2005 Volkswagen LT Reviews

Volkswagen’s new-generation T-Roc small SUV has made its world debut showing off its new shape, tech and powertrains ahead of its arrival in Australia.The T-Roc may be small but it's Volkswagen’s biggest selling car in Australia behind the Amarok ute. The small SUV is getting larger, though. This second generation T-Roc has grown 12cm longer in length, but it’s still a compact 4373mm end to end, which VW said translated to more cabin room and a bigger boot at an impressive 475 litres.As you’d expect of any new-gen model the exterior has been overhauled with the T-Roc now looking like a mini version of the Tiguan mid-sized SUV.Inside the T-Roc’s cabin has stepped further into more premium-looking territory with soft materials and ambient lighting,  which Volkswagen said added a ‘lounge-like atmosphere”. New cabin tech includes a larger 13-inch media screen and an optional head up display. What you can’t see is the MQB evo platform the new T-Roc is built on — the same architecture the Tiguan uses. The platform gives the new T-Roc some advanced tech capabilities including autonomous lane changing and improved self parking with remote smart phone control.New powertrains accompany the new T-Roc’s arrival with 1.5-litre turbo petrol mild hybrid variants in two states of tune — 85kW and 110kW — for front-wheel drive versions.A more powerful 2.0-litre mild hybrid will join the line-up at a later date, and will be fitted to all-wheel drive R variants. A T-Roc R is confirmed, too, and it will retain its crown as the angriest and quickest in the range with the most amount of grunt. You won't find any purely electric variants here, with Volkswagen keeping EVs for its I.D. range of vehicles. That said this generation of the T-Roc could be the last combustion powered version.New colours for the T-Roc range include Canary Yellow, Celestial Blue metallic, Flamed Red metallic, and Grenadilla Black metallic. The new-gen T-Roc launches in Europe this November, and CarsGuide has reached out to Volkswagen Australia to confirm timing and prices for a local launch here.Australian pricing and specifications will no doubt be announced closer to the new T-Roc’s arrival here, but expect it to be more expensive than the current version's $38,990 starting point.

Volkswagen is reportedly planning to lob the five-cylinder engine from sibling brand Audi’s RS3 into its halo hot hatch, the VW Golf R.The plan involves the 25th anniversary of the VW Golf R being marked with a special edition powered by the Audi RS3’s turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine, Autocar reports.The UK outlet says the RS3-powered Golf R should arrive in 2027, though hasn’t quoted a source. It’s expected the five-pot hot hatch will be the most powerful Golf yet.This means it would need to outgun the current Golf R that makes 245kW thanks to a wicked-up version of Volkswagen’s omnipresent EA888 turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine.In the RS3, Audi’s EA855 five-cylinder makes 294kW of power and 500Nm of torque, but Autocar has previously been told by former Managing Director of Audi Sport Sebastian Grams there’s more to be wrung out of the engine.If it comes to fruition, it won’t be the first time VW has slotted a bigger engine into the Golf.During the model’s third generation in the 1990s, the Golf VR6 became somewhat of an oddity in the hot hatch world with a six-cylinder engine living under the bonnet. The Mk3 VR6’s engine, a 2.8-litre narrow-V that straddled the line between V6 and inline-six, was followed by a 3.2-litre version of the engine in the fourth-generation Golf’s R32 variant in 2002.It’s the Mk4 Golf R32 that Volkswagen will be marking 25 years since with the introduction of its five-cylinder Golf R in 2027.

Volkswagen has published its first official teaser image of the forthcoming next-generation T-Roc small SUV ahead of its expected reveal at this year’s Munich motor show in September.

Overnight reports out of Germany are pointing to Volkswagen retiring its long-serving full-size, luxury SUV, the Touareg at the end of the current, third-generation model’s life in 2026.

