Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet Review 2024

The fact that you’re reading this review would suggest that you have an interest in the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet. Either that or you’re here because your mate has just bought one and you want to have a good laugh at his or her expense.

But here’s the thing: the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet is a unique proposition, especially since the demise of the Range Rover Evoque Convertible. If you’re after a new drop-top SUV, this is your final destination. Wander down to your nearest Volkswagen dealer and place a deposit.

Other convertibles tend to be compromised in some way or hideously expensive – occasionally a mixture of the two. The MINI Convertible and BMW 2 Series Convertible are too small in the back, a Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet is at least £16 grand more expensive than the basic Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet. Beyond that you’re into the realms of an uncomfortable conversation with your bank manager.

Spoiler alert: if you fancy the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet, you’ll grow to love it.

Buy a standard Volkswagen T-Roc SUV and you’ll have to wade through a myriad of different trim levels, engines and option packs. Things are different in the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet, though, because there are just two trim levels and a pair of petrol engines.

Cynically, we’d say that Volkswagen has avoided the temptation to throw the kitchen sink at the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet in case it bombs like the Range Rover Evoque Convertible. However, we’re feeling charitable, so we’ll say the simple range is a victory for common sense.

Don’t be tempted by the R-Line trim. Although it looks the part, the lowered suspension and bling alloys write cheques the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet cannot cash, which makes the Style the default trim for you.

The choice of engine is less clear-cut, but we’d recommend the 1.5-litre TSI, not least because it can be paired with a seven-speed DSG auto transmission. The DSG ’box has its faults, but its relaxed nature is perfectly suited to the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet’s laid-back style, dude. Sorry, we were lost in a haze of SoCal Veedub vibes for a moment… 

History isn’t littered with great SUV convertibles – and we’ve used the word ‘littered’ for a reason. Land Rover failed to convince us that we needed a topless version of the Range Rover Evoque, presumably because too many people remember the horror show that was the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet. Readers of a nervous disposition should avoid Googling it.

Other ‘convertible’ SUVs were little more than standard cars with part of the roof removed. See: Land Rover Freelander, Suzuki Vitara and Toyota RAV4. We’re not sure Jeep would appreciate us referencing the Wrangler in the same breath as the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet. As we said before, the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet is unique.

The level of quality is fine, but a notch down from feeling properly premium. Some of the plastics, most notably the top of the dashboard, feel a little low-rent, but most buyers won’t care.

Put it this way, you wouldn’t avoid buying a refrigerator if the quality of the plastics used for the top and sides lacked a premium feel. If the fridge looks good in your kitchen and it chills your dairy products, meat and beer to the correct temperature, you won’t give it a second thought.

Volkswagen has ensured the touch points leave a good impression, so you get a leather trimmed steering wheel and gear knob, plus thick internal door handles. Ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control and an eight-inch colour touchscreen add to the feeling of quality.

Choosing one of the no-cost coloured dashpad packs certainly adds a touch of class to the cabin, with the dashboard, centre console and tops of the doors finished in either Ravenna Blue or Turmeric Yellow.

Crucially, the cloth roof has a quality feel. Available only in black fabric, it features three layers: a headliner, cushioned mat and outer cover. It doesn’t disappear into the rear deck, with the roof remaining on show for the world to see.

Volkswagen’s Discover Navigation system is one of the most impressive on the market. The eight-inch touchscreen features a crisp and easy-to-read display, even with the roof down. It’s also simple to use on the move, with an interface that’s as intuitive as the smartphone in your pocket.

Features include DAB digital radio, European navigation, Bluetooth and smartphone connectivity. You also get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto via a wireless connection, two USB ports in the front and an extra pair in the back. This means there will be no squabbles over who gets to charge their phone.

The Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet comes with a three-year subscription to Volkswagen’s We Connect Plus service. By using the app, you’ll have access to a range of driver-, vehicle- and location-based services.

Although we wouldn’t recommend the R-Line model, it does add an impressive 10.25-inch TFT display to the mix. It replaces the traditional dials with a configurable display, giving the T-Roc Cabriolet a premium feel. It’s an option on the Style model.

With the roof down, the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet offers best-in-class levels of headroom. We’re here all day and available for weddings, birthdays, Bar Mitzvahs, etc, etc.

‘Jokes’ aside, the Cabriolet offers less headroom than the standard Volkswagen T-Roc with the roof up, with the feeling of cosiness accentuated by the steep windscreen. Although rear-seat accommodation is more generous than other relatively small convertibles, adults won’t enjoy a long journey in the back. The novelty might even wear off for children.

In fact, the back of the Volkswagen  T-Roc Cabriolet is where you’ll find the cheap seats. With the roof up, it feels more claustrophobic than cosy, while knee-room is severely restricted. You don’t even get any cupholders for your bottle of ice tea or suntan lotion.

Predictably, there’s also less room in the boot. While the Volkswagen T-Roc offers up to 445 litres, the Cabriolet can muster a mere 284 litres. That’s not good enough in a family SUV, albeit one with a lifestyle bias. Put it this way: you get 215 litres in a MINI Convertible – a much smaller car.

