Volkswagen announces T-Roc Cabrio, launch scheduled for next spring

As conservative as the German automotive giant may be, VW can still surprise in a good way sometimes. The company will be releasing a soft-top variant of its T-Roc SUV in the spring of 2020.

The crossover vehicle sports a retractable soft roof that automatically folds back as long as you slow down to under 30 km/h (19 mph). This can be done via a dedicated center console button or your key fob. The company claims the fabric used provides an ‘adequate level of acoustic comfort’.

The trunk size goes down from the SUV’s 445 liters (15.7 cubic feet) to just 284 l (10 cu.ft.). There are safety bars hidden behind the rear seat headrests that extend automatically within milliseconds after crash.

The T-Roc Cabrio comes strictly front-wheel driven and offers a choice between two engines. One is a 1.0-liter, 3-cylinder unit good for 115 hp (86 kW) and 200 Nm (148 lb-ft) of torque, and the other one is a 1.5-liter unit rated at 150 hp (112 kW) and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft). Both are compatible with six-speed manual transmission, and the 1.5 additionally supports 7-speed DSG.

The equipment list is fairly extensive and includes an infotainment system, a digital dash, wheels up to 19 inches in diameter, and sports seats, among other options.

Around 360,000 VW T-Rocs have found their owners since its launch in 2017. A performance version of the SUV, dubbed the T-Roc R, should emerge this fall packing 300 hp (224 kW).

Production of the 2020 T-Roc series will take place in Osnabrück, Germany, where VW used to assemble its Golfs and Beetles. Pricing remains unannounced.