Volkswagen T-Roc R Officially Revealed With 300 HP, Hits 100 Kph in 4.9s

The T-Roc R is cool but more than a little predictable. The model is nowhere near as flamboyant as some hot hatchbacks. It doesn't have a big wing like the Civic Type R or fat fenders like the Megane RS. You have to remember that this criticism is directed at a small car which will probably cost around €44,000 before options.

Still, we like it a hell of a lot more than the normal T-Roc. The second member of the R family (third if you count the Golf wagon) features a familiar powertrain. The 2.0 TSI turbo four-pot makes the same 300 HP and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) as its two sister cars, the Cupra Ateca, and Audi SQ2. For the record, all three are based on the MQB, and even though the SQ2 looks bigger, it's about the same length and height. The Cupra model is a little bigger, but not by a lot.

The rest of the T-Roc R's powertrain consists of a 4Motion all-wheel-drive and 7-speed DSG. There's no manual, at least for now. With this setup, the jacked up Golf R gets to 100 kph (62 mph) in 4.9 seconds, which is a couple of tenths slower than the hatch, and a tenth off the SQ2's time.

Other upgrades have also been made. Our favorite bit is the new front bumper, which looks more natural than the base T-Roc. It gets a slightly more prominent upper grille and sporty black creases. VW is calling it a concept if you didn't know, and we think it has to do with those LED daytime/signature lights. They did a similar setup for the Tiguan R-Line concept and removed it for production.

Tech borrowed from the Golf R includes the big brake pack, alloy wheels (18-inch Spielberg or the sexy 19-inch Pretoria rims) and quad exhaust. The photos show the Akrapovic setup, but that's going to be an expensive option.

The interior is too understated for some. Blue accent pieces are nothing unusual, so you're only left with an R steering wheel and seats. Optionally, you can have Nappa leather and carbon inserts.