The Volkswagen T-Roc CityLife is a brand new special-edition entrant to the rising T-Roc SUV line-up.

Slotting in beneath the present T-Roc Fashion, the CityLife has smaller wheels and barely completely different trims. It additionally comes at a extra reasonably priced asking value, although it misses out on security tools that was just lately reintroduced to the remainder of the vary,

Native examples of the T-Roc CityLife began arriving at native Volkswagen sellers on September 1 and the variant will proceed to be supplied into 2024.

Volkswagen Australia has indicated round 1500 examples of the CityLife shall be coming to Australia, with the corporate seeking to develop on this quantity. A Volkswagen Australia spokesperson mentioned “provide gained’t be an issue”.

Does the Volkswagen T-Roc take advantage of sense as an entry-level mannequin? Learn alongside to search out out.

How a lot does the Volkswagen T-Roc price?

The Volkswagen T-Roc CityLife begins at $35,990 earlier than on-roads. This listing value undercuts the T-Roc Fashion by nearly $3000.

Volkswagen Australia just lately detailed a spread of nationwide drive-away costs for your complete T-Roc vary that can run till the tip of the yr. The T-Roc CityLife is at the moment priced at $36,990 drive-away.

The 2024 Volkswagen T-Roc vary is priced as follows:

• 2024 Volkswagen T-Roc CityLife: $35,990 ($36,990 D/A)
• 2024 Volkswagen T-Roc Fashion: $38,890 ($41,990 D/A)
• 2024 Volkswagen T-Roc R-Line: $47,090 ($51,990 D/A)
• 2024 Volkswagen T-Roc R: $61,990 ($64,990 D/A)

All pricing is earlier than on-road prices, except specified in any other case.

By way of equally priced rivals, you’re actually spoilt for selection within the small SUV phase. Some notable rivals embody the next:

• Chery Omoda 5 EX: $35,990 D/A
• GWM Haval Jolion S: $36,990 D/A
• Honda HR-V Vi X: 36,700 D/A
• Hyundai Kona N Line 2WD: $36,000
• Kia Seltos Sport+ 2WD: $35,800
• Mazda CX-30 G20 Touring: $37,210
• Nissan Qashqai ST+: $37,890
• Skoda Kamiq 85TSI Fashion: $37,990 D/A
• Subaru Crosstrek 2.0R: $38,490
• Toyota Corolla Cross GXL 2WD: $37,730

All pricing is earlier than on-road prices, except specified in any other case.

What’s the Volkswagen T-Roc like on the within?

Hopping into the Volkswagen T-Roc is simple because of its barely lifted crossover trip top. The seat was precisely degree with my hip top so I didn’t must climb up or down.

Given the T-Roc CityLife is a brand new entry-level variant it’s not likely stunning the seats are material. They’ve an inoffensive design with many alternative shades of gray and black.

The motive force’s seat is manually adjustable, which is comprehensible, although adjusting the backrest with the dial will be fiddly as a result of it’s tucked beside the B-pillar. There’s additionally handbook lumbar assist, which is a bonus if you happen to’ve a nasty again.

The seat itself is admittedly squishy and comfy. There’s sufficient aspect bolstering to make you’re feeling such as you’re tucked into it.

The seating place is larger than you’d first assume, nevertheless it’s not too excessive. I can see why this raised seating place is so wanted as a result of it permits for excellent visibility.

Forward of the driving force is deliciously gentle leather-wrapped steering wheel which feels completely implausible in hand. Even higher are the bodily steering wheel buttons which are 1,000,000 instances higher than the capacitive-touch buttons on larger trims.

Behind the steering wheel is the Digital Cockpit (digital instrument cluster) which measures 8.0-inches in diameter. It’s slightly bit smaller than the Digital Cockpit Professional that’s now out there throughout the remainder of the vary and doesn’t show as a lot content material.

Regardless of this, the 8.0-inch Digital Cockpit nonetheless has quite a few configurations you’ll be able to cycle via to your coronary heart’s content material. One factor to notice is you’ll be able to’t have dials for each the revs and velocity up on the identical time.

No matter which digital instrument cluster display screen view you decide, there’s a big and clear graphic of the digital velocity within the centre of the display screen.

