volkswagen still struggling with a shortage of supply for its hottest models, but it has a few tricks up its sleeve to try to get more cars in Australia.
One of those tricks is to create special products like CHEAP T-Roc mesh version.
300 units will arrive in Australia in the first shipment, with prices starting at $5000 less than the price of the regular high-speed T-Roc R.
Despite the lack of some luxury and active safety equipment, the T-Roc R Grid still doesn’t lose any performance to save cash. It still has the same 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, 221 horsepower, still all-wheel drive, and is still available in the top Lapiz Blue metallic paint.
In other words, it still ticks a lot of boxes for performance buyers on a budget.
How much does Volkswagen T-Roc R Grid Edition cost?
T-Roc R Grid Edition priced from $54,300 before circulation$6000 cheaper than the regular T-Roc R.
It’s also $9690 cheaper than its bigger brother, Tiguan R mesh versionand $12,690 less than the Golf R hatchback.
There are some other major differences, which lead to the fact that you can actually get the T-Roc R.
It’s hard to find compelling crossovers and hatchbacks on the market right now, from Honda to Hyundai, but you can actually buy a regular T-Roc R in Australia at the moment thanks to a supply deal. was confirmed by Volkswagen in January.
Price of Volkswagen T-Roc R 2023:
- Volkswagen T-Roc R Grid Edition: $54,300
- Volkswagen T-Roc R: $60,300
Price does not include road costs
What’s inside the Volkswagen T-Roc R Grid Edition like?
The big change to the T-Roc R Grid Edition is the seats. Instead of the Nappa leather sport seats from the standard car, you get a fabric and suede version of the same front row seats.
They are not heated, but they look great. They grip the leather parts even more firmly in the corners, and the more pops of color they offer go well with the more youthful styling of the T-Roc alongside the Golf and Tiguan.
Otherwise, the cabin remains the functional, comfortable, and high-tech space we know and love from the regular T-Roc.
The leather-wrapped steering wheel feels great to the driver, but has silly capacitive buttons that are easy to accidentally press if you’re having trouble. Between the R button and the heated steering wheel button, you will inadvertently adjust the settings continuously.
The touch screen located on the dashboard shares the same infotainment software offered in the Tiguan, with clear and responsive graphics. Apple CarPlay features wireless, although you can plug in a USB-C port and all the menus are well laid out.
The 10.25-inch digital driver display also remains top of the class. It’s easy to read on the go and informative for data enthusiasts.
Volkswagen has even stuck with a matching set of climate controls, instead of burying those controls in the center display.
Storage space around the cabin is generally quite good. Along with the wireless charger at the base of the dashboard, there’s also a cup holders, a decent door pocket, and a compact storage compartment under the center armrest.
It doesn’t look like a small car up front, the T-Roc.
Rear-seat space is decent, though anyone carrying the whole family will want to take a look at the Tiguan R.
Adults will be able to sit there comfortably on shorter trips, thanks to the headroom and sturdy legroom, while the vents and USB-C ports are a win for anyone sitting. there. ISOFIX points are available on the outboard rear seats and there are three top tether points for the child seat.
Claimed Bootspace 392 liters with the rear seats in place, extending to 1237 liters with them folded.
What’s under the bonnet?
The power in T-Roc R Grid Edition comes from the same 2.0 liter turbocharged petrol engine features in the regular model, make the same 221kW (5300-6600rpm) and 400Nm (2000-5300 rpm).
It’s mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and 4Motion all-wheel drive.
The announced 100 km/h sprint time is 4.9 secondsand the claimed fuel economy is 8.3 liters/100km on the mixed cycle. T-Roc R drinks premium 98 RON lead-free, and has 55L gas tank.
It is equipped with a petrol-specific filter (PPF), which is especially important as owners aren’t trying to save money by filling up with cheaper fuel that could clog that filter and require repair. costly.
How does the Volkswagen T-Roc R Grid Edition drive?
Grid wants nothing in the performance stakes compared to regular R.
It’s still a turbocharged car with plenty of traction, feeling more like a hot hatchback than a hot SUV. In other words, it was a lot of fun.
The turbocharged four-cylinder delivers a powerful punch in the low rpm range and crosses the mid-range to the red line.
