Compact SUV battle: Volkswagen T-Roc takes on Harrier, Hector, Compass

The Volkswagen T-Roc is here to take on the compact SUV segment in India. We see how the new SUV from Germany compares to the rival offerings available in India.

Volkswagen India has launched the much-awaited T-Roc compact SUV at a price of Rs 19.99 lakh (ex-showroom). The T-Roc although a smaller vehicle, is brought to India as a direct import hence the slightly high price tag. We take a look at how the T-Roc measures up against its rival in its price segment. The T-Roc at this price will take on the likes of the Tata Harrier, Jeep Compass and the MG Hector although in terms of size the latter three are considerably larger.

T-Roc Engine vs Rivals

The Volkswagen T-Roc will be a petrol-only model featuring a 1.5-litre turbo motor that is good for 150hp and 240Nm of torque. The Harrier is not offered in petrol, but the Compass and the Hector use a 1.4-litre and 1.5-litre turbo petrol motor respectively. Although the MG also gets a 48 V mild-hybrid system, it is still the least powerful petrol engine in the segment. As for diesel, the Harrier, Hector and Compass all use the same identical 2.0-litre turbo-diesel motor that offers identical performance. In terms of transmission option, the T-Roc is equipped with VW’s slick-shifting 7-speed DSG as standard with no manual offering. The Harrier, Compass and Hector instead are offered with 6-speed manuals for their respective engines. The Harrier has a 6-speed AT while the Compass and Hector petrol-variants are offered with dual-clutch gearboxes. The Compass, however, gets the intelligent 9-speed automatic for its diesel. But the T-Roc’s engine also features cylinder deactivation technology that makes it more efficient and the only vehicle with this technology in this segment.

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T-Roc Dimensions vs Rivals

The Volkswagen T-Roc is the smallest vehicle in its segment with the Harrier being the longest, widest, but the Hector is tallest against its rivals. When it comes to boot space, the Hector has the rivals beaten by a long shot. The Harrier features the smallest boot. However, the VW T-Roc on the other hand, despite being smallest overall has a 425-litre boot space making it the second-largest among the four. The Harrier, however, boasts the best ground clearance in the segment.

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The T-Roc being an import draws heavy import duty fees but is only offered in one variant that offers everything. The Harrier, although starts fairly low, a decently equipped one will set you back around the same kind of money, and the same goes for the Hector. But the Hector also offers petrol and diesel engines. The Compass is the most expensive model among the four with the fully-specced model going for Rs 21.9 lakh for the petrol and the diesel AT stands at Rs 24.99 lakh. That said, the Compass is the only one here to feature a 4×4 system and proven off-road credentials.

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The asking price for the T-Roc may seem a bit steep for the size of the vehicle but should you take a closer look, you would find that the T-Roc has a lot going for itself. It may have only one engine on offer, but it is quite a sophisticated motor and the performance is at par against its rivals. The gearbox is also one of the best in the business. The overall size of T-Roc may not be imposing in front of its rivals but it does look dynamic and sporty. In addition,  despite its smaller size, it has a spacious cabin, along with one of the largest boots in its segment. So if you’re looking for a compact SUV which is sophisticated, feature-rich and offers German attention to detail, the T-Roc makes a good case for itself. Stay tuned for our review of the Volkswagen T-Roc soon.

All prices are ex-showroom.

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