Volkswagen has officially unveiled its second-generation T-Roc, launching it with an entirely electrified range of engines. As well as the new engines, the new crossover comes with a refreshed look and some new tech. The new small family SUV will officially go on sale in November 2025, with new hybrid engine options joining the line-up in 2026.
As well as a refined and more modernised design that places the new T-Roc closer to the latest Tiguan and Passat, it’s longer and a little taller than the outgoing car. VW says that’s meant to improve passenger space, meaning better legroom in the second row and a slightly larger boot – now rated to 465 litres.
The interior has also been refined and is now full of details, design elements and technology from other VW models. The brand’s large central infotainment screen is prominent, and details like instruments from the latest Golf and the click-wheel volume dial from the latest Tiguan make their way to the new T-Roc. Confirmed variants include Life, Style and R-Line – with a new-generation T-Roc R performance variant confirmed for 2027.
For the standard T-Roc, though, every engine for this generation will be electrified. The range will start with two mild hybrid engine options with 116hp and 150hp – both with front-wheel drive.
But the more significant news is the introduction of two full, non-plug-in hybrid options coming in 2026. ‘It will be the first time in our history we are bringing full hybrid in two different power outputs,’ says Dr Petr Večeř, powertrain expert at Volkswagen, confirming a 136hp and a 170hp option. ‘Some of our customers want the advantages of electric driving, but we have many customers who have no possibility to plug in their car,’ says Večeř, ‘and this is exactly the segment we didn’t cover before that we are covering now.
What this means for you
A new, family-friendly SUV that’ll be better on fuel and smarter than the one before it. VW’s T-Roc has always been a dependable and commendable car to live with and own, and this one will likely be no different.
This one will save you fuel more than the old one did, and the additional space inside means more room for those in the second row – allowing even tall adults to sit behind fellow tall adults.
We don’t know pricing yet, but we’re expecting a bit of a rise over the old car. That said, we’re expecting it to feel like a better value for money offering with the additional space and technology included.
Jake Groves’ view: VW’s safe new car could the only car you need
The T-Roc has been a huge seller across Europe and the UK, with VW hoping that this new version won’t be too drastic a change over the old one to keep the faithful just that. The introduction of an all-hybrid engine line-up means better opportunities to save fuel and, with the upcoming full hybrid version, the chance to zip around town without needing to use the engine at all.
This is, of course, not a remotely new idea in the car industry. Hybrids like this have been around for 30 years, but it’s telling that Volkswagen believes this is the future to the degree it has invested a significant amount of money to create its own new range of hybrid engines that’ll be used across multiple models for the years to come.
Is it an exciting step forward? Not really. But will the T-Roc be one of those cars that just isn’t a headache in daily life? Almost certainly.
Jake Groves – News Editor, CAR
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