When you’re not in a hurry, it just moves around, relying on its muscular torque reserves, but presses harder and the DSG drops one (or three) gears and pushes you directly into the flesh of the strip engine capacity.
Volkswagen says the T-Roc R can accelerate to 100 km/h in just five seconds, which is perfectly accurate in the real world. And it’ll do it in all conditions, essentially, thanks to the 4Motion all-wheel drive system.
Unlike the new Golf R, the T-Roc doesn’t have a rear differential that actively shuffles torque to the outer rear wheel.
But it has quick steering and a sticky front axle, both of which combine to make this a car where you can really hit corners at high speed.
Even on narrow paths covered with leaves and branches, you can push it hard and feel confident it will stay still.
It doesn’t feel fully adjustable when you’re cornering – you can’t play with its balance by lifting the accelerator – but it also doesn’t tend to understeer. It just does what you ask without fuss.
While some gear has been removed to make the Grid easier to manufacture, adaptive dampers are also standard on the R feature here.
In Comfort mode, they give the T-Roc a fairly comfortable ride, though a ride is still tense enough to remind you it’s a sports convertible.
In Race, it’s noticeably more rugged, but still compliant enough to handle the worst back roads Victoria can throw at it. The T-Roc doesn’t deflect in mid-corner collisions, allowing you to keep the throttle on rough surfaces.
When you’re not in a hurry, T-Roc will comfortably blend into city life. Over-the-shoulder visibility is decent, although the loss of blind-spot monitoring forces you to be extra cautious in checking your head, and the smart DSG combines with the torque motor to run at high speeds. easily low.
Volkswagen’s driver assistance suite is also very smart. The adaptive cruise control system intelligently maintains the distance from the vehicle in front and assists in keeping lanes simple.
The main factor affecting its refinement is road noise, which at highway speeds on Australia’s rear roads is poorly suppressed.
That’s a common complaint with European performance cars, and one that will make you turn on the stereo in the T-Roc.
What do you get?
Highlights of T-Roc R Grid Edition:
- 19-inch Pretoria alloy wheels
- Adaptive Chassis Control with Race mode
- progressive direction
- CHEAP exterior and interior
- LED headlights
- Outside ambient lighting
- High quality metallic paint
- 9.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Voice and gesture control
- Satellite positioning
- Apple CarPlay Wireless, Android Auto
- Wireless phone charger
- Dual-zone climate control
- Microfleece/seat decoration fabric
Is Volkswagen T-Roc R Grid Edition safe?
While the T-Roc series received a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on tests conducted by Euro NCAP in 2017, the T-Roc R did not.
It received an adult protection score of 96%, a child occupant protection score of 87%, a pedestrian protection score of 79% and a safety assist score of 71%.
Compared to the regular T-Roc R, the Grid Edition misses out on blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and active passenger protection.
Standard safety features include:
- 6 airbags
- AEB with pedestrian detection
- Adaptive cruise control with stop/go
- Lane departure warning
- Lane keeping assist
- Travel support
- Adaptive cruise control
- Active lane centering
- Parking assist (flying and parallel)
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Reverse camera
How much does the Volkswagen T-Roc R Grid Edition cost to run?
The T-Roc, like all new Volkswagen models, is covered by a 5 year unlimited km . warranty.
Scheduled maintenance is required every 12 months or 15,000 km – whichever comes first.
Volkswagen offers three- and five-year Care Packages for all versions of the T-Roc, costing $1700 And $2950 respectively for R, averaging $530 to $560 per year.
CarExpert tests Volkswagen’s T-Roc R mesh version
The T-Roc R Grid is as good to drive as the regular model, and it also doesn’t feel like it’s missing much in the gear.
The new seats offer little bit of support like standard units, and the loss of blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert shouldn’t do too much harm for a compact car like this.
Yes, there will be people who want them, but the regular T-Roc R still exists for them.
Given how hard it is for you to get your hands on a compelling hatch in 2023, with supply shortages already acute, the T-Roc R Grid is shaping up to be a very tempting way for enthusiasts to get their hands on one. results in a relatively compact package.
I’ll have mine in gray, thanks.
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