Used Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet for sale: everything you need to know

The disappearance of regular hatchback-based convertibles has left a gap in the market for those who don’t want a two-seater roadster like a Mazda MX-5, or more expensive premium models, but it’s a gap that Volkswagen tried to fill in 2020 with the T-Roc Cabriolet.

An SUV isn’t a natural base for a convertible, but it presumably made sense for Volkswagen, given the popularity of the regular Volkswagen T-Roc, and provides a unique experience you won’t find outside the only other brand to have done this in recent years, Land Rover, with the Range Rover Evoque Convertible.

That’s probably the only real rival for the T-Roc Cabriolet, and you’ll be looking at older examples for equivalent pricing. Otherwise, you’ll need to get your four-seat drop-top experience from cars like the BMW 4 Series Convertible and Audi A5 Cabriolet.

Should you buy a Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet?

The T-Roc Cabriolet is what we’d call a heart over head purchase. Few people need a convertible, as demonstrated by how few car manufacturers sell them these days outside of premium brands and sports cars. And we’d warrant few SUV and crossover buyers wish they could drop the roof on their family wagons. But for a select few buyers, this SUV-based drop-top might be just perfect.

What you lose compared to a regular T-Roc are a pair of rear doors (so rear-seat passengers will have to do some clambering), a good hundred-plus litres of boot space and a less convenient way of accessing it, and a fair bit of visibility when the roof is up. The extra weight from reinforcing the car to cope with the gap above you also makes it feel more cumbersome than the regular car.

You may not notice though if you don’t drive in too sporty a manner, and you’ll relish the chance to pop the roof down if and when there’s a break in the weather. Seek out a car with the winter pack, with its heated seats, and even driving in colder weather isn’t an issue, though rear seat passengers do miss out.

Engines are petrol-only, which isn’t such a bad thing in a convertible since diesels aren’t the most musical of things. The weight again hampers performance and economy, which could explain why most used models have the 1.5-litre under the bonnet, as the original owners presumably shied away from the 1-litre.

The T-Roc Cabriolet doesn’t really have any rivals. You could buy an older Range Rover Evoque Convertible for similar money, but everything else takes the form of a more conventional car-based drop-top - think cars like the BMW 4 Series Convertible and Audi A4 Cabriolet. If you’ll never use the rear seats, you could always get a proper sports car too, like a Mazda MX-5.

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What’s the best used Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet model to buy?

You’re somewhat limited here by what the car’s first buyers spent their money on, and for the most part that was the range-topping R-Line trim. It brought sports suspension settings and 19-inch alloy wheels which harm the ride and therefore the top-down cruiser vibe of the T-Roc cabrio. We’d seek out a Style or Design model, which rides better and doesn't lose out too much in terms of equipment, but chances are you’ll also be tempted by the look of the larger wheels.

Used Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet fuel economy and performance

• Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet 1.0 TSI: Only offered in six-speed manual form, the 1-litre turbocharged petrol develops 115PS, and has a 0-62mph time of 11.3 seconds. Combined economy is up to 44.8mpg.
• Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet 1.5 TSI EVO: The larger petrol has both manual and DSG automatic options, with a 150PS output. In manual form it has a 9.3-second 0-62mph time and up to 44.1mpg economy, and as a DSG, the acceleration figure remains the same while economy drops slightly to 41.5mpg, depending on specification.

What used Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet trim levels are available?

As something of a niche model the T-Roc Cabriolet range naturally isn’t quite as broad as that for regular T-Rocs and other Volkswagens, with just a handful of trim lines over time. The Design and R-Line trim below cover the ones you’re most likely to find on the market (with the majority of new buyers seemingly trading up to the R-Line) but you may also find some Active-badged models, which sit below Design trim.

• The Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet Design comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, halogen headlights, fabric trim, front seat height adjustment, two-zone climate control, an electric power hood, electric folding and heated door mirrors, auto lights and wipers, active cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, and an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen.
• The Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet R-Line upgrades to 19-inch alloy wheels, lowered sports suspension, an R-Line styling pack, LED headlights, aluminium-look pedals, gearshift paddles on DSG versions, front sports seats, and a 10.25-inch driver display.

Used Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet dimensions and boot size

The Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet’s dimensions are:

• Length: 4268mm
• Width: 1811mm (without mirrors), 1998mm (with mirrors)
• Height: 1522mm

The Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet’s boot size is:

• 280 litres

Used Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet road tax

With a lineup of petrol engines, all T-Roc Cabriolets get a flat rate of VED or ‘road tax’, which will currently set you back £180 per year.

How much is it to insure a Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet?

A 1.0 TSI T-Roc starts in only group 14 insurance, which really isn’t bad for a convertible, and even a 1.5 R-Line only goes as high as group 21. That’s more than the group 11 that a regular T-Roc starts from, but not a huge penalty to have a much more distinctive car.

Read our full Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet review