Used Volkswagen T-Roc for sale: everything you need to know

The Volkswagen T-Roc has been a big success for the German brand, climbing into the UK’s top 10 best-sellers list several times over the years. The Volkswagen T-Roc wraps the quality and practicality you expect of a Volkswagen into a stylish and conveniently compact SUV body.

The Volkswagen T-Roc has a list of rivals, including the spacious Skoda Kamiq, the stylish SEAT Arona and the trendy Audi Q2.

If you’re thinking about buying a used Volkswagen T-Roc, you’ll find out everything you need to know here. We’re going to take you through what the car is like, which features you get with each trim level, and all the engine and gearbox choices available to you.

Having been so popular for some years, there is a large selection of used Volkswagen T-Rocs available, which is growing all the time. While you’re here, why not take a look at a Volkswagen T-Roc for sale on heycar to discover just what’s on offer?

Should you buy a Volkswagen T-Roc? 

It’s a subjective opinion, of course, but the Volkswagen T-Roc is a really good looking car. It’s shaped a bit like a coupe, so it appears quite sporty and sleek. The later facelifted version is easily spotted by its new front bumper, grille and headlights. It gets an updated interior as well, with a dashboard similar to that of the latest Golf. Highlights include a prominent touchscreen display and a digital instrument cluster.

There’s a pretty generous amount of space inside, certainly enough for a family with younger kids. You can even fit a couple of adults in the back seats comfortably, while headroom is notably good. The boot is decently big for this type of car. A pushchair fits easily and you won’t have to pack too light for family holidays.

To drive, the Volkswagen T-Roc feels much like a Golf: solid yet nimble, and very refined. The high performance Volkswagen T-Roc R is hugely fast, but doesn’t lose any day-to-day usability. There’s also an extensive choice of other trim levels and engines available, so there is probably a used Volkswagen T-Roc to suit your needs.

The Volkswagen T-Roc is a great way to trade up from a small car such as a Volkswagen Polo into an SUV. You won’t really notice any difference in how it feels to drive, other than being sat higher up.

Running costs are quite low, even for the high performance Volkswagen T-Roc R, despite its considerable turn of speed. It’s very well made and reliable, as Volkswagens always are.

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What's the best used Volkswagen T-Roc model to buy?

Most buyers will find the 1.5 TSI to be the best combination of performance and economy with the Volkswagen T-Roc. The 1.0 TSI is fine, if most of your miles are around town, although you’ll only find it paired with low-spec versions of the T-Roc.

If you cover a lot of motorway miles, a diesel will make more sense. The 1.6 TDI does the job, in the same way as a plate of boiled pasta will do the job. The 2.0 TDI is more refined and punchier, and no less efficient in the real-world, provided you avoid four-wheel-drive models.

There’s quite an extensive line-up of trim levels and deciding which one suits you depends on what exactly you want in a car. We’d probably look for a post-facelift Volkswagen T-Roc in mid-range Style trim for desirable features such as in-built navigation, a larger digital instrument cluster and 17-inch alloy wheels.

Used Volkswagen T-Roc fuel economy and performance

The Volkswagen T-Roc is available with an extensive range of petrol and diesel engines, which offer something to cover most needs. Some are available with a DSG dual-clutch automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive, too. But there are no hybrid options, unfortunately.

• Volkswagen T-Roc 1.0 TSI petrol – The entry-level petrol engine is a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit that produces 110PS. It has a six-speed manual gearbox, 0-62mph takes 10.8 seconds and it produces CO2 emissions of up to 136g/km.
• Volkswagen T-Roc 1.5 TSI petrol – The most popular engine in the Volkswagen T-Roc is this turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder unit, which produces 150PS. It’s available with a six-speed manual or optional seven-speed DSG dual-clutch auto gearbox. Zero to 62mph takes 8.4 seconds with the manual ’box or 8.3 seconds with the DSG. CO2 emissions are 135g/km or 138g/km respectively.
• Volkswagen T-Roc 2.0 TSI 190 petrol – This turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine produces 190PS, which gets the T-Roc from 0-62mph in just 6.8 seconds – faster than many a hot hatchback. A seven-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox and 4Motion four-wheel drive are fitted as standard. CO2 emissions are 168g/km.
• Volkswagen T-Roc 2.0 TSI 300 petrol – This engine is only available in the Volkswagen T-Roc R. It’s a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder motor that delivers 300PS. With a standard seven-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox and 4Motion four-wheel drive, it sprints from 0-62mph in just 4.9 seconds. CO2 emissions are 194g/km.
• Volkswagen T-Roc 2.0 TDI 115 diesel – The entry-level diesel is a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that makes 115PS. A six-speed manual gearbox is fitted as standard. Standstill to 62mph takes 10.4 seconds and it produces CO2 emissions of up to 122g/km.
• Volkswagen T-Roc 2.0 TDI 150 diesel – This is a more powerful, 150PS version of the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine. It comes with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, but you have the option of a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch auto, which can also be combined with 4Motion four-wheel drive. Depending on exactly which combination you go for, 0-62mph takes around eight seconds, with CO2 emissions of up to 145g/km.

