New Volkswagen T-Roc vs Lexus LBX
The second generation of Volkswagen's small SUV takes a fresh swing at our reigning champion, the Lexus LBX...
The contenders
NEW Volkswagen T-Roc 1.5 eTSI 150 R-Line DSG
List price £38,920
Best price £38,920
The T-Roc has always majored on space and comfort, and now a new interior should address its only notable weak point
Lexus LBX 1.5 Hybrid Premium Plus
List price £35,195
Best price £34,000
Our small SUV champ combines brilliant fuel efficiency with a super smart interior to feel like a proper scaled-down Lexus
As head-to-head battles go, this fight to be the champion of the small SUV class is a big one, given how popular this class of car is. Yes, the two we have here are a bit pricier than most, but their allure is the promise of feeling that bit more special than their classmates giving you something extra. Think of upgrading to premium economy on a long-haul flight.
In fact, all the Lexus LBX has to do is defend its position. We named it the best small SUV in our 2025 Car of the Year Awards, praising the way it blends a luxurious interior with quiet driving manners and low running costs, the latter coming courtesy of its hybrid engine tech.
Now, though, it has to fend off the new, second-generation Volkswagen T-Roc. This model pledges more of the space and comfort of its predecessor but also promises great strides in interior quality and fuel efficiency. Does it set a new benchmark?
Driving
Performance, ride, handling, refinement
Each of these cars has a 1.5-litre engine, but the LBX's full hybrid system combines it with an electric motor to produce 134bhp, while the T-Roc uses turbocharging and mild hybrid technology to produce slightly more power (148bhp).
It's the LBX, though, that feels nippier around town, where the instant response of its electric motor helps it to leap off the line, and you can dart around on battery power alone at low speeds. If you start pressing on, the petrol engine wakes up to do the heavy lifting, although the rate of acceleration tails off once above 50mph.
The T-Roc isn't capable of driving on electric power alone, but it's still swift enough at low speeds. More importantly, its acceleration doesn't slacken so much towards the motorway limit. True, the engine needs working hard to give its best, but it's usefully gruntier at speed than the LBX.
When you need a burst of acceleration, the T-Roc's seven-speed automatic gearbox promptly changes down a gear. The CVT gearbox of the LBX, meanwhile, doesn't offer the same immediacy; putting your foot down sends the revs soaring, and they stay there while you build up speed.
Both of these car strike a neat balance of ride comfort and tidy handling. The LBX's ride has a firm edge at low speeds and can be slightly fidgety over bumps.
However, it never becomes jarring and settles down at higher speeds. The T-Roc is available with adaptive suspension (as fitted to our test car) that allows you to adjust the softness of the ride, but even without it, the T-Roc is comfier than the LBX; scarred surfaces are tackled in a more controlled manner, resulting in a calmer ride at all speeds.
On the other hand, the more compact LBX changes direction with greater eagerness than the T-Roc, and its more naturally weighted steering helps to inspire more confidence on winding roads. With a bit more body lean through corners and a less immediate steering response, the T-Roc encourages a slightly more relaxed approach, but it's still very composed; in fact, there's more outright grip from the tyres than the LBX offers.
The LBX is generally quieter to travel in than most other small SUVs, but the T-Roc is even better at filtering out wind and road noise. The T-Roc's engine is also more muted and you don't feel the minor vibrations through the seats and pedals that you do in the LBX.
The LBX is easy to bring to a smooth stop, thanks to a well-weighted and responsive brake pedal that helps you to judge your inputs correctly. The T-Roc's pedal lacks the LBX's initial sharpness of response; that's less of an issue when braking from high speeds, but it can make it tricky to judge how much pressure to apply, so drawing to a halt smoothly isn't as easy at lower speeds.
Behind the wheel
Driving position, visibility, build quality
The LBX perches you higher up than a regular hatchback would, but the T-Roc does more to provide the lofty driving position that draws many buyers to SUVs. You adjust the seat manually in each contender, but doing so is quick and easy. Both come with electric lumbar support adjustment to help offset back ache on long journeys, and their front seats provide plenty of side bolstering to hold you in place through corners.
Forward visibility is good in both cars; their windscreen pillars are slim and don't hinder your outlook all that much at junctions. Contrastingly, views over your shoulder are restricted by chunky rear pillars. Fortunately, front and rear parking sensors and rear-view cameras are standard to assist in tight manoeuvres.
