Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet: Forever chasing the sun

• Estimated price: from NIS 200,000 
• Competitors: Fiat 500C is the closest in price
• Liked: Wind in your hair, practical for families, relatively priced compared to other convertibles
• Disliked: The robotic gearbox Rating: 9/10

The car market is changing rapidly, and many categories are affected along the way. The segment of sedans, minivans, and mini cars has almost faded away. Yet, the open-top car category, especially its populist version, is still doing well.

Car enthusiasts surely remember that years ago there were many such cars on the road: Renault Megane, Ford Focus, Peugeot 206, Beetle, and more. Almost every respected company had one convertible in its lineup. A brief search in Europe, the continent addicted to convertibles, reveals that today there are a single-digit number of cars that can drop their roofs at a reasonable price. Mini, Fiat 500, Mazda MX-5, and that's it. Of course, for an unreasonable price, you can buy a BMW, Audi, McLaren, or Ferrari.

And then there's one more car, very different from all the rest, the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet. And if this name sounds familiar, it's only because it recently arrived in the country, but with a roof and 5 doors. In Europe, a different version of the compact SUV is offered. The T-Roc Cabriolet is different from all other convertibles primarily because it is based on an SUV rather than a sedan, coupe, mini, or any other low car.

While it's not the first crossover to become a convertible, it's the only one available in the European market today, and even that seems temporary: according to reports in Europe, its production will also be discontinued by the end of 2025, and for the first time since the first Beetle Cabriolet in 1950, Volkswagen will remain without a convertible in its lineup.

Utility, Not So Much

A leisure vehicle with an open roof is more or less an oxymoron, and the T-Roc is no different. In order to offer an open roof and a fleeting moment of Vitamin D, the compact Jeep sacrifices almost everything that a leisure vehicle can offer. The folding mechanism and the roof take up space at the back and essentially ruin the practical SUV structure. With 284 liters, the cargo space won't impress even modern supermini cars. For comparison, the practical version boasts around 400 liters, below the shelf.

Are you tired and thinking of putting the child in the back seat? Welcome to the world of people who need to fold the driver's seat and twist their backs in an unhealthy way. Even the angle of the windshield is tilted in a way that interferes more with visibility.

Utility is not the strong side here, as you've probably already understood.

From the second you fold the roof, it disappears quickly from the back. Or, in other words, you get a car that offers a lot of sun to its customers when there's sunshine around.

When there's no sunshine around, and it happens, you take the car for a test at the end of February in Europe, you get a car with good noise insulation considering the rigidity of the roof, but not excellent.

The Badge

Still, it's a Volkswagen with all the pros and cons of the brand. Human engineering, as in the T-Roc landing in the country, is quite good. The air conditioning controls are physical; you don't need to navigate through a slow screen menu to reach them. The multimedia screen is easy to understand and operate; the digital instrument panel offers a variety of information without overwhelming. A great system.

And onto another topic. Everyone has that friend who's "half suitable for them." One where one side is unbearable while the other is wonderful. One that you keep only because the package deal is worth it, but if the choice were in your hands, would you agree that only the sympathetic side attends mutual events?

Meet the 1,500 cc turbocharged gasoline engine (150 hp) from the Volkswagen brand and its unbearable spouse (or partner) - the DSG gearbox. This turbocharged engine is tailored to the dimensions of the T-Roc Cabriolet. It's relaxed, cruising on waves of torque, not really exerting itself, and happy to stay in its comfortable environment as much as possible.

The engine has no trouble bringing this convertible to Israeli illegal speeds and speeds that won't win you any favors on the fast lane of the autobahn. On the other hand, there's the dual-clutch robotic gearbox. This box shakes a bit at low speeds, doesn't always shift smoothly, and generally is an automatic gearbox when you could still buy cars with a manual gearbox.

Maybe we're a bit hard on it (it's mutual), but all in all, on urban roads, it's okay. It's also responsible for excellent fuel consumption. Test days included relaxed driving because in the Netherlands, most of the day, you're not allowed to go over 100 km/h (shame), a flight on the highway because you have to compensate for crawling in the Netherlands, and some twisty roads. After all this, a consumption of 15 km/l was recorded.

And finally, the car's qualities, materials, assembly, equipment, and more, all meet the brand's known standard. There were criticisms of the material quality in the previous generation, but after the facelift, the T-Roc feels quality and very Volkswagen.

On the roof

We mentioned it at the beginning; cars with open roofs compromise on comfort and behavior clauses. Choosing to remove a central component in the structural strength of the car dictates other reinforcements of the frame. This makes the car heavier and less resistant to loads. The T-Roc is too soft to provide a successful driving experience and too tough to be considered comfortable. Most of the bumps are passed in an acceptable manner, but the combination of large and sharp potholes with a cut frame causes it to react less pleasantly relatively. The test car came with adaptive dampers that offer preferred comfort over the regular version.

But this car provides style and an experience that other cars simply cannot compete with. It's worth explaining here that in Europe, people suffer from severe addiction to Vitamin D. Yes, the sun that sends you to the air conditioning is their medicine. For a dose, they are willing to do anything, and that includes painful sacrifices like a minimal cargo compartment, reasonable comfort, and a high price.

And here the T-Roc Cabriolet proves what it's really worth. It's true that it's a Japanese structure, meaning the most practical there is, but the term "relative" here is the story. Because the last car the Cabriolet competes with is the regular T-Roc. This open leisure vehicle competes with every other car that offers sunroofs, and here, Volkswagen's Japanese is the big winner.

With 2 more seats than the MX-5, a real open roof, and a cargo compartment that allows for child equipment, the Cabriolet is one of the most practical open cars.

Even the price isn't outrageous. In Europe, it's about 10% more expensive than the regular T-Roc with similar engine and gearbox, meaning it could have started at less than 200,000 shekels in Israel. For the open roof and style, it's not a price that would deter those already in Volkswagen's showroom. If there's a reason this car won't come to Israel, it might be those same sun rays. Anyone who wants a convertible in Israel sacrifices utility, comfort, and spaciousness just to get third-degree burns.

As they say, one person's trash is another person's treasure.

Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet | Technical Specs

Engine: Turbocharged gasoline, 1,498 cc. 150 hp, 25.5 kgm

Transmission: Auto, dual-clutch robotic, 7 gears. Front-wheel drive

Performance (manufacturer): 0-100 km/h (seconds): 9.6 seconds Maximum speed (km/h): 201 Fuel consumption (km/l): 19.1 Test fuel consumption (km/l): 15

Dimensions: Length (m): 4.27 Width (m): 1.81 Height (m): 1.53 Wheelbase (m): 2.63 Cargo capacity (liters): 284

Safety: European crash test: Cabriolet version not tested in public crash test, regular version received 5 out of 5 stars. Active safety: Autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure correction

Warranty: 3 years or 100,000 km