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Australia's top-selling VW that isn't a ute will clothe the brand's first full-hybrid system – capable of electric-only driving like a Toyota – in more aggressive styling and a roomier cabin, but local plans are yet to be announced.
Volkswagen is finally poised to roll out hybrid technology akin to Toyota, Hyundai, and others with the next generation of its top-selling passenger vehicle, the 2026 Volkswagen T-Roc – but plans for Australia are yet to be locked in.
The cheapest versions of the new T-Roc in Europe – where it launches this November – will use mild-hybrid technology to augment the engine with an electrified boost.
Due to follow in overseas markets is Volkswagen's 'full hybrid' system, capable of driving the wheels on electric power alone – unlike a mild-hybrid – and delivering more meaningful fuel savings.
Arrival timing for the new T-Roc in Australia is yet to be confirmed, but it is likely to cost more than the $38,990 plus on-road costs starting RRP of the current model, on its eventual arrival.
Intended to answer criticism of the interior space in today's model, the second-generation T-Roc is larger than before, at 122mm longer (now 4373mm), 9mm wider (1828mm), 9mm taller (1562mm) and 28mm longer between the front and rear wheels (2631mm).
It helps the SUV better split the difference between the smaller T-Cross and larger Tiguan, and a slipperier body helps reduce the drag coefficient by 10 per cent. Boot space has grown by 20 litres to 465L.
The new T-Roc retains the 'hockey stick' window trim of today's model, but pairs it with more muscular styling with sharper lines and a sportier slope in the roofline.
Matrix LED headlights and 3D-effect LED tail-lights are available, each split on flagship models by full-width LED light bars and illuminated Volkswagen badges.
Buyers can again opt for an R-Line package with sportier bumpers and wheels, as well as a Black Style pack with darkened exterior trim, and wheel sizes up to 20 inches in diameter.
Inside, Volkswagen claims more luxurious interior materials – a criticism of earlier versions of today's model – with a new fabric on the dashboard, silver-trimmed door handles akin to the emergency releases in a Tesla, and ambient lighting shining through perforated leather-look door trims.
A 10-inch instrument display with two customisable views is standard-fit, alongside a choice of 10.4-inch and 12.9-inch freestanding infotainment touchscreens, running Volkswagen's latest software with customisable shortcuts and a voice assistant powered by ChatGPT.
The air-conditioning controls have moved from a dedicated panel to the touchscreen, as well as illuminated, touch-sensitive volume and air temperature sliders below the display.
The T-Roc inherits the Tiguan's 'experience dial', a controller on the centre console which can be switched between audio volume, drive mode, and the ambient cabin lighting's 'atmospheres'.
Available interior features include a head-up display, a ventilated wireless phone charger, a 14-way power-adjustable driver's seat with massaging, two USB-C ports, Harman Kardon audio, and a gear shifter now on the right-hand steering-wheel stalk.
Volkswagen points out smaller details such as storage areas with symbols for coffee cups, pretzels, ice cream cones, and keys.
Powering the first batch of T-Roc SUVs to reach European showrooms is a 1.5-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine, available in 85kW/220Nm and 110kW/250Nm tunes, matched with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and front-wheel drive.
It uses 48-volt mild-hybrid technology, which can supply up to 14kW/56Nm from a small electric motor under hard acceleration, or allow the engine to coast under low load to save up to 0.5L/100km of fuel.
The system cannot drive the wheels on electricity alone – an attribute that will be saved for a 'full hybrid' T-Roc due to follow the launch range, akin to a Toyota or Hyundai hybrid, with more electrical power and greater fuel savings.
Details of the 'full hybrid' system are yet to be confirmed, but Volkswagen has confirmed it will be front-wheel drive.
UK publication Autocar reports it will be offered in 100kW and 125kW variants.
A 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with all-wheel drive is due to return to the line-up at a later date, fitted with mild-hybrid technology for the first time. A flagship R performance grade is due in 2027, reports indicate.
The list of safety features has grown to include automatic lane changes within the Travel Assist adaptive cruise control and lane-centring technology, as well as automatic parking capable of storing and retracing the last 50 metres of the vehicle's movements.
Driver monitoring and overspeed warnings are fitted in Europe to meet mandatory safety rules, but the latter can be mapped to a shortcut menu, and disabled in two taps each time the car is restarted.
The 2026 Volkswagen T-Roc is due to open for pre-orders in select European markets imminently, before deliveries commence in November 2025.
A Volkswagen Australia representative told Drive the brand has "nothing to announce" regarding local plans "at this stage".
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