What used Volkswagen T-Roc trim levels are available

There are four trim levels to choose from with the Volkswagen T-Roc, running from value-focused versions up to the high performance R. The Volkswagen T-Roc was updated in 2021 with a number of changes to the exterior styling and interior trim, plus Volkswagen took the opportunity to add more standard features. The entry-level model now came with similar equipment to the former top-of-the-range version. 

• Volkswagen T-Roc SE came with 17-inch alloy wheels, chrome exterior trim, LED daytime running lights, black roof rails, variable boot floor, climate control, automatic wipers, 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system including DAB, USB input and Car-Net smartphone integration, adaptive cruise control, lane assist and front assist.
• Volkswagen T-Roc Design added two-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors, auto emergency braking, composition Media infotainment system with 8-inch colour touchscreen, Car-Net ‘App Connect’, adaptive cruise control  with Front Assist and City, black roof rails.
• Volkswagen T-Roc SEL added 18-inch sterling silver Arlo alloy wheel, LED headlights with signature LED daytime running light, Car-Net Security and Service and Guide and Inform, front and rear parking sensors, Active Info Display, 8-inch colour touchscreen Discover Navigation infotainment system, Car-Net ‘App Connect’.
• Volkswagen T-Roc Life – The entry-point to the Volkswagen T-Roc range looks like really good value when you consider its standard features. These include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, adaptive cruise control, dual-zone air-con and a digital instrument cluster. Choose from 1.0- or 1.5-litre petrol engines, or a diesel.
• Volkswagen T-Roc Style – As the name suggests, this trim level has more upmarket styling details inside and out, and gains some extra features. Among them are sat-nav, a larger digital instrument cluster, LED headlights and front and rear parking sensors. You can have any engine or gearbox combination that’s available on the T-Roc, except the 300PS petrol engine.
• Volkswagen T-Roc R-Line – This is the sporty-look model in the Volkswagen T-Roc line-up, with different wheels, deeper bumpers and a rear spoiler. The theme continues inside, with sports seats and piano black trim. Standard features mirror those of the Style model. It’s available with 1.5- and 2.0-litre petrol engines, or the 150PS diesel.
• Volkswagen T-Roc R – The high performance version of the Volkswagen T-Roc offers a stonking 300PS – a huge amount of power for a relatively small car. You can easily spot it by the bigger alloy wheels and more muscular styling. It’s also very well equipped, having the same standard features as the Volkswagen T-Roc R-Line.

Used Volkswagen T-Roc dimensions and boot size

The Volkswagen T-Roc’s exterior dimensions are: 

• Length: 4,236mm
• Width: 1,819mm
• Height: 1,584mm

The Volkswagen T-Roc’s boot space is:

• 445 litres (392 litres in 4Motion models)
• 1,290 litres with rear seats folded (1,237 litres in 4Motion models)

Used Volkswagen T-Roc road tax

As a car that was introduced in 2018, almost all Volkswagen T-Roc models attract an annual road tax payment of £180 per year. The exception is the performance R model that came with a list price of more than £40,000. As a result, the R attracts an additional annual road tax charge of £390 on top of the £180 until it reaches five-years old.

How much is it to insure a Volkswagen T-Roc? 

The Volkswagen T-Roc range falls into insurance groups 15 to 34 (out of 50), depending on which model you choose. That’s high for this type of car, although the most popular models are at the lower end of that range – so shouldn’t be prohibitively expensive to insure. The high performance Volkswagen T-Roc R will cost the most by some margin. 

Read our full Volkswagen T-Roc review