Volkswagen T-Roc R: the most hardcore version of the German SUV arrives with 300 CV under the bonnet, ready to take on the CUPRA Ateca.

SUV and sports car are no longer two words that should jar when used in the same sentence, since numerous brands have shown that this combination is possible. Now it is the turn of Volkswagen to join that line-up of manufacturers capable of uniting, with ease and harmony, the comforts of an SUV with the character and strength of an engine designed to be the heart of genuine sports cars. To prove it, the people from Wolfsburg have taken the T-Roc as a base, a model that adopts the R designation on its rear to unleash a more radical and youthful spirit.

With this premise, we find a T-Roc that borrows several components already appreciated in one of its closest siblings, the Golf R. This is how the German SUV puffs out its chest thanks to a look more suited to this illustrious name and to a powertrain that will leave none of its owners indifferent thanks to its performance.

Gym hours for the Volkswagen T-Roc R

The first thing that catches our attention about the newly arrived T-Roc R is its more muscular and wider styling, two features that signal this is no ordinary, run-of-the-mill model. At the same time, a lowered suspension helps consolidate the new personality that the R badge gives it and delivers more precise and firm dynamic behaviour.

A sense of greater robustness, aggressiveness and poise also comes through at the front, where a more voluminous bumper sits alongside two prominent air intakes. The grille has the same effect: it now features a honeycomb-style design devised to aid engine cooling and deliver a striking, sporty look.

The side now features the characteristic silver trim of the R-badged models, which pairs perfectly with 18-inch wheels, a size that rises to 19 inches if we opt for the Petroria wheels. But it is at the rear where we find a quad exhaust outlet signed by Akrapovič, a clear sign that the T-Roc R will treat us to a sweet soundtrack.

Inside, we also notice certain improvements over a standard T-Roc, where sports-cut seats trimmed in Alcantara steal much of the spotlight. A specific steering wheel, aluminium pedals and the R emblem placed around the cabin complete the visual innovations of this more radical version, but it goes further with the mechanical side.

300 CV for the SUV from Volkswagen

Volkswagen did not want to beat around the bush when developing the T-Roc R, a name representing a lineage of vehicles ready to offer performance that aims to deliver a greater level of sensations. To achieve this, the German engineers have turned to the well-known four-cylinder turbocharged 2.0 TSI engine, capable of producing 300 CV of power and 400 Nm of torque, figures delivered through a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox and 4Motion all-wheel drive.

This is how the new Volkswagen T-Roc R manages to stop the clock in 4.9 seconds when accelerating to 100 km/h, a time complemented by a top speed of 250 km/h. In this way we are not only looking at one of the fastest models from the German manufacturer, but also in its segment and even above, as this souped-up T-Roc will go after the CUPRA Ateca and the Skoda Kodiaq RS.

Technical specifications of this car

CrossoverVolkswagen T-Roc7 versions · from 34,285 €