Volkswagen T-Roc priced for Australia as online sales kick off

Volkswagen this morning announced pricing for its highly anticipated T-Roc small SUV – and also confirmed that between now and April this year, the Golf-sized crossover will be sold online for three months, starting this Thursday.

The 2020 Volkswagen T-Roc will arrive nationwide in VW dealerships in April, but Australians wanting to get ahead of the crowd will be able to deposit $500 to secure one of the earliest allocations of the two-strong launch range.

Priced at the premium end of the small SUV market, the $40,490 T-Roc in 140TSI Sport trim will sit above the smaller, Polo-based T-Cross which arrives in the Australian market around the same time. The T-Cross, which starts at $27,990, will offer a more affordable way into a small Volkswagen crossover.

With the pair not as different in size as one might expect, the rationale for purchasing the T-Roc will mainly revolve around its standard-fit all-wheel-drive and its punchier engine. The sole motor for the Australian-spec T-Roc will be a 140kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder ‘EA888’ unit, sending torque to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. We reviewed the T-Roc 140TSI in New Zealand last year, which you can watch and read here.

In addition, the Sport trim arrives highly specified as standard with the brand’s more athletic R-Line exterior styling package, with 18-inch wheels, rather than the more pedestrian look that is fitted by default in Europe. Inside, the brand’s Active Info Display is standard-fit along with an eight-inch touchscreen with navigation, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.

Keyless entry and start is standard, along with automatic wipers and LED headlights, a variable steering ratio, customisable drive modes, all-speed AEB, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic alert.

Six colours will be offered – white or red are standard, while the four metallic or pearl options cost $600. Two option packages can be selected, boosting spec further. The $2,000 Sound and Style package adds 19-inch ‘Suzuka’ alloys (familiar from the Tiguan R-Line), adaptive dampers, and a 300-watt Beats stereo. The $3,500 Luxury package adds leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof, and a power tailgate.

A loaded T-Roc hits a lofty $46,590 – higher than a (less powerful) new Audi Q3 – but a limited-time special edition, called the T-Roc X, will be offered for $42,990, bundling black-coloured 19-inch Suzuka alloys, adaptive dampers, the Beats stereo, power tailgate, and black-and-red sports cloth seating.

The T-Roc X will be available in two colours that recognise Volkswagen’s long-standing sponsorship of the Sydney Swans: white with a red roof, or red with a black roof.

2020 Volkswagen T-Roc pricing for Australia

T-Roc 140TSI Sport: $40,490

T-Roc X Special Edition: $42,490

Key options:

Sound and Style package: $2,000 (140TSI Sport only)

Luxury package: $3,500 (140TSI Sport only)

Metallic/pearl effect paint: $600 (140TSI Sport only)

Panoramic sunroof standalone option: $1,900 (T-Roc X only)