Old VW vs new VW – Expect more bang for your buck in the future

In an effort to increase its vehicles’ attractiveness in both the new and used markets, VW has started to fit more equipment to its entry-level cars in South Africa directly from the factory, the company recently announced.

We took a look into the automaker’s brochures to see just how much local motorists stand to gain from the renewed approach to car specifications, by comparing the standard features of the recently-launched T-Roc to that of the pre-facelift model.

An updated vehicle should naturally have more standard features than its predecessor, but European manufacturers have been known not to equip their base derivatives with too many amenities while offering a wide variety of optional extras.

With this new equipment strategy, however, the entry-level 2022 T-Roc should be similar to the mid-range specification of old, and after comparing the two siblings, it seems VW has delivered on its promises.

Out with the old, in with the new

Under the hood, both the 2020 and 2022 entry-level T-Roc sport a 1.4-litre, turbo-petrol drivetrain offering 110kW and 250Nm, sending power to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Nothing has changed in this regard, meaning the bulk of the mid-life T-Roc update went into equipment and features.

In both generations, standard fitment includes automatic headlights with high-beam control, rain-sensing wipers, all-round parking sensors, fabric seats, heated and electrically-adjustable wing mirrors, a leather multifunction steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, white ambient lighting, and an 8-inch infotainment system connected to six speakers – offering voice control, Bluetooth, and four USB ports.

You’ll further find hill-start assist, driver fatigue detection, all-round parking sensors, and six airbags in each.

As far as styling goes, both VWs also get silver roof rails, 17-inch alloy wheels, and front fog lamps with cornering lights.

This is where most of the similarities end, though, with the newer T-Roc definitively seeing more high-end features than the model it is replacing.

On top of what was already a decent specification sheet, the 2022 T-Roc gains semi-autonomous parking assist, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, shifter paddles on the steering column, keyless entry and start, an automatic tailgate, front LED lights with poor weather control, memory functions for the wing mirrors, an enhanced air filter with “activated carbon”, and wheel locks with theft protection.

It comes with an 8-inch digital instrument cluster and Sport-Comfort seats, too, compared to the analogue dials, 3-inch multi-information display, and Comfort seats of the old model.

Altogether these features make the new entry-level crossover compare favourably against the range-topping specification of the outgoing generation, the R-Line.

If you were to attempt to fit these options on the pre-facelift T-Roc, some of which weren’t available in the entire range, they would have cost over R57,700 extra.

The price difference between the new entry-level and old entry-level model is R39,800.