In fairness to the Volkswagen  T-Roc Cabriolet, the luggage capacity is the same regardless of whether the roof is up or down, and it is possible to fold the rear seats 50/50. Unfortunately, the gap between the boot and the cabin is too narrow, although you should be able to squeeze some flatpack furniture through the opening.

You’ll also note that the boot opening is rather narrow, with loading hampered by high lip and space restricted by the rear wheelarches. Practicality isn’t the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet’s greatest strength, but it should be fine if it’s a car for the two of you.

Apart from length, the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet has a smaller footprint than the standard Volkswagen T-Roc at 4271mm long, 1811mm wide (excluding mirrors) and 1527mm tall. 

There are two petrol engines available in the UK: a 1.0-litre TSI and a 1.5-litre TSI Evo. A diesel engine isn’t available, presumably because nobody wants to hear the clatter of a diesel in their drop-top SUV.

The 1.0 TSI three-cylinder unit develops 115PS, which isn’t enough in a car as heavy as the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet. Little wonder it’s only available on the Style trim, with the R-Line offered solely with the 1.5 TSI four-cylinder unit.

With the 1.0 TSI, the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet labours to 62mph in 11.7 seconds which, despite what we said about adopting a relaxed approach, is a little frustrating.

The 150PS 1.5 TSI is no firecracker, but the four-cylinder engine feels more refined, which is an important consideration in a lifestyle car costing over £30,000. It’s actually heavier than the 1.0 TSI version, so the 0-62mph time is only marginally better, at 9.6 seconds.

All versions get a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, with a seven-speed DSG transmission available with the 1.5 TSI engine. It commands a £1,500 premium, but as this isn’t a car for taking a B-road by the scruff of the neck, it’s the option we’d choose. Just bear in mind that the DSG ‘box can feel a bit hesitant at low speeds and when exiting junctions.

This is a section of two halves. With the roof down, you’ll experience the kind of noises that you’re oblivious to in your family hatchback. The rustling of trees in the autumn wind, the song of birds on a spring morning, the mowing of lawns on a summer afternoon, the sound of somebody shouting obscenities at you on a winter commute.

Keeping the windows up protects you from the worst of the buffeting, so don’t bother with the optional wind deflector, which is only useful if you’re not carrying anyone in the back. Lowering the windows at motorway speeds is an act of torture akin to something you may have seen in Game of Thrones.

Predictably, the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet feels less refined than the standard T-Roc with the roof up, with the constant feeling that you’ve left a rear window open. We’re not sure this matters, because that’s part of owning a convertible. Rain pelting down on a canvas roof is an enriching experience, especially with the seat warmers turned on and a warm drink nestled in one the cupholders.

Not that those passengers sat in the back will agree with this statement...

The Volkswagen T-Roc was awarded a maximum five-star safety rating when it was crash-tested by Euro NCAP in 2017. Although the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet is unlikely to face death by Euro NCAP, Volkswagen will point to a number of safety features that work in the drop-top’s favour.

Take the rollover system, which comprises two thick panels that extend behind the headrests if the Volkswagen T-Roc detects transverse acceleration or a tilt angle above a certain parameter. In addition to this, the windscreen frame and A-pillars have been bolstered with reinforcement tubes, while the floor has also been strengthened.

To Volkswagen’s credit, it has made a number of safety features standard across the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet range. Multiple airbags are joined by two ISOFIX points for mounting child car seats in the rear, plus a full suite of driver assistance systems.

Highlights include adaptive cruise control, predictive pedestrian protection, city emergency braking, lane assist, front and rear parking sensors, and a driver fatigue sensor.

Options include park assist with a rear-view camera, pre-crash preventive occupant protection and progressive steering, the latter of which is standard on the R-Line trim.

Volkswagen has a good reputation for reliability and came 10th in the latest HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Index, scoring 88.4% for overall satisfaction. The Volkswagen T-Roc placed third for reliability with an average of 9.90.

Thanks to a group rating of 14, car insurance will be cheapest on the 1.0 TSI version. The 1.5 Style falls into group 19, while the R-Line gets a group 21 rating.

It won’t surprise you to discover that the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet is likely to be more expensive to insure than the standard Volkswagen T-Roc. This has something to do with the canvas roof and the temptation for ne'er-do-wells to get up to mischief on their way back from the pub.

First-year Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) – or ‘showroom tax’ – ranges from £215 for Design models with a manual gearbox, to £540 for R-Line models and the Style trim with a DSG transmission. After that you’ll pay £150 a year, regardless of the engine or trim.

Benefit in Kind (BIK) rates are 31% to 34% depending on the trim, engine and wheel size.

The Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet’s premium price is justified by the long list of standard equipment. Volkswagen says that the 1.0 TSI in Style trim will account for 40 percent of UK sales, and in truth, there’s little reason to look beyond this, even if we’d prefer the 1.5 engine.

Standard equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, LED rear lights, dual-zone climate control, automatic wipers, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, automatic headlights, an eight-inch touchscreen, sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Rather than spending the best part of £3500 upgrading to the R-Line trim, we’d spend a little time perusing the options and accessories brochure. Amazingly, you can order self-levelling centre caps for the alloy wheels. Still want that Rolls-Royce Dawn?