2022 Volkswagen T-Roc Facelift Revealed To Remind Us Of The Cabriolet SUV

The Golf among Volkswagen’s crossovers, the T-Roc is preparing for 2022 by getting a facelift. We’re not talking only about the standard model, but also the high-performance R and the quirky Cabriolet. Yes, the only model with a folding roof from Wolfsburg is already being updated, a little over two years after its official debut at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show.

As with recent VW products such as the Polo, Golf, and Tiguan, the T-Roc family gains an LED light bar bisecting the front grille. You’ll have to step up to the more sophisticated matrix headlights as the lesser, also-LED setup, has a regular grille without the wide illuminated strip. Speaking of lights, there are new stacked fog lights also using light-emitting diodes while the taillights have been updated as well and come with dynamic turn signals at an additional cost.

The Germans say they’ve spruced up the color palette and redesigned the alloy wheels, which start at 17 inches in size and go up to 19 inches. The R-Line upgrade is still available, bringing some of the sporty visual tweaks of the full-fat R without the premium commanded by the beefier engine. Some mild changes to the bumpers have also been made, but overall, the T-Roc has remained essentially the same. If it weren’t for the light bar, it would be difficult to distinguish the 2022 model from the pre-facelift version.

Stepping inside the cabin, the changes are more significant since even the base model will have a digital instrument cluster going forward. However, the most obvious novelty is the center console where the air vents have been moved lower to make room for the top-spec infotainment system with a 9.2-inch diagonal. Cheaper trims come with a 6.5- or 8-inch touchscreen.

The T-Roc now uses VW’s latest MIB3 infotainment tech and can be optionally had with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. In addition, it has switched to touch-sensitive climate controls in the same vein as the ones adopted by the facelifted Polo, Tiguan, and Arteon.

Underneath the hood, you’ll find the usual suspects. The lineup kicks off with a three-cylinder, 1.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine delivering 110 horsepower (81 kilowatts) to the front axle. The larger four-cylinder, 1.5-liter TSI ups the power ante to 150 hp (110 kW) while retaining the FWD layout. Upgrade to the 2.0-liter TSI rated at 190 hp (140 kW) and you get 4Motion as standard.

VW still believes there’s a market big enough for diesels to offer a pair of 2.0-liter TDIs, one with 115 hp (85 kW) and the other with 150 hp (110 kW). The former is strictly a FWD affair while the other comes optionally with an all-paw system. Depending on your selection, the T-Roc is available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic.

Sitting at the top of the range is once again the T-Roc R with its mighty 300 hp (224 kW) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) for a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint in 4.9 seconds. The Audi SQ2’s more mainstream sibling comes only with the DSG in combination with 4Motion and a launch control function. Flat out, the sporty crossover with its quad exhaust system will hit an electronically governed 155 mph (250 km/h).

The days when VW was selling a Golf R Cabriolet are not coming back, not even in spirit, considering the T-Roc R will continue to be available only with a fixed roof. Should you want the cabriolet with its three-layer fabric roof, it’s only offered with front-wheel drive and the 1.0- and 1.5-liter TSI engines. Both get the six-speed manual as standard, but the four-pot can be optionally linked to the DSG.

Since it was introduced four years ago, the T-Roc has been sold in more than one million examples and VW hopes the mid-cycle facelift will maintain customer demand at a high level.