Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet: nine seconds to open the roof

The world can change in just nine seconds… In today’s pandemic context, that might sound like bad news, but not here: it is simply the (ultra-fast) time the T-Roc Cabriolet needs to fold its roof behind the rear seats and let up to four occupants “gain the sky”. Closing it again takes 11 seconds, two seconds longer because it is moving “upwards”; in both directions, however, the process includes unlocking and locking the fabric roof.

This is possible provided the T-Roc is stationary or travelling at up to 30 km/h (less than some other soft-top convertibles on the market, which can operate at around 50 km/h).

The T-Roc Cabriolet is now the sole convertible in the entire Volkswagen range. The Beetle Cabriolet, built in Puebla, Mexico, from 2003, reached the end of its life in 2019; the Eos, manufactured in Portugal, ended production in 2015; and the Golf Cabriolet ceased production in 2016, after 770,000 examples had been assembled across four generations.

Volkswagen’s first convertible SUV is built in Osnabrück, at the former Karmann coachbuilding facility. Karmann went bankrupt in 2010, after which the factory was taken over by Volkswagen. It first began producing the Beetle Cabriolet in 1949, before switching to the Golf Mk1 Cabriolet in 1974 and later generations.

This specialist convertible production centre had been building only the Porsche 718 Cayman, making it the natural birthplace for the T-Roc Cabriolet following a relatively modest investment.

Fully automatic opening in nine seconds

The three-layer fabric hood folds in a “Z” shape when the weather encourages open-air motoring. It needs no separate cover, instead relying on a plastic trim panel behind the second-row head restraints to prevent it from billowing in the airflow. This also helps explain why raising or lowering the roof is so quick.

An optional wind deflector can be fitted behind the front seats to reduce turbulence, although doing so prevents the two rear seats from being used.

The rear seatbacks can be folded to increase boot capacity, which falls from 445 litres with the roof up to 284 litres with it lowered. The boot is connected to the cabin to improve practicality, although the loading lip is rather high.

When the T-Roc Cabriolet is carrying four people, it is worth noting that the rear seats offer reasonably good room for occupants up to 1.80 m tall. The convertible’s wheelbase is 4 cm longer than that of the standard T-Roc. Their backrests are also less upright than is often the case in other convertibles, avoiding the associated comfort drawbacks. Here, the central floor tunnel is less of an issue because there are only two rear seats and nobody has to sit in the middle.

Visibility out from the second row also benefits from the seats being positioned 2 cm higher than those at the front.

As is usual with this type of bodywork, two rollover protection bars are integrated behind the rear backrests. They deploy vertically if a rollover is imminent, working alongside reinforcements in the windscreen frame and front pillars to reduce the consequences of an accident.

Behind the wheel, little changes

There are fewer changes from the driver’s seat. On the positive side, the centre section of the dashboard is angled towards the driver, including a central infotainment display that is neatly integrated into the fascia. Some rivals, including recent ones, use screens perched on top of or ahead of the dashboard surface, undermining the impression of quality by making them look like aftermarket accessories rather than components designed with the car from the outset.

The quality of the dashboard and door-panel finishes is less impressive, however, as hard plastics lower the overall perceived quality. More would be expected, particularly because a T-Roc can easily be compared with a Golf in a Volkswagen showroom. The Golf has genuinely high-quality materials across its dashboard and doors, yet the two are sold at similar prices. The T-Roc also fares poorly beside the clearly cheaper Polo.

The entry-level Style version uses analogue instruments, while the better-equipped R-Line receives a 10.2-inch digital display. The central infotainment screen is likewise offered in a simpler version and a more sophisticated touchscreen version with additional functions. The seats are generously sized and comfortable, although they could provide slightly more lateral support in the R-Line tested here.

Only two engines for the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet

The T-Roc Cabriolet is available with just two engines: the 1.0 TSI three-cylinder producing 115 PS, or the 1.5 TSI four-cylinder with 150 PS, as fitted to this test car, where it is paired with a six-speed manual gearbox.

The R-Line version is readily identifiable from the outside by its darkened headlights, R-Line badge on the grille, front fog lights and body-coloured bumpers. Inside, it adds steel pedals, sports seats with electrically adjustable lumbar support, plus the more advanced instrument and infotainment displays.

Carefully tuned suspension

There is more to it than that: the suspension has a sporting set-up and sits 10 mm closer to the ground. Electronic dampers are also available, allowing the ride to be set for greater comfort or stability through the Comfort, Normal, Sport, Eco or Individual driving modes.

It is also important to note that the rear suspension is an independent multi-link arrangement, unlike the closed-body T-Roc, which uses a more basic torsion-beam rear axle except in four-wheel-drive versions.

That reveals the “secret” behind handling that is genuinely pleasing. This T-Roc Cabriolet adapts particularly well to both the road type and the driver’s mood because, beyond the ability to vary damping, the differences between the driving modes are much easier to distinguish than in many other cars, including those from the Volkswagen Group, where switching from Normal to Sport produces virtually no perceptible behavioural change.

On a series of bends along secondary roads, this version also benefits from progressive steering, which is more communicative and direct than the standard system. With only 2.1 turns lock-to-lock, versus 2.7, the driver can complete almost every manoeuvre without making large arm movements.

Rear passengers are again well catered for, since this rear suspension is more comfortable over poor surfaces than a semi-rigid axle. It also helps minimise noises from the body structure in such conditions, despite the car having had its roof “cut off”.

Even carrying 200 kg more than the non-convertible version, the T-Roc Cabriolet 1.5 TSI responds with reasonable ease. It is helped by a well-spaced gearbox, with a quick and quiet shift action, and by full torque delivery from just 1500 rpm. Acceleration does require slightly more effort, though: it is 1.1 seconds slower from 0 to 100 km/h, taking 9.6s rather than the 8.5 s of the “non-convertible”.

Fuel consumption also suffers, coming very close to 8 l/100 km during this driving test, compared with the official combined figure of 5.7.

Technical specifications

Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet 1.5 TSI
Engine
Architecture
Valvetrain
Fuel system
Capacity
Power
Torque
Transmission
Drive
Gearbox
Chassis
Suspension
Brakes
Steering
Steering wheel turns
Turning circle
Dimensions and capacities
Length x Width x Height
Wheelbase
Boot capacity
Fuel tank capacity
Weight
Wheels
Performance and consumption
Top speed
0-100 km/h
Combined consumption
CO₂ emissions

Authors: Joaquim Oliveira/Press Inform.