We’re reviewing this highly practical £25,000 family SUV

The T-ROC is a solid addition to Volkswagen’s bulging lineup of active, urban lifestyle vehicles – or cars, as we used to call them.

It used to be one of four SUVs offered in 2017, but the updated Golf-based offering is now one of NINE, accounting for almost half of all VWs sold today.

4

Nestled above the smaller T-Cross and Taigo but below the larger Tiguan and Touareg, it’s an extremely practical family offering.

More than a million were bought, from Bolton to Beijing.

At first glance, you might not realize how much hustle and bustle is going on, especially inside.

While there is no additional space for the new T-Roc’s five-seat cabin, the upgraded materials add a touch of plush to the familiar ambience.

The soft-touch dashboard has been redesigned to look sleek instead of funky.

Now every T-Roc gets a fully digital instrument display, as well as a well-proportioned front and center infotainment touchscreen that’s evolved into a fancier ‘floating’ tablet affair.

It runs the latest VW OS with some nice clean graphics.

But as with all cars it’s been fitted to, this takes a bit of getting used to – and a bit of lag isn’t alien

However, it is usefully compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay – wirelessly at that.

Shorter but wider and taller than a Golf, the T-Roc also benefits from a larger boot with a capacity of 445 litres.

That’s more than enough to swallow all the childish hardware you can’t leave home without.

On the outside, the new look results in some revised LED headlights up front, smoked effects at the rear and an on-trend light beam running through the center of a smoother, reprofiled front grille, highlighting the new VW badge.

And make it look like it’s an electric vehicle. . . what it is not.

Not at all.

There is not even a mild hybrid in sight here.

Engine options are exactly the same as the previous model.

That means three petrol engines: 1 liter (110 hp), 1.5 liter (150 hp) and 2 liter (190 hp); and two 2-liter diesels (115 hp and 150 hp).

Oh, and then there’s the rather stupid £40,000 4WD T-Roc R that makes 300bhp. But this is another story.

The lower powered models are manual, the higher powered models are automatic, and the mid-powered models have a choice of both.

I personally prefer the humble three-cylinder 1-litre petrol engine with manual transmission, as the T-Roc is essentially an entry-level SUV.

It packs enough poke for family runabout needs, returns close to 50mpg, the six-speed shifter is pleasant to use and keeps the cost comfortably under £30k even if you opt for the mid-spec Style trim.

There are also larger 17-inch alloys, a larger digital display, a navigation device, sportier seats and tinted glass.

Well-made, well-reviewed and popular, the new T-Roc isn’t here to rock the boat.

And I agree with that.

Ride and handling remain taut, agile and confident as ever.

In these troubled times, who doesn’t crave a little tried-and-true stability?

4

4

4