Volkswagen T-Roc review - MPG, CO2 and Running Costs

List prices for the T-Roc range from around £20,500 to nearly £39,000. This means the T-Roc carries a premium of around £3,000 over an equivalent Golf - that's a pretty decent markup for VW, considering both cars are largely identical under the sheet metal.

Lower-powered T-Roc versions will incur a first year tax rate of £215, while those opting for mid-range models will have to pay £540 in year one. The 2.0-litre petrol and diesel variants with auto transmission will cost at least £870 for a single year's tax, and don't forget the standard rate from year two onwards is £150.

The T-Roc has now been tested under the latest WLTP test regime, and the results are interesting when comparing petrol and diesel side-by-side. At the entry point to the range, the 1.0 TSI 115PS engine manages a best combined economy figure of 47.9mpg, but the 1.5 TSI Evo with cylinder deactivation has a claimed best of 45.6mpg. Add the DSG auto and this reduces slightly to 42.8mpg, which is still better than the 2.0 TSI 4MOTION 190PS petrol, which returns just 34.4mpg. The range-topping R model manages a maximum 32.5mpg.

In comparison, the 1.6 TDI now returns 53.3mpg - only 5.4mpg better than the 1.0 TSI petrol - while the 2.0 TDI manages 52.3mpg. Again, adding a DSG auto has a negative impact, with a figure of 50.4mpg.

Emissions range from 134g/km to 199g/km for the 296bhp R version. Fitting bigger wheels to any model has an impact on fuel economy and emissions, so it's worth checking exact emissions figures if you're looking at a T-Roc as a company car.

Insurance groups

Insurance groups range from 11 for the 1.0 TSI S to 23 for the 190PS 2.0 TSI petrol, with the diesel models somewhere in between. These figures are actually on a par with the Golf, and also similar to the Audi Q2. The Cabriolet starts at group 14 for the entry-level 113bhp 1.0-litre Design version, moving to group 21 for the higher-spec 1.5-litre R-Line variant.

Depreciation

The combination of being a small SUV and VW means the T-Roc is a pretty good performer for depreciation. Buy one, and expect to get around 45-50% of your cash back when you sell after three years. That's very slightly ahead of the Audi Q2, but not quite as good as a MINI Countryman. The T-Roc Cabriolet also retains a good chunk of its value over the same period - around 45%.