2023 Volkswagen T-Roc CityLife review

What’s significant about the Volkswagen T-Roc CityLife?

Introduced in September 2023, the Volkswagen T-Roc CityLife marks a new entry point into our 2023 Best Small SUV range – and it’s even on special!

Sitting beneath the Style, the CityLife is a limited-run offering, according to Volkswagen, with some 1500 units on hand to help bolster the bottom end of the SUV price scale for VW ahead of the arrival of the facelifted – and smaller – T-Cross in early 2024.

32

It retails at $35,990 plus on-road costs, but Volkswagen is currently offering it for the national drive-away price of $36,990.

While it might seem a little steep when held up against other entry-level small SUV like the Mazda CX-30 G20 Evolve ($33,310 plus ORCs) and the category-leading MG ZST Excite ($32,990), we reckon the T-Roc CityLife’s base value proposition is well worth the extra spend.

32

What else is beneath the skin?

The CityLife shares the same 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine and eight-speed auto front-drive powertrain as the Style, but is fitted with smaller 17-inch rims and high-profile 215/55 tyres, more paint and less body cladding, VW’s basic LED headlight array and a cloth interior.

It also retains an impressively lengthy list of basic kit that includes IQ Drive, park assist, low speed AEB front and rear, high-beam assist, a digital cockpit with an 8-inch display, four USB-C ports and keyless entry.

Despite side assist and rear cross-traffic being added to the Style and the R-Line as part of this late-life tweak, though, the CityLife will miss out. It does, of course, inherit the T-Roc’s five-star ANCAP score, as well as its shorter-than-industry-average five-year warranty.

32

When does the T-Roc CityLife go on sale?

It’s available right now along with bolstered stocks of all T-Roc variants, according to Volkswagen.

It will only be around for a few months into the new year, though, while the drive-away price offer is in place until the end of the year.

32

What is it like to drive?

If there’s a more dependable and relatable platform combo than this one, we’d like to see it.

The MQB platform means stability and consistency, predictable dynamics and good ride comfort, along with great braking feel and decent (if overly light) steering.

Despite the tall 17-inch tyres, the CityLife can still feel a bit taut on broken terrain, even though it soaks up square-edged bumps impressively well.

32

The 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo engine, too, can feel strained when asked to accelerate with alacrity in freeway scenarios.

However, when pottering in and around town, it does the job, and thumbs up for the retention of the steering wheel-mounted shift paddles.

It’s not especially frugal, though; we saw 7.4L/100km over 113km of mixed terrain, against a claimed combined fuel economy average of 6.3L/100km.

32

Is it worth considering over the Style?

In our view, the CityLife offers all the good bits of the almost-$3000 dearer Life, and it forgoes very little to do it.

Deleting the body cladding also helps to give the CityLife a more upmarket visage (in this reviewer’s eyes, at least), and the relative simplicity of the controls and buttons in, around and near the driver will endear the T-Roc CityLife to many.

32