MOTORS: Volkswagen T-Roc Cabrio R-Line – playing hard and fast with the classic soft-top car
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
There have been some classic soft-top cars over the years and in more recent times, we’ve seen some absolute crackers like the superb Mazda MX-5. It has replaced the fabric roof with a folding metal one but it is still one of the best for the fresh-air feeling, writes Alan Douglas.
One brand which might not automatically spring to mind is VW although they have more than 70 years of experience in open-top motoring, producing some classics like the Golf convertible.
They’ve also got one of the more unusual versions of the breed, the cabrio derivative of VW’s T-Roc compact SUV to literally breathe fresh air into the softroader market.
At first sight, it doesn’t make sense combining two distinct types of vehicle and coming up with something which disappoints in each segment.
Read more: Motors: Jeep Renegade struggles to live up to expectations
Read Alan's take on many other cars you may be considering
Even VW’s head of design admits that the concept is pretty cheeky, bringing fun, freedom and vitality to a small SUV, which has a mini-beefy image.
Removing the fixed roof has meant that one of the three rear seats in the standard version has had to go, along with the hatchback boot and the car is heavier because of the extra strengthening and that in turn changes the driving dynamics.
It’s also more expensive than more conventional competitors but there are some positives. The electrohydraulic roof mechanism takes only nine seconds to open and two seconds longer to close and can be operated at up to 19mph so you don’t need to come to a complete stop to put it up or down.
There are two engine options and the test car had the bigger turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol which with an optional seven-speed DSG auto box was capable but more agile when using the steering column-mounted paddles to go up and down the gears.
On the road, the car feels solid – I kept the roof down all the time I was in it – but there was quite a bit of “scuttle shake” where the lack of a fixed roof means you’re aware of the body flexing with the changing road surface. In fairness, that’s common in most convertibles, but some are worse than others and I suspect the firmer sports suspension on the R-Line trim of the test car didn’t help.
It came with the £320 optional wind deflector behind the front seats which helps reduce buffeting but the downside is that it rules out the rear seats which are pretty small anyway and only really of use to junior adults.
The latest model has seen some minor tweaks to the exterior look with new D-shaped LED daytime running lights and a revised front end with an updated grille and modified taillights.
There are more options to personalise your model with eight alloy wheel choices, two design packs and eight body colours, including the dramatic Teal Blue paint job of the featured test car.
The interior is pretty much the same as the standard version and is in the customary clean VW style with a central eight-inch infotainment colour touchscreen which can be tricky to use when on the move. The finish is first-class with softer-touch materials replacing the previous hard surfaces so the interior feels more plush and upmarket.
Visibility is good, helped by the slightly raised driving position and the heated seats come with powered lumbar support and a backrest release to help passengers get in the back.
With the removal of the standard tailgate, the boot now has a small lid with a narrow opening but it is fairly deep, so it’s still quite accommodating and the rear seats fold if you need extra space.
Prices start at just under £32,000 for the smaller engine version and for that you get a comprehensive list of standard equipment but if you fancied the car, it would be better to go for the full-fat version of the test car with the bigger engine and even more equipment.
Car stats:
CAR: Volkswagen T-Roc Cabrio R-Line
PRICE: £37,255 (£40,225 as tested)
ENGINE: Transverse 1.5 litre turbocharged 4 cyl in-line petrol 7-speed DSG auto
POWER: 150 PS
TORQUE: 250 NM
PERFORMANCE: Top speed 127mph. 0-62mph 9.4 secs
ECONOMY: 44 mpg combined
CO2 EMISSIONS: 144 g/km