The 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system seems slightly bit small in its housing. It’s good to step all the way in which as much as the flagship R variant so as to get a bigger 9.2-inch unit.

However the infotainment system makes up its dimension with the way it seems and works. The display screen is extraordinarily high-resolution and tremendous responsive to the touch. It’s additionally obtained gesture controls which take slightly bit to be taught, however change into second nature when you’re used to them.

The T-Roc CityLife’s infotainment system solely comes with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is disappointing given the remainder of the vary has wi-fi types of each. You’ll must plug into one of many entrance USB-C ports so as to use smartphone mirroring.

Regardless of this, one widespread gripe of wi-fi smartphone mirroring is it decimates your cellphone battery. I sometimes plug my cellphone in on longer journeys anyway to negate this, so shedding wi-fi performance isn’t a dealbreaker.

There’s a wi-fi cellphone charger, which serves much less of some extent given there’s no wi-fi smartphone mirroring. It’s useful although if a passenger must cost up their cellphone doesn’t have a charging cable useful.

The T-Roc CityLife’s 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system doesn’t include built-in satellite tv for pc navigation, which isn’t the tip of the world given I take advantage of Google Maps with Apple CarPlay nearly 100 per cent of the time.

Below the touchscreen are a set of touch-capacitive for the local weather controls which aren’t anyplace close to as good to make use of as bodily knobs and buttons. The shiny black panel additionally will get slightly dirty from fingers poking and prodding at it.

Trying across the cabin there are a variety of soft-touch materials and plastics, which is nice to see on an entry-level automobile. You don’t must look far, nevertheless, to search out the inevitable more durable plastics.

I admire the restricted use of piano black on the dashboard and across the centre tunnel. The silver sprint highlights look significantly classier and don’t get anyplace close to as scratched and soiled within the long-term.

On the centre tunnel there’s a tall gear selector, in addition to two-and-a-half cupholders. The centre console is slightly on the small aspect however the lid ratchets, which is considered one of my favorite Volkswagen options.

The one factor that’s lacking is an auto-hold perform, which is tied to the very fact this T-Roc variant has an eight-speed torque-converter automated as an alternative of a dual-clutch automated.

The T-Roc CityLife’s six-speaker sound system packs a stunning quantity of punch given it lacks an amplifier and subwoofer.

Transferring to the second row there isn’t an overtly noticeable step-down when it comes to high quality, although it’s a little bit tighter than the primary row.

The seat itself continues to be very snug and the headrests are even squishier than those on the entrance seats.

At a leggy 182cm I needed to splay my legs across the driver’s seat so as to sit comfortably and never have my knees dig into the backrest. There’s additionally a excessive centre tunnel which limits the quantity of foot room.

By way of second-row facilities, there are centre console-mounted air vents, two USB-C ports, in addition to a fold-down armrest with cupholders. There’s even a cross via into the boot which is useful if it is advisable to load longer gadgets or need to faster seize one thing from the boot with out stopping.

Across the again the T-Roc CityLife has a operated by hand tailgate, which is to be anticipated given it’s the entry-level variant. There’s a dual-tier boot flooring, which in its lowest setting permits for a cavernous 445 litres of boot capability.

The second row of seats additionally fold in a 60:40 configuration which expands the boot capability all the way in which to 1532 litres of house. There aren’t many options within the boot in addition to a lightweight, some bag hooks, in addition to some tie-down factors.

Below the boot flooring there’s a space-saver spare tyre which isn’t fairly nearly as good as a full-size spare tyre however 1,000,000 instances higher than having nothing in any respect or a tyre inflation package.

There seems to be sufficient house underneath the boot flooring to have a correct full-size spare wheel, so I’m slightly confused why Volkswagen didn’t go down the trail of choosing one.

What’s underneath the bonnet?

The Volkswagen T-Roc CityLife is powered by a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 110kW of energy and 250Nm of torque.

That is mated to an eight-speed torque-converter automated transmission with drive despatched to the entrance wheels solely. Volkswagen claims the T-Roc CityLife can do the 0-100km/h dash in 8.7 seconds.

The T-Roc CityLife’s 110TSI engine is the least-powerful engine in lineup. The T-Roc R-Line will get you a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder with 140kW/320Nm, and the T-Roc R will get an uprated 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder with 221kW/400Nm.

