2020 Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet: prices, specs and release date

• • T-Roc Cabriolet now available to order
• • Two trims and two engines on offer
• • Range costs £26,750 - £31,920 before options

The Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet, a convertible version of VW’s smaller family SUV, is now on sale for £26,750. Two trim levels are available; the Design and R-Line specifications are shared with the five-door T-Roc. First deliveries are set to start in spring this year.

The entry-level Design trim level incorporates 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control and an eight-inch screen with sat nav, DAB radio and smartphone mirroring. R-Line, from £31,920, adds sporty touches inside and out, 19-inch alloys, the Active Info Display digital instrument cluster, LED headlights and lowered sports suspension.

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Despite being based on the standard SUV model, the T-Roc Cabriolet doesn’t share many body parts with it. Everything behind the front wheel arches is new, with a longer wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels). It’s lost its back doors and its B-pillar, and gained extra floor strengthening to make up for the lack of a metal roof.

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The engine range consists of two versions of VW’s turbocharged 1.0-litre petrol engine with an entry-level 113bhp variant, and a more powerful 148bhp version. Both versions come equipped as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox, with the more powerful 148bhp version getting the option of a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. No performance or economy figures have been released yet, but the Cabriolet will be heavier than the T-Roc SUV, so it is expected to be less efficient than the standard car.

As you might expect, the convertible T-Roc loses some of its sister car’s practicality. The roof mechanism is hidden behind the bodywork next to the rear seats, so the rear seating can only accommodate two passengers. Instead of a wide-opening tailgate, the boot will be accessed by a much smaller gap - and there’s less space in the boot too with only 284 litres available; a reduction of 161 litres over the SUV version.

The fabric roof can be opened or closed at speeds of up to 19mph, taking only nine seconds to retract at the press of a button (11 seconds to raise it). The mechanism for the roof is taken from the old Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet, and is only available in black. Eight body colours can be chosen, with two new shades called Ivy Green and Smokey Grey that are unique to the convertible.

With the Volkswagen T-Roc SUV receiving a full five-star score for safety from Euro NCAP, the T-Roc Cabriolet comes with plenty of standard driver assistance. Both trim levels get pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control and a driver tiredness monitor.

When it goes on sale in spring 2020, the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet will be VW’s first convertible model for two years. Convertible SUVs are few and far between, but Volkswagen will hope that it sells much better than the Range Rover Evoque Convertible, which was discontinued due to poor sales.

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VW has ambitions to grow its SUV line-up to 20 models in the next few years, responding to customer demand that shows no signs of slowing. The Volkswagen Tiguan is among the top 10 best-selling cars in the world and in the top three SUVs.

The Volkswagen T-Roc has many rivals, from the Renault Captur to the Audi Q2. Read our reviews of these models to see how they compare.