First Drive: Volkswagen T‑Roc

T-Roc doesn't look like an SUV, it doesn't look much like a Volkswagen, but it certainly looks the part. Not that it hasn't got competitors at this elevated urban cowboy level, think the Range Rover Evoke, maybe Audi's Q2, certainly Toyota's C-HR and perhaps even Citroën's C3 Aircross. Check out that clever framing, chromium-plate trim, those daring bonnet curves and heavily-raked rear screen, which restricts the rear loading height and space for big dogs. It's wide, but 252mm shorter than the Tiguan SUV and it rides just 19mm higher than a standard Golf, so you don't get much of a command driving position. There's a huge range of coachwork colours available with contrasting roof colours.

The cabin feels like design heresy for VW, with jolly dashboard inserts running into the doors, seats and centre console. The driver's instrument binnacle is a version of Audi's TT virtual dashboard, configurable with live mapping and digital instruments. There's a big centre touch screen with separate rotary dials for radio volume and sat-nav zoom, but sadly T-Roc comes with a horrid electronic handbrake. Like Citroën's Cactus, the things you see and touch are lovely, but there's no love lost on the connecting surfaces; the dash is harsh, grainy plastic, so are the door panels and there's a feeling that this hasn't been quite so fastidiously engineered as other VWs.

The seats are stylish with thin cushions but comfortable nonetheless. Those in the back have generous leg and headroom and with bases set 46mm higher than the fronts, there's a good view out to the front. Storage space is generous, at 445 litres the boot is big for the class and the seat backs fold 60/40 percent onto the bases to give an almost flat load bed. Safety systems include the camera and radar-based city braking with pedestrian recognition and there's a raft of optional systems with intelligent cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and automatic parking. You need to watch that options list, though, as it all gets pretty expensive, pretty quickly.

It goes on sale this October with the first deliveries in December. There'll be five engines, three petrols; a 113bhp one-litre three-cylinder, a 148bhp 1.5-litre four-cylinder and a 187bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit, which is a down-tuned version of the Golf GTI engine. Diesels are all four-cylinder units; a 113bhp 1.6-litre and the 148bhp 2.0-litre. Standard transmission is a six-speed manual with an optional seven-speed twin-clutch DSG. Front-wheel drive will occupy the majority of sales, but VW's 4Motion 4x4 system is an option.

Weirdly the launch cars were two of the least popular models in the UK; the two-litre turbo petrol and diesel, both with DSG transmissions and four-wheel drive. Fully laden and in the top trim level the price of these was astronomic; about £34,000 for the petrol, nearer £35,500 for the diesel. In the UK, the one-litre three pot will be the most popular and prices start at £20,425.

The petrol is gutsy and quick, though it sounds pretty raucous at high revs and it's not particularly economical delivering 30.7mpg against the car’s Combined figure of 41.5mpg. The diesel is straight out of the VW parts bin and is powerful and refined, but for a fizz through the throttle on occasions. It delivered 39.8mpg against a Combined figure of 55.4mpg.

Taking the sting out of traffic was the DSG, although it costs an additional £1,400, kicks down abruptly at times and doesn't allow clean, fast getaways when the engine has auto stopped at junctions. The multi-plate clutch-based four-wheel drive system isn't the most sophisticated, but there's a capstan control to set it up for various terrains and it gives more all-weather ability than the typically suburban owner is ever going to need.

It steers crisply, with a well-assisted rack and pinion with a variable ratio system, which has little-lost movement on either 18-inch or 19-inch wheel options. Dynamically it flows through the turns, feeling all of a piece and loading up pleasingly in corners, though there's not a whole lot of feedback. With MacPherson-strut front and a multi-link rear suspension on the 4x4 cars (front-drive models get a rear twist-beam), the handling is safe but agile and fun. Body lean is well controlled and if you ease the throttle, the nose tucks deeper into the corners. The brakes are well balanced, too, with a progressive feeling pedal and good stopping power. The ride is moderately good with more than adequate bump absorption, but it thumps over sharp-edged potholes. Cars with the optional dynamic ride control can be switched between the three damping algorithms: Comfort, Normal and Sport, but the two extremes feel artificially soft or harsh and the switch is best left in Normal even at speed where the only criticism is a slight corkscrewing sensation from the rear on certain road surfaces.

What VW would like me to say here is that T-Roc feels like an SUV GTI. That would be going far too far, but it is fun and far more dynamically competent than the common herd of mid-sized SUVs. It also looks good and while it doesn't feel like the new normal, there's more to this likeable if expensive SUV that a snazzy paint job. I think VW just might have a minor hit on its hands.

The Numbers

Engines: 1,984cc, four-cylinder TSI turbocharged petrol

Transmission: seven-speed DSG twin-clutch semi automatic, four-wheel drive via central multiplate clutch

Bhp/lb ft: 187bhp @ 4,180/236lb ft @ 1,500rpm

0-62mph: 7.2sec

Top speed: 134mph

Price as tested: estimated £34,000