Volkswagen T-Roc R-line, the mid-grade variant to have?

The 2023 Volkswagen T-Roc 140TSI R-Line represents the middle of the road in more ways than one. Not only does it sit as the brand’s small SUV between the T-Cross light SUV and Tiguan medium SUV, but the 140TSI specification is also smack-bang in the middle of the 110TSI entry-level and T-Roc R sporty flagship grade.

It’s often the case that these middling model grades get forgotten when seated beside their most affordable and most eye-catching range-mates. But the VW T-Roc is out to carve its own path.

Prices stand at $45,350, which is $2600 up on its pre-facelift predecessor. It’s undercut by the $37,250 T-Roc 110TSI Style and bordered above by the $59,300 VW T-Roc R. These prices are expressed without on-road costs added.

The 140TSI engine is only available with the R-Line sporty-looking styling, which mimics that of the T-Roc R performance flagship. Included in that $45,350 (plus ORCs) is kit such as Travel Assist (semi-autonomous driving tech), 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless phone charging, sports seats, sports steering wheel, and R-Line-specific upholstery.

The 140TSI R-Line can also be distinguished by its 18-inch Nevada wheels, wireless smartphone mirroring, satellite navigation, and all-wheel drivetrain.

As is normal nomenclature for Volkswagen, the ‘140’ part of 140TSI means a 140kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine comes under the bonnet, which is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Various packs are available to spruce up the T-Roc including a $2000 Sound and Vision Package, $2900 Black Style Package, plus individual options such as a $600 powered boot release. These options were fitted to our tester.

Buyers looking at in-dealer stock also need to be aware that model year 2023 vehicles will arrive without some safety tech (side assist, rear traffic alert, proactive occupant protection system) and have a $650 lower starting price – your dealer can advise which equipment is applicable for any vehicle you’re interested in.

Inside the cabin, the VW T-Roc R borrows much of the look of the previous-generation Golf – which is no bad thing. Where the new Golf has eschewed buttons and dials in favour of touchpads and screens, the T-Roc valiantly carries on with the more user-friendly instrumentation that earns it a tick in my book.

The sports seats have enough bolstering for some fun cornering and are positioned to give the driver a good view over the road, while the infotainment screen and dash fascia are subtly skewed towards the driver for easy glancing.

Storage is taken care of by a pair of cupholders in the centre console, a centre console bin, and a slot in front of the gear selector (which also houses the wireless charger). The door cards are fairly sized to contain large drink bottles.

When I say the T-Roc does away with touch-sensitive controls, it doesn’t cut them out completely. The steering wheel has touch-capacitive buttons for controlling the dash cluster and infotainment functions. These work fine for the most part but simply aren’t as reliable as traditional buttons.

Space in the second row is tight, even in comparison to its T-Cross smaller range-sibling. But once you’re inside, it’s a nicely appointed place to spend time. Aiding comfort is a fold-down centre armrest (which contains cupholders) and there are also two USB-C ports behind the centre console bin. Air vents are positioned just above those.

Pop the boot using the new-design Volkswagen logo (or the button on the key in our spec) and you’ll find a 392L space. Curiously, that is down on the entry-level Style variant, despite both using space-saver spare wheels, the the R-Line has a standard subwoofer, slightly larger fuel tank, and multi-line independent rear suspension to encroach on available space. Fold down the 60:40-split rear seats and space increases to 1237L, according to Volkswagen.

Infotainment is operated through an 8.0-inch touchscreen mounted on the dash. While the system is easy to operate thanks to prominent shortcuts, clear graphics, and sensible functionality, owners can elect to use wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto if preferred.

Ahead of the driver is a 10.25-inch fully digital instrument cluster that can run three separate display modes for the gauges and data. I happen to think it does enough in terms of customisability, and the ability to show a full-screen map is a highlight.

Optioned in this car is a Beats sound system that sounds good to my ears, though whether it’s worth it over the standard system is questionable.

Speaking of tech, the VW T-Roc earned a five-star ANCAP safety rating thanks, in part, to a wide-ranging suite of active safety gear. Though, this score was achieved in 2017.

The T-Roc scores 96 per cent for adult occupant protection, 87 per cent for child occupant protection, and 79 per cent for vulnerable road user protection. It scores 71 per cent with regard to safety assist tech.

The Volkswagen T-Roc has six airbags.

The Volkswagen T-Roc 140TSI R-Line includes autonomous emergency braking (with pedestrian detection), lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, lane-centring assist, and proactive occupant protection.

Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are two safety items that were deleted from spec lists for the second half of 2022 due to semiconductor shortages. Check with your dealer in case you’re unsure whether these items are fitted to your order (or car).

Like every Volkswagen passenger car sold in Australia, the T-Roc is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. Volkswagen insists you service it every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever milestone occurs first.

VW does vehicle servicing two ways. Buyers can opt to pay-as-you-go as services are needed, which is more expensive, or they can decide to purchase a Care Plan that is paid upfront but less expensive.

For a five-year Care Plan VW charges $2600 or $1550 over three years. In comparing it to its rivals, the VW is generally more expensive than its Asian-branded rivals such as the Mazda CX-30 Touring AWD ($1939) and Toyota Corolla Cross ($1150). 

Comprehensive insurance costs approximately $1238 based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Fuel costs will also be more expensive than some of its rivals, as it needs 95-octane at a minimum. Volkswagen says the T-Roc 140TSI uses 7.3L/100km on a combined fuel cycle and that seems pretty steady in our book – our testing saw 7.4L/100km in similar environments.

Behind the wheel, the T-Roc 140TSI suits its purpose and fits perfectly within that mid-grade spec positioning. The 140kW/320Nm outputs provide a noticeable boost over the entry-level 110TSI Style variant, while still leaving considerable room for the hot T-Roc R.

Press the sporty alloy-finished accelerator pedal and the engine springs into action, serving up a healthy wave of torque needed for overtaking or speeding up into traffic flow. It will neither set your hair on fire, nor have you frustrated at a lack of action. The all-wheel traction is good in wet weather, with no hint of wheel slip detected on a wet Melburnian week.

The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is quick to act on sudden speed changes (and throttle inputs) and is rid of all that jerkiness and poor reactivity its forebears exhibited.

Its ride control is also well managed, but you can definitely feel the step up in firmness over its 110TSI Style counterpart. Hard edges are felt with a bit more cabin interruption and the suspension is less forgiving over speed humps, but it’s still largely comfortable for what is a small SUV (with a bit of a sporting bent).

There are a series of drive modes to choose from, both for off-road adventures as well as for turning up the wick when you’re feeling sporty. These primarily change the way the car reacts to throttle inputs and primes the all-wheel-drive system for slippery terrain.

Steering weight remains nice and light for around-town manoeuvrability, and it’s a good tune for a car that’ll spend most of its time in those surrounds. The cabin ambience is comfortable at suburban speeds, but I noted a fair amount of engine vibrations and noises on start-up. These tended to subside after a few minutes and were hopefully just an issue with our test car.

Not too little, not too light, just right? The Goldilocks positioning of the Volkswagen T-Roc 140TSI R-Line does carve out a buyer subset chasing a powered-up engine and slightly boosted equipment, but whether it’s ultimately worth an extra $8100 over the entry-level is questionable. Especially when you can add on packages to the lesser-spec variant as desired.

The cabin contains all the right tech and wows with the digital cluster cool factor, but doesn’t go above and beyond with regard to outright interior space and performs on par in terms of cabin quality and materials.

It’s a resolved drive experience that fits the brief, but whether the boost in performance is ultimately necessary is a question for the buyer. We’d suggest the smart money will buy the entry-level and option it up from there.