Volkswagen T-Roc convertible: the less is better?

The German manufacturer unveils the T-Roc convertible; a visually pretty SUV that sacrifices a lot to the hardtop version.

Presentation of the car

The SUV convertible segment has until now been limited to the Evoque Cabriolet with its complicated career. Anyway, Volkswagen firmly believes in its T-Roc convertible. It is a vehicle that offers a young and cool image even if to achieve it, Volkswagen has removed a lot of things, starting with the rear doors and the rear centre seat. As a result, this T-Roc ticks the box of the coupé cabriolet with a flexible soft top that can be visibly restored and whose manoeuvres can be carried out at speeds of up to 30 km/h and in 9 seconds. Another sacrifice is the trunk volume. It goes from 445 to 284 litres, which is being enough to go away for the weekend and do the shopping. Not to go on a four-person vacation. Finally, VW is saving on engines. The T-Roc Convertible is only be available with two petrol engines of 115 and 150 horsepower. No diesel or all-wheel drive.

What do not change

The convertible is an endangered species. Just at Volkswagen, the Beetle is removed from the catalogue, while the variant has no longer been offered with the Golf 7 and should not return with the Golf 8. The T-Roc convertible is the only convertible in the current catalogue. For the rest, this T-Roc is rather envied in this summer period. It retains the front face; almost the same rear face and the instrumentation of the T-Roc hardtop but is 4 centimetres (4.27m) longer by an extended wheelbase that should benefit the comfort of the rear seats. The Volkswagen T-Roc Convertible made its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show (12 - 22 September 2019) before starting its career next spring. The tariffs were not communicated. The German automaker Volkswagen presents its new T-Roc Convertible (photo), which will be on the market in spring 2020. With the new T-Roc Convertible (2019), Volkswagen introduces the first discoverable SUV model in the compact model category. However, the German manufacturer points out that it is still a concept car, certainly very close to production. The final vehicle will be on the market in spring 2020. Compared to the classic T-Roc, this 2-door convertible version is slightly longer by 4 cm, at 4.27 metres. Good news, these 4 cm are found at the level of the wheelbase which extends to 2.63 meters. In the tradition of the predecessors Coccinelle Cabriolet and Golf Cabriolet, the Wolfsburg brand has chosen a canvas hood. It unfolds and folds in just 9 seconds (up to 30 km/h) by pressing a button placed at the foot of the centre console (or at rest via the key). Not surprisingly, the boot volume dropped sharply from 445 litres to 284 litres.

"Style" or "R-Line"

The German manufacturer promises that the work done on the aerodynamics will contribute to the silence in the cabin when the soft top is closed. Volkswagen has of course provided an occupant protection system, which folds out behind the rear seats in the event of a rollover. On the equipment side, we also mention the premium audio system (400 watts) by BeatsAudio, as an option and the possibility of choosing between the "Style" or "R-Line" package.

Only in gasoline

Under the hood, you will have the choice between the two gasoline 1.0 TSI 115 horses and 1.5 TSI 150 horses. The 7-speed dual clutch transmission is optional on the more powerful one. No diesel. The Volkswagen T-Roc Convertible will be officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show (12-22 September 2019). Now it remains to know the prices!

And the T-Roc R

In the T-Roc family, we are still waiting for the 300-horsepower all-wheel-drive T-Roc R, which was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2019. Commercialization is expected soon.