Hot shot small SUV getting big upgrade: 2026 Volkswagen T-Roc SUV to gain hybrid tech to battle petrol-electric favourites such as the 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross, Hyundai Kona and Haval Jolion

Volkswagen's incoming new-generation T-Roc small SUV will feature the brand’s first hybrid system when it arrives this year, according to a report 

It might sound strange but until now when it comes to hybrid vehicles Volkswagen has only offered the plug-in kind (PHEV) or mild variants. Now in a first for the brand a series-parallel hybrid system similar to the one that Toyota uses will debut on the second gen T-Roc.  

Series-parallel hybrid systems combine a petrol engine with an electric motor and battery to drive the vehicle’s wheels. The new T-Roc, which makes its debut this September, will use this kind of hybrid system according to British motoring outlet Autocar.

According to Autocar, Volkswagen’s CEO Thomas Schafer said the brand needed hybrid vehicles due to a slowdown in battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales and an increase in hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) beng bought as well. 

"We needed to do it anyway, because South America has a need for an HEV drivetrain - and the T-Roc is built in South America for South America, and also in China, “ Mr Schafer said.

"Interestingly enough, HEV has also become a big theme in the US specifically. It's a technology that everybody said was not necessary any more, but now with the BEV slowdown in the US, the balance is [moving towards] HEVs."

And the T-Roc won't be the only Volkswagen to offer the hybrid system with sources telling Autocar there will also be hybrid versions of the Golf hatch and Tiguan mid-size SUV as well in the next two years.

The hybrid T-Roc is expected to make its international debut at the Munich motor show in September.

The slow down in EV uptake the past 12 months in Australia and other global markets shows the importance of transitional tech such as hybrid power.

Australia is also seeing a surge of interest in hybrid vehicles. In 2024 sales of hybrid vehicles, excluding PHEVs was up by 89.8 per cent for SUVs and 39.9 per cent for hatches and sedans.

Currently, the only hybrid is Volkswagen's Australian line-up is the Touareg R and it's a plug-in hybrid.

CarsGuide has reached out to Volkswagen Australia for confirmation but was told by a spokesperson that nothing could said on the topic yet as the vehicle hasn’t been revealed.