Volkswagen’s popular compact crossover receives mid-life facelift for 2022.
Volkswagen has revealed a facelifted version of the T-Roc four years after the crossover first joined the brand’s line-up.
The refreshed 2022 model, due to launch in Australia mid next year, receives a host of exterior styling and interior design upgrades as well as lightly revised petrol and diesels engines, though it is the petrol variants likely to carry over locally. The changes are aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the popular crossover, sales of which now total more than one million worldwide, and have been applied to both the five-door model and the two-door cabriolet.
The new-look front end is a key styling change for the first-generation T-Roc, which is midway through its planned eight-year model cycle. It features reworked headlights with a lightly altered shape and new LED graphics (optional with IQ Light matrix units), a revised grille with a more heavily structured black plastic insert and a light band running either side of a larger Volkswagen logo, together with a redesigned bumper that houses new daytime-running lights and a new-look lower central air duct.
At the rear, there are lightly revised tail-lights with new LED graphics as well as an altered rear bumper. The facelifted T-Roc also comes with redesigned alloy wheels, ranging from 16- to 19-inch in diameter.
As before, a performance-based R model heads the new T-Roc line-up. It receives its own individual styling cues, which also form the basis of an R-Line package available on standard facelifted T-Rocs. Included is a uniquely styled front bumper with black highlights, vertically stacked daytime-running lights mirroring the look of the latest Golf R and a larger air duct than that seen on standard versions of the new Volkswagen.
Other traditional R styling details for the range-topping T-Roc include standard 18in Jerez alloy wheels, aluminium-look exterior mirror housings, a larger spoiler integrated into the top of the tailgate, darkened tail-light lenses with new look LED graphics and a more heavily structured rear bumper with black detailing and integrated diffuser as well as quad tailpipes.
It is inside, though, where Volkswagen has focused much of its attention with the facelifted T-Roc. Central to its revised interior is a new soft-touch slush-moulded dashboard. Replacing the hard plastic unit currently used by the Volkswagen crossover, it houses a new 8.0-inch digital instrument display and new free-standing 8.0-inch and 9.2-inch touchscreen infotainment display. The infotainment system supports real-time traffic sign recognition, conversation voice control, Bluetooth smartphone integration, and optional Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functions.
There is also a new multifunction steering wheel from the Golf, reworked fabric door trims and revised switchgear, including digital controls for the air conditioning on the centre console.
Reflecting its positioning, the flagship R model adds further sporting accents inside. There’s a thicker-rimmed flat-bottomed R steering wheel with an integral R mode button, R-specific instruments, stainless steel pedal caps and footrest, more heavily contoured R seats and a standard 9.2-inch infotainment display with a series of R-specific driving monitor functions, among other individual touches.
As part of its mid-life reworking, the T-Roc gains a longer list of driver assistant systems as standard. These include more advanced front assist and lane assist systems from the existing pre-facelifted model, together with IQ Drive Travel Assist and a predictive cruise control system (Predictive ACC). In line with developments brought to the latest Golf, the range of functions offered by side assist has been extended, as has that of park assist, which is now also capable of parking forwards in perpendicular parking bays and moving out of parallel parking spaces.
The engine line-up for standard versions of the facelifted T-Roc mirrors that of today’s model, with three turbocharged TSI petrol units and two turbocharged TDI diesels, together with either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch DSG gearbox.
Among the petrol engines is the 110TSI with a 110kW/250Nm 1.4-litre turbo petrol and the 140TSI with its 140kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbo petrol.
The new T-Roc R, which comes exclusively in five-door form, continues to run a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 221Nm and 400Nm of torque in combination with a standard seven-speed dual-clutch DSG gearbox and 4Motion four-wheel drive. Volkswagen claims a 0-100km/h time of 4.9sec in combination with launch control, which is part of the dedicated R driving mode unique to the range-topping T-Roc model, together with a limited 250km/h top speed.
Prices for the 2022-model-year T-Roc have yet to be confirmed and pricing and specifications for Australia will arrive closer to its launch date next year.