The Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet: A Tenerife Tale of Triumph and Tiny Engines

Right, listen up, you automotive adventurers, you sun-seekers (regardless of where that sun might be hiding behind perpetually grey skies), and you curious cats who’ve stumbled across this review wondering what fresh hell Volkswagen has unleashed upon the world. Today, we’re confronting a vehicle so… unique, so eyebrow-raising, it’s like finding a pineapple on a pizza. And I’m not talking about those delicious Hawaiian pizzas! I’m talking about the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet.

Now, before you start picturing me bronzed and wind-swept, draped across the bonnet like a particularly handsome (and slightly weathered) automotive enthusiast, let me manage your expectations. The reality is likely closer to me battling rush hour traffic, dodging potholes that could swallow a small car whole, and questioning my life choices every time I hit the accelerator. We’re going beyond my test drive, to explain to the world about this confusing vehicle.

And that, dear reader, is both the T-Roc Cabriolet’s greatest strength and its most crippling weakness. It’s unexpected. In a world of predictable SUVs like the Ford Kuga or MG HS, it’s a left-field choice. A conversational starter. A reason to point and mutter. But is it a good choice? That, my friends, is what we’re here to find out.

Chapter 1: The Surprise Element – A Cabriolet Apocalypse?

Let’s be honest, the T-Roc itself isn’t exactly setting the world on fire. It’s a perfectly acceptable, slightly dull, vaguely crossover-ish thing that blends into traffic like a chameleon in a beige paint factory. So, imagine my surprise when, upon arriving at the rental agency in Tenerife, I was presented with… this. A T-Roc. But… topless.

It was like Volkswagen had taken a perfectly sensible shoe and chopped the top off, replacing it with a… well, nothing. I half expected to find a tiny chihuahua wearing sunglasses perched on the dashboard. I swear, I had absolutely no idea such a thing existed.

Chapter 2: Tenerife Tactics – A Thousand Kilometers of Truth

Tenerife. A volcanic paradise, a holiday hotspot, and a place where the roads are either breathtakingly scenic or actively trying to kill you. Or both, simultaneously. So, it was the perfect proving ground for the T-Roc Cabriolet. From the sun-baked coast to the dizzying heights of Mount Teide, I subjected this little open-topped beast to the full Tinerfenian experience.

Highways, hairpin bends, cobbled village streets… it saw it all. And you know what? For the most part, it handled it surprisingly well. Especially with my family screaming every time that I was passing by a cliff.

Chapter 3: A Cabriolet with a Backbone (and Surprisingly Little Shudder)

This is where the T-Roc Cabriolet genuinely surprised me. Usually, lopping the roof off a car turns it into a wobbly, shuddering mess. Imagine a poorly constructed IKEA bookshelf trying to navigate a particularly aggressive speed bump. That’s most convertibles.

But the T-Roc Cabriolet? Remarkable. The body rigidity was actually quite impressive. I mean, you could feel the slightest hint of flex over truly horrendous surfaces, but nothing that would make your teeth rattle loose or cause your fillings to spontaneously combust. This is a testament to some serious under-the-skin bracing. It’s not quite driving a solid, hardtop car, but for a cabriolet, it was remarkably composed. Think of it as a well-built brick toilet, solid.

And the seating position! Gloriously high. You feel like you’re surveying the world from atop a slightly elevated bouncy castle. It’s actually quite comfortable, and gives you a great view, especially important when you’re trying to avoid kamikaze mopeds on the volcanic slopes of Tenerife.

Chapter 4: Practicality – Surprisingly… Practical?

Now, you’d expect a cabriolet to be about as practical as a chocolate teapot, right? Well, the T-Roc Cabriolet actually throws a few curveballs. First off, getting into the back seats is surprisingly easy. The front seats flip forward with a satisfying clunk, granting access to the surprisingly spacious rear. Four adults could genuinely travel in this thing without resorting to cannibalism.

Then there’s the roof. Operation is a doddle. A simple press of a button and it folds away neatly in seconds. Fast, efficient, German engineering at its finest. Although it’s German engineering, the quality still remains doubtful.

But the real surprise is the boot. Usually, with convertibles, you have a decent boot when the roof is up, and the space of a packet of cigarettes when it’s down. Not so with the T-Roc Cabriolet. Astonishingly, the boot space remains the same regardless of roof position. I managed to cram a large check-in suitcase, plus three carry-ons in there! This is not to be sniffed at. Suddenly, that weekend jaunt to the South of France seems a lot more plausible.

And speaking of jaunts… cruising along the highway at 120km/h (the speed limit in Tenerife) with the roof down was surprisingly pleasant. Not too much wind buffeting, decent noise levels… you could actually hold a conversation without resorting to interpretive dance.

