four-wheel-drive T-Rocs, the R has a shallower boot than front-wheel-drive variants, due to the need to accommodate extra mechanical components below it. There’s room for only five carry-on suitcases, whereas the Ateca can take six.

The rear bench folds in a 60/40 split, but there’s no option to slide or recline the rear seat, or to upgrade it to a more useful 40/20/40 split.

Practicality overview

Strengths Plenty of storage space; decent head room

Weaknesses Ateca has more rear leg room

The VW T-Roc R has a higher list price than an equivalent Cupra Ateca but we're not talking a significant difference, and it's slightly cheaper than the Audi SQ2 and Cupra Formentor.

With four-wheel drive and nearly 300bhp under the bonnet, emissions are unsurprisingly high enough to put the T-Roc R into the top 37% BIK tax bracket for company car drivers. And although the official fuel economy is as healthy as 33.2mpg, you’ll have to drive pretty sensibly to get near that.

More positively, standard equipment is generous, with a list that includes 19in alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, ambient interior lighting and adaptive cruise control.

In addition, Euro NCAP awarded the T-Roc five stars (out of five) for safety. An in-depth look at the results shows that it was found to be better at protecting adult occupants, child occupants and pedestrians than the SQ2 and Cupra Ateca. The Formentor was also awarded five stars, despite being put through a more recent – and more challenging – version of the test.

The T-Roc R’s Euro NCAP rating was boosted by its comprehensive safety kit, which includes lane-keeping assistance, road-sign recognition and an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system that can detect pedestrians as well as cars.

The regular VW T-Roc didn't do brilliantly in the 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey, finishing 14th out of 22 small SUVs ranked. Volkswagen came 22nd out of 32 manufacturers in the brands section of the survey. The warranty is nothing special, at three years and 60,000 miles.

Costs overview

Strengths Lots of standard safety equipment

Weaknesses Not particularly frugal; an expensive company car choice

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