New Volkswagen T-Roc R performance SUV spotted testing for the first time
The second-generation T-Roc R will keep four-wheel drive and Golf R power
The new T-Roc R will be arriving in the Volkswagen range soon, bringing hot hatch power to the firm’s compact crossover. We’ve seen it camouflaged already in a studio, but now Volkswagen has been caught testing the Volkswagen T-Roc R on the road, or should we say snow?
The test car we’ve seen ditches the blanked-out lower grille and hides some of the outer edges of the front bumper too - suggesting some tweaks are in store there. Though the already sporty T-Roc R-Line model’s overall look will be carried over. A set of unique forged alloys will come on the T-Roc R, though they may not be larger than the optional 20-inch rims available on the standard car.
Around at the rear there’s the same roof spoiler, bootlid and bumper as the T-Roc, but the R has a new diffuser that also houses quad-tip exhausts - a staple of Volkswagen R models. While we can't quite make it out here, on the car we viewed in the studio this was an Akrapovic exhaust system that might be available as an option. There’s also no panoramic sunroof, so expect this to remain a £1,160 extra.
We couldn’t get a glimpse inside the car in the studio or on this test prototype, but the T-Roc’s new interior will be given a suitably sporty makeover, with bucket seats probably taken from the Golf R, dark fabrics and blue ambient lighting. The standard T-Roc already represents a colossal improvement in terms of material quality and tech, and this same level of improvement will no doubt be brought across.
Engine and performance details
Key to the Volkswagen T-Roc R will of course be its powertrain, which will feature the same 328bhp turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine as the latest Mk8.5 Golf R. This is the version of the engine used across VW’s high-performance portfolio, plus high-output variants of the Cupra Leon and Audi S3.
In the Golf R, which we’re currently running as a long-term test car, there’s a 0-62mph time of 4.6 seconds. Expect the extra height and weight of the T-Roc R SUV to diminish the sprint time somewhat compared to the hot hatch, though like the first T-Roc R, it should hit 62mph in under five seconds.
The engine will be connected to a 4Motion all-wheel drive system and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. It will also feature the latest Golf’s torque-vectoring rear differential, complete with a ‘Drift Mode’, which will be unique to the hot compact SUV class.
Volkswagen hasn’t confirmed when the new performance flagship will be revealed in full, but we suspect it’ll be within the next few months as the brand spends the latter half of 2026 focusing on its new ID.Polo family of electric vehicles.
Fancy a new VW? Get the very best offers from our network of over 5,500 UK dealers! Let’s go…
