Spontaneity (noun)
It refers to “the quality of being natural rather than planned in advance.” Enter the Volkswagen T-Roc, a brimming fuel tank and the prospect of a weekend that somehow, despite my wife and I having equally hectic schedules, was largely free of commitments. Cue hastily packed luggage being lobbed into the stylish quasi-coupe SUV’s boot, cheers to the puppies and we were off.
With AC on full blast, we beat an escape from the sweltering Cape heat, and pointed the T-Roc’s steely bonnet East along the N2. And with that began an unscheduled road trip to the Garden Route. Destination; Wilderness – where we’d spend 48 hours in peace and tranquility, and most of that submerged in seawater. Just us. Not the car. Why not the R62, you ask? Because, silly, that’s for the slower-paced trip home, where its curvy asphalt will delight me and its cuisine errr, also delight me.
Under my right foot is a pedal. But connected to that (eventually) is VW’s prolific 1.4l TSI engine. In this application it renders 110kW which is plenty for the task at hand, that’s fuss-free adventuring with my favourite person. It’s actually the entry-level model, albeit fitted with extra content such as a sunroof. In standard trim, it’s well equipped with aircon, smartphone connectivity, and the modern conveniences you crave. But mostly all we required was icy cold air on our faces and legs, and the VW’s sound system to blast forth our choice tunes. At circa R570k, it’s right on the money considering all that the package entails, with plenty of living and storage space to boot. The looks, well it certainly gets enough attention and now falls in line with the rest of the VW range. But if I’m being honest, I preferred the edgier visage on the original. It doesn’t bother me, especially when I’m in the best seat in the house. That is, the driver’s pew. It is engaging to drive, has a slippery Tiptronic auto ‘box to take care of shifting duty and is overall a feel-good whip.
Yes, there exists a punchier two-litre model, in standard Design and R-LINE trims, with DSG transmissions. These will be fierier to pilot, but will cost you between R50k and R100k more. But I reckon this smaller unit suits the demeanour of the T-Roc just fine, with flavourful steering, a comfy ride and enough pep to make light work of first the scenic N2 coast, and then the windy R62. Plus, it looks bloody excellent out in the wild. Don’t you think?
I can see the appeal of the T-Roc in an SUV-obsessed world, where sporty coupe lines are still appreciated. The engine would appeal to Goldilocks, just warm enough. And, parked as it was outside our bungalow at Pine Lake Marina, it looked just right.