Volkswagen is preparing for the launch of the facelifted T-Roc and a pair of prototypes were spied on the road while being almost completely undisguised, revealing most of the upcoming design changes. It may not seem that long ago, but the MQB-based T-Roc was unveiled in production form in 2017. Four years later, it is time for a mid-cycle refresh, following the recently facelifted Audi Q2 sibling.
Like in most VW group models, design changes are discreet. However, if you look closer, you will notice the tweaked front bumper with slightly larger LED daytime running lights and the omission of the lower fog lights. The grille is slimmer and the headlight graphics have been updated. At the back, changes are limited to the chrome-delete on the fake exhaust surrounds.
Judging from the badging, the bodykit, and the large-diameter wheels, the second prototype is likely the 4Motion R-Line trim level. This one also gets a slimmer grille bearing the new R logo, as well as more aggressive bumper intakes – similar to those on the Chinese-spec R-Line – while we also noticed more modern LED taillight graphics. Those changes bring a greater resemblance to the full-blown R, although the latter can be easily distinguished from the quad exhaust pipes. While we don’t have any interior spy shots, we expect a digital cockpit with updated infotainment and more driving assistance systems. There is also a high chance Volkswagen finally gives the T-Roc soft-touch materials on the dashboard, addressing one of the main issues with the current model.
We expect a few changes in the engine line-up in order to comply with the latest emission standard. The current range includes the 1.0 TSI (109 hp), the 1.5 TSI (148 hp), the 2.0 TSI (188 hp) and the diesel 2.0 TDI (148 hp). The all-wheel-drive T-Roc R with the 2.0 TSI (296 hp) will remain the performance flagship. There is also a high chance we are going to see a T-Roc GTE plug-in hybrid (242 hp) following the example of the Golf and the larger Tiguan.
The facelifted VW T-Roc will premiere sometime in the coming months. After all, the fact that engineers didn’t even bother camouflaging the prototypes shows that the full reveal is imminent. It will be interesting to see if Volkswagen also updates the VW T-Roc Cabriolet.