Images of the new-generation Volkswagen T-Roc small SUV have leaked online ahead of its reveal on August 27.Screenshots of a YouTube video that’s now been deleted were shared on Spanish forum website Cochespias and they show the car’s exterior and interior design.This follows leaked imagery of the T-Roc’s exterior design earlier this year.The new Volkswagen T-Roc clearly has a family resemblance to the new Tiguan, which launched in new, third-generation guise earlier this year in Australia.There’s a sporty-looking front end with an aggressive grille set-up, as well as LED headlights that are connected by an LED strip light.Around the side the new T-Roc has a more swoopy, almost coupe-like rear end than the outgoing model. There are still sharp body lines and cladding around the wheel arches.At the back the tailgate design looks reminiscent of the current Tiguan, as well as the electric ID.4 and ID.5. There’s a full-width LED light bar with an illuminated Volkswagen badge, along with ‘T-Roc’ written out on the tailgate.Inside there’s a free-standing digital instrument cluster with no shroud, along with a large touchscreen multimedia display with touch-sensitive sliders for the volume and dual-zone climate control.The gear selector has been moved behind the steering wheel, which allows for the centre console storage to be maximised.Another noteworthy design element is the steering wheel features physical buttons, rather than the touch-sensitive units certain T-Roc models currently have.At this stage there are no details surrounding the powertrain line-up for the new T-Roc.The model in the leaked images has an ‘eTSI’ badge on the rear, meaning it likely has a mild-hybrid set-up.In current Volkswagen vehicles based on the MQB Evo platform, like this forthcoming new-generation T-Roc, there are 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre mild-hybrid engine configurations.Other expected engine configurations include a 110kW 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder, as well as a 150kW tune of a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol with all-wheel drive.A plug-in hybrid version is likely, as well as a high-performance R version in due course.There has been no more word on whether the T-Roc will also receive a Toyota-style hybrid powertrain option at launch, like previous reports suggested.For now we’ll have to wait until August 27 for the full reveal, or if new information leaks online.

Volkswagen is giving the people what they want… more SUVs. Australians are gobbling up more SUVs than ever before and VW has reacted by slipping in its new Tayron large SUV in between the Tiguan and Touareg SUVs in its local line-up.

It’s been over five years now since COVID lockdowns started and in some way it feels like a lifetime ago. For a lot of people buying new cars during this period, however, there were long wait times. COVID lockdowns were a key reason for this, but another major reason for delays was the global shortage of semiconductors.

The all-electric Volkswagen ID.4 Pro has finally landed, so has this mid-size SUV been worth the wait?

Volkswagen Australia has detailed its model year 2025 (MY25) update for the Amarok dual-cab ute ahead of first arrivals during the second half of 2025.The Amarok line-up continues to open with the Core TDI405 at $55,490, before on-road costs, or $55,990 drive-away. The latter price is $2000 more than the MY24 version.The line-up still extends all the way to the Aventura TDI600 at $82,990, drive-away. This is $3000 more than the MY24 version.Almost every Amarok variant picked up a drive-away pricing increase for MY25 except the Aventura TSI452 which continues to be the only variant offered with the 2.3-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine.It now starts at $79,990, drive-away, which technically remains unchanged from MY24. A full pricing table is at the bottom of this story.Headlining the MY25 Amarok update is the introduction of the off-road-oriented 10 Deserts Edition TDI500 which was made to commemorate the company achieving a Guinness World Record last year.Only 300 examples of this limited-edition dual cab ute are being made and they’re priced from $68,490, before on-road costs, or $69,990, drive-away. This is $8000 more expensive than the Amarok Life TDI500 which it’s based on.The 10 Desert Edition TDI500 features a 40mm suspension lift, 17-inch satin black wheels wrapped in Continental ATR tyres, underbody protection, a black sports bar, soft tonneau cover, all-weather floor mats and ‘10 Deserts’ decals.Additionally, MY25 versions of the Amarok Style, Panamericana and Aventura trims get 230V power sockets with an Australian plug pattern, backed by an integrated 400W inverter. They also pick up a ‘Trailer Assist’ mode which makes hitching and reversing trailers easier.It’s worth noting the related Ford Ranger also recently picked up these features as part of an update.Another change for MY25 is the ‘Mid Blue Metallic’ exterior paint option has been replaced by the new ‘Reed Green Metallic’ finish.Lastly, Amarok Core, Life and Style variants now get the option of a cab chassis tray body style.Opting for this is an additional $4000 over the standard asking price of the dual cab pick-up variant.Included is a standardised alloy tray that weighs 132kg and measures 1650mm long by 1900mm wide. There’s also a steel tray that weighs 243kg and measures similarly to the alloy tray, but pricing for this hasn’t been disclosed.Both of these trays are available as dealer-fit accessories, meaning they are covered by the same five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty as the Amarok itself.It also means any existing current-generation Amarok can have a tray retrofitted as a dealer-fit accessory. 

Volkswagen will give its ID.4 mid-size electric SUV a major update in late 2026, according to reports.