Chapter 5: The Engine – A Tiny Terror (or Lack Thereof)

Ah, yes. The elephant in the room. Or, more accurately, the gerbil in the engine bay. The 1.0 TSI engine. 110 horsepower. On paper, it sounds… adequate. In reality, it’s about as invigorating as a lukewarm cup of chamomile tea.

Now, I’m not expecting V12 levels of performance here, but this engine is… anaemic. It struggles to pull the T-Roc Cabriolet up even the slightest incline, requiring constant gear changes and a heavy dose of prayer.

And the engine braking? Non-existent. Going downhill on the twisty roads of Tenerife was a terrifying exercise in pedal management, as I desperately tried to avoid plunging into a ravine filled with disgruntled tourists.

The worst part is, after 1000km, the feeling of being underpowered didn’t vanish. It stuck with me, like a bad smell or a particularly persistent Jehovah’s Witness.

Seriously, Volkswagen, this engine has no place in any car, let alone one that weighs as much as a small bungalow. Scrap it. Burn it. Bury it. Start again. And for the love of all that is holy, give the T-Roc Cabriolet a proper engine. I’d be happier with a tuned lawnmower engine under the hood than this wheezing disappointment.

Chapter 6: The Infotainment System – A Digital Diasterpiece

Ah, the infotainment system. In theory, it’s the technological heart of the modern car, the portal to your music, navigation, and various other digital distractions. In practice, it can be a source of unending frustration and existential dread. And the T-Roc Cabriolet’s system? Well, let’s just say it’s a prime candidate for therapy.

Now, I’m not one to demand a system that can calculate the trajectory of a rogue asteroid or predict the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest, but I do expect it to, you know, work. Consistently. Without throwing a digital hissy fit every five minutes.

But the T-Roc Cabriolet’s system clearly has other ideas. It crashed more often than a budget airline pilot at an airshow. One minute, I’m happily belting out a terrible rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody (roof down, naturally), the next, the screen goes blank. Dead. As if it’s been visited by the ghost of Steve Jobs who’s not happy with his IP being in a VW.

Sometimes, a simple reboot would do the trick. A prod of the power button, a few muttered curses, and it would reluctantly splutter back to life. Other times, it required the automotive equivalent of a cardiac arrest: pulling over, switching off the engine, locking the car, walking away in disgust, and letting it sit for a while to contemplate its digital sins. Only then, after what felt like an eternity (probably about 10 minutes, but who’s counting?), would it deign to function again.

And the reasons for these crashes? Who knows! Maybe it was the heat. Maybe it was the bumpy roads. Maybe it was just pure, unadulterated spite. Whatever the cause, it was infuriating. Imagine relying on the navigation to find your way through a labyrinthine city, only for the screen to suddenly go dark, leaving you stranded and at the mercy of a paper map from 1987. Or trying to answer an important phone call, only for the system to decide it’s time for a digital nap.

This isn’t just a minor annoyance; it’s a safety issue. A distracted driver is a dangerous driver, and a malfunctioning infotainment system is a recipe for disaster. Volkswagen needs to sort this out. Pronto. Because right now, the T-Roc Cabriolet’s infotainment system is less “infotainment” and more “infuriainment.”

Chapter 7: Conclusion – The Good, The Bad, and The Slightly Bonkers

So, after 10 days of sunshine, volcanic landscapes, and the ever-present threat of being overtaken by a donkey, what’s the verdict on the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet?

The Good:

• Comfort: Surprisingly comfortable for a cabriolet. The high seating position and lack of body torsion are genuinely impressive.
• Practicality: Decent boot space, even with the roof down, and relatively easy access to the back seats.
• Roof Operation: Fast, simple, and effective.
• Wind Management: Good roof-down experience at highway speeds.

The Bad:

• The Engine: The 1.0 TSI is an absolute disaster. Underpowered, gutless, and generally unpleasant. It single-handedly ruins the driving experience.
• Crashing Infotainment: I really hope that this was a particular problem in my car and not a general VW infotainment behaviour

The Slightly Bonkers:

• The Concept: A convertible SUV? It’s weird. It’s unexpected. It’s… well, it’s certainly a conversation starter.

The Overall:

The Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet is a frustrating car. It has genuine merits: it’s comfortable, practical, and surprisingly refined for a convertible. But it’s fatally undermined by that appalling engine. If Volkswagen offered this car with a decent power plant, it would be a genuine contender. As it stands, it’s a curiosity. A flawed but fascinating piece of automotive eccentricity. And, like most eccentric things, it’s probably best admired from a safe distance. Or rented for a week in Tenerife, just to see what all the fuss is about. Just be prepared to develop a deep and abiding hatred for the 1.0 TSI engine.

Volkswagen T-Roc Cabrio 1.0 TSI
Fuel: bezin
Power:  110 HP
Model: 2020