Convertible SUVs are a rare breed. Land Rover produced a Range Rover Evoque Convertible for a few years but it was unloved and sold in tiny numbers.
Undaunted, German giant Volkswagen is trying its hand, with the T-Roc Cabriolet.
Based on the Golf, the T-Roc is a compact SUV that rivals the Nissan Juke, Ford Ecosport and Toyota C-HR.
Now VW has taken the top off the T-Roc to come up with a trendy cabriolet version.
Pricing kicks off at £26,750, with two engines available to choose from. These are both petrol, a 113bhp 1.0-litre or a 148bhp 1.5-litre, and are linked to a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, while the latter can be chosen with a seven-speed automatic DSG gearbox.
The Cabriolet has a longer body and wheelbase to allow for more passenger room and to accommodate the model’s folding canvas roof, which can be lowered in nine seconds and raised in 11.
Boot capacity still suffers, of course, as it does with every convertible ever made. The T-Roc Convertible’s boot is 284 litres, down from the healthy 445 litre capacity of the hardtop version.
Even entry level models are well equipped, with base Design trim having 17in alloy wheels, an 8in infotainment display, dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, lane departure assistance and ‘Front Assist’ which helps minimise the risk of collisions in emergency braking situations.
Top spec R-Line starts at £31,920 and comes with 19in alloys, a digital instrument display, LED headlights, external body kit, and a pile of interior technology upgrades. It also gets sports suspension which means it sits 20mm lower than the standard car.
The convertible is available in the same range of colours as the regular T-Roc and two additional hues, Ivy Green and Smoky Grey Metallic.
It’s hard to think of cars that will rival the T-Roc Cabriolet but Mazda’s MX-5 seems the closest bet.
There’s no word yet on when it will go on sale but if VW has any sense it will be in time for summer.