Claimed mixed gas consumption is 6.3 litres per 100km. After round 200km of combined metropolis, metropolitan, freeway and spirited B-road driving, we have been capable of beat the declare with a median of 6.0 litres per 100km.

As commonplace there’s an engine idle stop-start system, in addition to brake power recuperation. It has a 50-litre gas tank and requires a minimal of 95 RON premium unleaded petrol.

How does the Volkswagen T-Roc drive?

Beginning up the T-Roc CityLife is simple because of the logically positioned starter button subsequent to the gear selector.

At idle the 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine sounds actually acquainted and refined. This engine has now been manufacturing for over 10 years and has been in fairly quite a few Volkswagen Group autos.

Outputs of 110kW and 250Nm don’t sound loopy on paper, however in actuality they’re fully enough.

From the lights the T-Roc CityLife retains up with visitors no issues by any means. Push it and also you’ll simply pull forward of visitors, although there may be typically a little bit of lag earlier than you get transferring. The torquey four-cylinder turbo shouldn’t be underestimated.

What does let this implausible engine down slightly bit although is the eight-speed automated. It’s not fairly as slick as a standard Volkswagen dual-clutch transmission.

For the primary couple of gears the transmission likes to make the engine rev proper out, which feels slightly awkward given peak torque comes on faucet from 1500rpm. It’s considerably just like the transmission is consistently in sport mode.

Across the metropolis the T-Roc could be very simple to drive. It has mild steering which makes twirling the wheel for sharp turns and likewise manoeuvring in multi-level automobile parks an absolute breeze.

This additionally means parking the T-Roc CityLife is tremendous simple. The automobile comes with entrance and rear parking sensors, in addition to a reversing digicam. The latter’s digicam high quality, nevertheless, isn’t something to cellphone dwelling about.

The CityLife is now the one T-Roc variant to go with out rear cross-traffic alert. This security characteristic can alert the driving force if a automobile is driving alongside adjoining to the place you’re reversing out of and brake if obligatory.

At metropolis speeds the T-Roc CityLife’s suspension is admittedly compliant. It takes all the pieces all in its stride and by no means feels uncomfortable.

Build up velocity could make the eight-speed automated transmission soar between gears, feeling barely indecisive, which is unusual as a result of the engine has sufficient torque to take care of the chosen gear… however transmission nonetheless chooses to shuffle between ratios anyway.

There’s nonetheless sufficient energy, though you can begin to really feel the higher limits of the 1.4-litre turbo four-cylinder if you wish to speed up shortly as much as freeway speeds. If you’d like extra energy you’re spoilt for selection within the T-Roc vary; there’s even the recent T-Roc R which might do the 0-100km/h dash in 4.9 seconds.

The T-Roc CityLife is arguably the decide of the vary for trip consolation, as it might deal with pimply metropolitan roads like nothing. That is probably due partially to the smaller 17-inch alloy wheels which have tyres with loads of sidewall.

Not like costlier T-Roc variants which have rear impartial multi-link suspension, the CityLife has a rear torsion-beam semi-independent suspension setup. In the event you didn’t know this although you’d be arduous pressed to inform the distinction.

While you push the T-Roc CityLife on some twisty roads, its Golf GTI-like nature turns into obvious. It doesn’t have the facility to match the Golf GTI, however for a small SUV it’s fairly a enjoyable factor. There are delicate hints of physique roll, however that’s to be anticipated given its jacked-up trip top.

Dialling as much as freeway speeds and the T-Roc CityLife finds its groove and sticks to it. The automobile is such a simple cruiser, although the transmission can shuffle via the gears a bit if there’s a hill.

Even on coarse-chip bitumen roads there isn’t a lot highway noise that’s despatched into the cabin. That is probably due partially once more to the T-Roc CityLife’s chubby tyres, in addition to the sound insulation.

On the protection entrance, the T-Roc CityLife’s adaptive cruise management is likely one of the finest. The way in which it interacts with different vehicles is extraordinarily pure. You by no means have any awkward moments the place the automobile slams on the brakes.

The Journey Help system can also be implausible at what it does, making freeway cruising even simpler. The system is ready to function on twisty roads for probably the most half, although it disengages when it might now not detect highway marking sufficiently.

