This Is One Convertible We Won't Weep After When It Goes Away for Good Next Year

Normally, we'd vote against losing an open-top model, but in this case, we'll make an exception. The reason is we're not talking about a traditional one with only a few inches between its belly and the road, as the vehicle this story revolves around is none other than the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet.

Unveiled in 2020, three years after its fixed-roof model saw the light of day, the VW T-Roc Cabriolet will reportedly bite the dust after the current generation. The German carmaker is currently working on the T-Roc's second generation, and there won't be an open-top version of it anymore. After all, "there is only a really small customer group for cabrios," said the company's development chief, Kai Grunitz, on the sidelines of the 2024 CES, quoted by AutoNews.

The decision is rather surprising, considering that the T-Roc Cabriolet was the second best-selling convertible in Europe last year, after MINI's open-top model. It is said to have accounted for 11,693 sales in the first eleven months of 2023, Dataforce reveals, while the fixed-roof version registered 191,015 during the same period. As a result, the convertible crossover represented a small fraction of the total T-Roc's sales on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

While the current T-Roc builds on the MQB A1 platform, which is the same one used on the old Golf, the next one, expected in 2025, is rumored to switch to the MQB Evo. Does the latter sound familiar? Well, it's also used on the larger VW Passat, as well as the Tiguan, Golf Mk8, Skoda Octavia, SEAT Leon, Cupra Formentor, Audi Q6, and others. This construction is highly versatile, so it supports multiple powertrains. Nevertheless, we cannot tell you yet what assemblies the new T-Roc will get.

Rumors indicate at least one plug-in hybrid, as well as mild-hybrid units. It is also worth noting that the upcoming T-Roc will be Volkswagen's last new combustion model, and this information came from the brand's chief, Thomas Schafer. Subsequently, every new car VW makes, regardless of the shape and size, will feature battery-electric powertrains.

On a related note, some believe the sporty T-Roc R, with its 296 horsepower (300 ps/221 kW) 2.0L four-banger, might not survive into the second generation, whereas others believe this model will continue to top the compact crossover's family in terms of performance and pricing. So, are you sad the T-Roc Cabriolet is being put to sleep for good, according to the quoted outlet, or do you think it should stick around for as long as possible?