Here comes the fun with T-Roc soft top

IT APPEARS summer has arrived a little early at Volkswagen UK, with the T-Roc Cabriolet opening for orders.

The latest in a dynasty of Volkswagen Cabriolets spanning 71 years and numerous successful models, the T-Roc Cabriolet reaches the UK in two specification levels: Design and R-Line.

There are also a pair of petrol powertrains on offer as well – a 1.0-litre TSI 115 PS and a 1.5-litre TSI 150 PS, the latter available with a seven-speed DSG transmission, in addition to six-speed manual versions of both.

Aside from the fabric folding roof – which can be lowered in nine seconds and raised in 11 seconds – the T-Roc Cabriolet is distinct from the standard T-Roc in its two-door body style and its wheelbase, which has been extended by 40 mm compared with its five-door, solid-roof sibling. This allows maximum room for passengers in the cabin, as well as a useful 284-litre boot capacity.

Design trim features 17-inch ‘Mayfield’ alloy wheels as standard, with 18-inch ‘Montego Bay’ and ‘Sebring’ wheels available as options. Inside, an eight-inch Discover Navigation infotainment system is fitted, with wireless App-Connect smartphone connectivity, along with 2Zone climate control and a six-speaker sound system.

Among the arsenal of driver assistance systems included on the Design trim Cabriolet are Front Assist with pedestrian monitoring, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Assist and a driver alertness monitor with fatigue detection.

R-Line trim inherits the conventional T-Roc R-Line’s 19-inch ‘Suzuka’ wheels, although another set of attractive 19-inch ‘San Marino’ wheels are optionally available, and exclusive to the T-Roc Cabriolet. The R-Line also gets Volkswagen’s Active Info Display fitted as standard, in addition to bespoke R-Line trim pieces and features across the interior, including sports seats embroidered with the R logo, and a sports steering wheel.

On the outside, this trim level is distinguished by an R-Line body kit, fog lights with static cornering function, LED headlights and sports suspension, which is lowered by 20 mm compared with the standard running gear of the T-Roc.

Fashion-focused Design trim models start at £26,750 on-the-road, while sportier-styled R-Line examples begin at £31,920 on-the-road.