Along with the T-Roc CityLife lacking out on rear cross-traffic, it doesn’t have any type of blind-spot monitoring. This security characteristic might help detect when a automobile is in your blind-spot when travelling alongside a multi-lane highway.

The very last thing I’ll point out on this part is the T-Roc CityLife ditches the projector LED headlights that the remainder of the vary have in place for a set of reflector LED headlights. Though this isn’t world-ending, reflector LED headlights sometimes aren’t as shiny as reflector LED headlights.

What do you get?

Volkswagen T-Roc CityLife highlights

Exterior

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• House-saver spare wheel
• Reflector LED headlights
• Computerized high-beam
• LED tail lights
• Rain-sensing window wipers
• Black roof rails
• Electrically folding and heated aspect mirrors
• Facet mirror puddle lamps

Inside

• 8.0-inch Digital Cockpit
• 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• DAB+ digital radio
• Six-speaker sound system
• 4 USB-C ports
• Twin-zone local weather management
• Keyless entry and push-button begin
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
• Pewter Matte ornamental dashboard inlays
• Leather-based-wrapped gear selector
• Leather-based-wrapped steering wheel
• Paddle shifters
• Material upholstery

The Fashion provides:

• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear-cross visitors alert
• 18-inch Grange Hill alloy wheels
• Black exterior rear-view mirrors
• 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
• Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Satellite tv for pc navigation
• Titanium Black-Anthracite upholstery

The R-Line provides:

• 18-inch Nevada alloy wheels
• R-Line exterior styling
• R-Line inside styling
• Sports activities suspension
• Progressive steering
• Leather-based-wrapped sports activities steering wheel
• Nappa leather-based upholstery
• Heated entrance sports activities seats
• Energy-adjustable driver’s seat with reminiscence

The R provides:

• 19-inch Estoril alloy wheels
• IQ.LIGHT matrix LED headlights
• Dynamic indicators

Is the Volkswagen T-Roc protected?

The Volkswagen T-Roc has a five-star ANCAP security ranking, based mostly on testing carried out in 2017 by Euro NCAP.

It obtained an grownup occupant safety rating of 96 per cent, a toddler occupant safety rating of 87 per cent, a pedestrian safety rating of 79 per cent, and a security help rating of 71 per cent.

Commonplace security options embody:

• Six airbags
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
• Rear AEB
• Lane-keep help
• Lane departure warning
• Driver consideration detection
• Journey Help
  • Adaptive lane centring
  • Adaptive cruise management with stop-and-go
• Entrance and rear parking sensors
• Reversing digicam
• Semi-autonomous parking help
• Tyre-pressure monitoring

Stepping as much as the T-Roc Fashion will get you blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

The entire T-Roc vary comes commonplace with three top-tether factors and two ISOFIX factors on the outer rear seats.

How a lot does the Volkswagen T-Roc price to run?

The Volkswagen T-Roc CityLife is roofed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.

Servicing is required each 12 months or 15,000km, and Volkswagen gives three- and five-year Care Plans, which is its time period for pay as you go service packages.

The three-year pay as you go service package deal on the T-Roc 110TSI is $1450, whereas the five-year Care Plan prices $2450.

CarExpert’s Take

The Volkswagen T-Roc CityLife brings the combat to the vary of small SUV consumers who need to step up into one thing slightly bit extra premium-feeling.

At an attractive $36,990 drive-away, the T-Roc CityLife undercuts the remainder of the lineup by a substantial margin and nonetheless packs a high-tech inside and dynamic driving expertise. It’s additionally probably the most compliant variant on the highway because of its smaller 17-inch alloy wheels.

It isn’t good, nevertheless, as you miss blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, that are each doubtlessly crash-saving additions. It’s disappointing these options aren’t commonplace throughout the T-Roc lineup now, given part shortages are easing.

It’s the one level on which we are able to’t wholeheartedly suggest the CityLife, given security is a key consideration for many. In the event you can look previous the lacking options although, there’s loads on provide right here.

If you’d like the complete suite of security assists you’ll must step as much as the T-Roc Fashion, which is at the moment priced from $41,990 drive-away.

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BUY: Volkswagen T-Roc