Previewed by a concept presented in 2014, the T-Roc is nearing its long-awaited debut. In order to raise the hype, Volkswagen decided to show off a pre-production prototype in South Africa’s wilderness.
The following video is all VeeDub is willing to share at this moment in time about its MQB-based crossover, but it’s plenty enough. The clip’s description mentions only one thing about the T-Roc, and that is, “Still covered, revealed soon.” That means a 2017 debut for the 2018 MY. But can VW make a case for the T-Roc in the U.S. of A.?
It could do considering the size and the competition. The small side of compact crossover vehicles, as well as the subcompact regnum, are selling like hot cakes in the States. Heck, this trend convinced the Ford Motor Company to bring the EcoSport around here. Over at General Motors, demand for the Chevrolet Trax keeps going up. And concerning Fiat Chrysler, the Jeep Renegade isn’t bad either.
Design is the party piece of the T-Roc, but as it’s often the case with Volkswagen Group products, the production model is not as wildly stylized as the T-Roc Concept. It has likable proportions, though. The generous ground clearance also helps Volkswagen with slapping the “lifestyle-oriented” label to its all-new crossover.
Essentially an Audi Q2 with a Volkswagen badge and different body panels, the T-Roc is sure to receive the 1.5-liter TSI that Europeans get in the Golf facelift. Lesser mills are also in the offing, and so are turbo diesels. The 2.0-liter TDI is a viable powerplant considering that most Europeans still love diesel.
Based on what we can tell from the prototype in the video and taking into account the MQB underpinnings, 4Motion all-wheel-drive is reserved for select engines. For those customers who can’t be bothered to shift their own cogs, a DSG dual-clutch automatic boasting seven forward gears will be on offer.
In the worst case scenario, expect to see the 2018 Volkswagen T-Roc in the flesh no later than at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News