• Photo gallery: This is the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabrio

Until recently, almost no one had considered a convertible all-road vehicle, but this recent fashion is beginning to penetrate. Volkswagen will be the next manufacturer to sign up for it with the T-Roc Cabrio , the convertible version of its compact SUV.

In 2011, Nissan ventured with a cabriolet version of its Murano SUV , an innovative proposal that nobody before had dared to take to mass production. The idea did not finish curdling among the buyers and their sales were not all the good they would have wanted in the brand.

Despite this limited success, the Japanese vehicle laid the groundwork for others to continue exploring this market. It was the case of Range Rover , which after the excellent reception of the Evoque wanted to take full advantage of the model, providing new proposals for bodywork. And, from there, other manufacturers have decided to enter this plot.

Now, in September, Volkswagen will present in the framework of the Frankfurt Motor Show the T-Roc Cabrio , the first compact SUV that can be driven in the open and that has revealed in a restricted previous session to a media group Communication. Although it has not yet been possible to drive it, we have seen and analyzed it in depth.

Despite using the same platform of the Tiguan and the "conventional" T-Roc, some measures have been slightly varied in the convertible version. The most important, the wheelbase, which grows four important centimeters and allows to offer a more than generous space for the legs of the rear passengers, even if they measure around 1.80 meters. The length is also 34 millimeters higher and, on the other hand, the height drops five centimeters to achieve a successful coupé-type line with the roof closed, which, moreover, still leaves a more than enough free gap between the occupants head and the hood of canvas.

Amazing space

The four seats are quite comfortable and, surprisingly, behind you travel with some slack, something that is not usual in a cabriolet vehicle with 4.26 meters long . Even the seats in the rear area are more comfortable than in other larger models, where they go too vertical.

Also the trunk has a correct volume, with 284 liters of capacity . Of course, the loading mouth is a bit fair and the forms are not very square, which reduces versatility. In return, the backrests of the rear seats can be folded down with a button and an extra interesting space is gained. As an option, a tow ball can be installed.

The mechanism of the canvas hood makes it well stretched and tense when placed, so that it does not swell with speed and cause a negative effect both on aerodynamics and from the point of view of the noise that would be generated in inside. Its opening and closing is done by a button located in the center console in just nine seconds and can be done by driving with the car up to 30 km / h. Optionally there is the alternative of requesting that the key is also programmed to perform the maneuver through it or through the door's own exterior handle.

The front part of the hood serves to cover the entire assembly when folded, which simplifies and lowers the system but leaves the lateral area of ​​the rods exposed, something that is not fortunate from the aesthetic point of view and also makes that ends up accumulating dirt.

In the mechanical section, the offer will be reduced to two turbocharged gasoline engines with 115 and 150 horsepower , respectively, and to a single front-wheel drive alternative. Volkswagen justifies that potential buyers of these cars would rarely opt for a diesel or a 4x4. The small three-cylinder, 1.0-liter propeller will be associated with a six-speed manual gearbox, while for 1.5 you can also opt for a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission .

Safety reinforcements

To ensure safety, the windshield frame has been reinforced and numerous structural modifications have been made, both on the underside of the vehicle and on the side panels, crossbars and doors. The T-Roc Cabrio also has hidden anti-roll arches behind the rear seats that, in case of excessive inclination in that area or exceeding a certain transverse acceleration, unfold in only a few tenths of a second.

The new convertible SUV will be available in two equipment lines, Style and R-Line , both with 17-inch wheels as standard and different 18-inch and 19-inch options as an option. The first finish is mainly oriented towards design and allows several alternatives for customization. For its part, the R-Line has a sports approach that is not only shown in details such as seats with integrated headrests, but also in mechanical organs. They emphasize, for example, a firmer undercarriage and a progressive direction depending on the speed.

The Volkswagen T-Roc was introduced at the end of 2017 and is having a remarkable sales success, with more than 360,000 units registered in a year and a half. In a few months, the T-Roc R variant will be added , with a strong sports character, with a 300-horsepower engine and four-wheel drive.

The new T-Roc Cabrio will reach the market in the spring of 2020 and, unlike its range brothers that are made in Palmela (Portugal), it will be built at the German plant in Osnabrück, a factory with a great tradition in convertibles, where the Beetle and the Golf were made. With the new SUV, Volkswagen intends to cover the gap left by these models and expand its portfolio of potential customers to families in need of a more versatile vehicle.

In 2020, the German brand will have 20 different proposals in the SUV / SUV segment . Among them, the first one hundred percent electric series production stands out, which will be based on the Crozz ID prototype.

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