Last April, Volkswagen revealed that the second generation of the popular T-Roc would be the carmaker’s final new internal combustion vehicle, and these are the first spy shots of that model.
Caught undergoing winter testing in Europe by our spy photographers, the upcoming T-Roc employs subtle camouflage that might deceive you into believing there’s not much to see here. You may not want to make up your mind too quickly, though.
For starters, stickers cover the front of this T-Roc test car, meaning that we don’t have a good sense of what the grille will look like, nor how the headlights will be shaped, and those do tend to have a big impact on a vehicle’s personality. However, it’ll be a safe bet to assume that some inspiration will be drawn by its curvier big brother, the Tiguan.
Read: 2025 T-Roc Will Be Final New ICE-Powered VW, Boss Says
Moving towards the rear, a familiar design line is evident over the rear wheel arch, but the pleat along the belt line of the vehicle has disappeared, tidying up the side of the vehicle a bit. It also looks like the rear glass is raked at a steeper angle, giving the next-gen T-Roc a more crossover-coupe-like look than the current model.
While a lot remains to be seen, reports indicate that the silliest version of the T-Roc will be dropped from the lineup. Pour one out for the T-Roc Cabriolet, which has not found enough customers to justify the money required to develop a new one.
It’s not yet clear what powertrains VW will offer in the new T-Roc, but seeing as how this is the last new ICE vehicle it plans to introduce, it seems safe to assume that the engine lineup will be familiar, and probably very similar to what is offered in the recently updated Mk8.5 Golf.
That car gets a pair of mild-hybrid 1.5-liter engines making up to 147 hp (110 kW/150 PS), a couple of plug-in powertrains with 62 miles (100 km) of electric-only range, and 268 hp (200 kW/272 PS) in the spicy GTE trim, and two diesel engines. It’s not yet clear if the T-Roc R will return but, if it does, it will likely share its powertrain with the upcoming Golf R.
Whatever goes under the hood, the next-generation T-Roc is set to launch in 2025.
