No longer a mini-family: Meet the Volkswagen T-Rock on its way to Israel

In 2022, the Volkswagen Golf lost the title of the best-selling car in Europe to the Peugeot 208, after 20 consecutive years. The Germans may have been upset about the loss of the marketing asset, but they were quite satisfied, because most of the customers the Golf lost did not go to competitors: they bought the T-Rock, the family crossover based on the Golf platform.

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Times are changing and customers no longer stand in line for compact family cars. The queues moved to crossovers and jeeps, so six years after its launch, the T-Rock is finally coming to Israel as well.

Just as Toyota sells the Yaris Cross, C-HR and Corolla Cross in Israel at the same time, with base prices of NIS 133, 170 and 173 thousand, Volkswagen is also moving to sell three family crossovers at the same time.

T-Cross (from NIS 140,000) and Tiguan (from NIS 190,000) are joined by the T-Rock, at a basic price of NIS 170,000. Mazda CX-30 (from NIS 160,000) is also in his sights: all crossovers that also offer design and are a little less bulky compared to the sales hits Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage.

Design: The T-Rock is actually a twin model to the Seat Ateca and Skoda Karoq, which, unlike them, is also produced in a unique cabriolet version, which will not arrive in Israel as a regular import, which is a shame. With a length of 4.24 meters, a width of 1.82 meters, a height of 1.58 meters and a wheelbase of 2.59 meters, the T-Rock is wide, but relatively short. It looks like a scaled-down Tiguan, with a generous use of nickels, especially in the prominent strip along the vehicle, which gives it a very bourgeois and German character. So is the massive, illuminated facade at night.

The driver's environment: the feeling is definitely golf, with a higher seat, and a higher level of equipment compared to the base model we drove, with a 9.2-inch multimedia screen and a 10-inch digital dashboard, which displays the map of Volkswagen's original navigation system. For this you will have to enter an address in English, but the possibility of receiving the map directly in front of your eyes is very convenient. If you connect to Wise or Google Maps, you will only be able to see the map on the multimedia screen. The passenger compartment of the test car was a bit dark, and according to the catalog, the warmer and more vivid colors of the T-Rock remained abroad. Too bad.

The quality of the materials is good, and the front seats are good. In the back, the space is reasonable, but less good than in the Seat Ateca. At least there is an air conditioner outlet and a pair of USB sockets. The trunk with a volume of 445 is relatively large, and for transporting large loads it is possible to carpet not only the back bench but also the front seat.

Equipment: the basic Style version, which we drove (NIS 170,000), comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, a 9.2-inch multimedia screen, a 10-inch digital dashboard, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, a heated steering wheel, keyless entry and start, Climate control, wireless mobile charging pad and reverse camera.

The Style Plus version (NIS 185,000) upgrades to light 18-inch rims, adds an opening panoramic sun window, electric opening for the trunk, adjustable suspensions, electric adjustment for the driver's seat with massage for the lower back and leather upholstery.

The R-line version (NIS 200,000) upgrades to Nappa leather upholstery, sports seats and a matching exterior design package.

Safety: The T-Rock received a score of 5 out of 5 stars in the European crash test in 2017. All trim levels include autonomous emergency braking in forward and reverse travel, adaptive cruise control, lane departure control and blind spot warning. It is a shame that there is no fatigue warning system and a warning system for forgetting children, as well as a warning for opening a door when the road is not clear.

Engine and performance: from the multitude of drive units that are marketed abroad, the T-Rock comes to us only with the 1,500 cc turbo gasoline engine known from other models of the concern, in the updated version that allows it to run longer on two cylinders out of the four when it is not required to exert effort . The performance is good, but the gear changes in the dual-clutch robotic box, especially at the beginning and in traffic jams, are too slow and hesitant, and other drivers take advantage of the gap created by the following vehicle to start in front of you. It is better to switch to sport mode (there is also an economical mode and a comfort mode) for faster responses, at the expense of fuel consumption. This amounted to 13.8 km during the test days, which is good for a gasoline engine. But the time has come here too for a hybrid unit like the competing Toyota has.

Comfort and behavior: the suspension calibration is German plus, the T-Rock is relatively restrained, does not sway in turns and maneuvers well even in the city. Comfort is generally good and the ride is quiet apart from some wind noise from the roof rails.

Bottom line: The T-Rock is what GPT Chat would blurt out if asked what a Golf crossover would look like. It is of higher quality than usual, looks respectable and more prestigious, and in the basic version is well equipped, more than the direct competitors at its price level. NIS 170,000 is a high price tag, but not unusual these days, when a Toyota Corolla costs only NIS 5,000 less, and a Golf NIS 8,000 less. Like the golf, it will not be a sales hit in Israel, but rather a slightly prestigious option in the popular market.

Identity card / Volkswagen T-Rock

Engine: turbo gasoline, 1,498 cc, 150 hp, 25.5 kg

Gearbox: double-clutch robotic, 7 gears. front wheel drive

Performance (manufacturer): 8.3 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, 207 km/h top speed, 15.6 km per liter combined

Safety: 5 out of 5 stars in the European crash test. Full active safety

Air pollution: level 9 out of 15

Warranty: 3 years or 100 thousand km

Price: from NIS 170,000.

We liked: design, equipment, behavior and comfort

We didn't like: price