Each car has a big digital instrument panel in front of the driver: 10.0in in the T-Roc and 12.3in in the LBX. Both are sharp to look at, but the T-Roc's goes a stage further by offering a wider choice of layouts (including one with a large sat-nav map), and you interact with it via physical steering wheel controls that are less fiddly to use while driving than the LBX's touch-sensitive pads.
The LBX makes amends by having some user-friendly physical controls for the air-con and related functions, conveniently located just below the infotainment screen. By contrast, the T-Roc's touch-sensitive air temperature sliders feel much less positive and are fiddlier to use.
The LBX still has the plushest interior in the small SUV class. All of the materials look and feel terrific, the controls are well damped and metallic details catch the eye. It all feels robust and solidly put together, too.
The updated T-Roc can't quite match the LBX's high standards here, but it's a huge improvement over its predecessor; the fabrics, faux-leather padding and soft plastics that grace the top sections of the dash and doors are much more pleasing than the lacklustre materials used previously. And while there are still some less distinguished plastics lower down, they're perfectly acceptable by the standards of the class.
Infotainment systems
Lexus LBX
The LBX's 9.8in touchscreen is mounted where it's easy to reach, plus the graphics are sharp and many of the icons are large and easy to aim a finger at. However, while the screen responds quickly enough to prods most of the time, it can be laggy when scrolling through lists especially for radio stations. The menu layout could also be more logical; some functions aren't where you'd expect to find them.
Volkswagen T-Roc
The 12.9in touchscreen in the T-Roc has slicker, more colourful graphics and responds more snappily. There are still plenty of submenus, but being able to customise the home screen with your preferred widgets and shortcut icons along the top helps you find your favourite functions with less faffing. As with the LBX, you get a physical dial to adjust the audio volume, but only the T-Roc gives you wireless connectivity for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Space and practicality
Front space, rear space, seating flexibility, boot
Six-footers are unlikely to feel cramped in the front of either car, but broader occupants will appreciate the extra shoulder and elbow space on offer in the wider T-Roc. That car feels airier, too, with even more head room and the seats positioned farther away from the front windscreen.
In the back, there's a much bigger difference between our contenders, starting with the LBX being harder to get into; six-footers will notice that the door openings are rather small. Once seated, their knees will be clear of the front seatbacks if similarly tall folk are sitting in front, and there's a good amount of room for feet under the front seats, but lofty individuals might feel their hair brushing against the ceiling.
The T-Roc feels cavernous in comparison, with an extra dollop of head room and more room for stretching your legs. What's more, the T-Roc's extra width means there's room for a third adult; in the LBX, the middle rear seat is suitable only for a wiry teenager.
Both cars offer an array of storage areas up front, including a pair of cupholders, a wireless phone charging tray and a cubby under the central armrest. Each of these is bigger in the T-Roc, though, thanks to its wider centre console; that car's door bins and glovebox are larger, too.
Neither car's rear seats slide or recline, but while the seat-backs in the T-Roc nominally fold in the same 60/40 split as the LBX's, a tall ski hatch behind the middle rear seat means it's almost as versatile as a 40/20/40 arrangement; you can carry a long, slender load between the two outer rear passengers. What's more, the T-Roc's front passenger seat-back can be folded flat if you need to carry something particularly lengthy.
Only the LBX offers the added convenience of an electric tailgate, but both cars provide a usefully large, rectangular boot area. The T-Roc alone has a height-adjustable boot floor, although this isn't quite level with the sill at the entrance when set in its high position, leaving a small step down. The LBX, though, has quite a big drop from the sill to the boot floor.
In terms of capacity, the T-Roc can carry seven carry-on suitcases to the LBX's six, due in part to the T-Roc's load bay being taller when the floor is in its lowest position. Plus, in its highest position, the adjustable floor provides a seamless extended load area when the rear seats are folded down.
Boot space
Lexus LBX
Boot capacity 402-994 litres Suitcases 6
Volkswagen T-Roc
Boot capacity 475-1350 litres Suitcases 7
Buying and owning
Costs, equipment, reliability, safety and security
Our recommended LBX trim level Premium Plus is pretty -generous on standard equipment, bringing adaptive cruise control, keyless entry, heated front seats, a head-up display, wireless phone charging, an electric tailgate and a smart set of 18in alloy wheels.
At the time of this test, Volkswagen could only get us a T-Roc in range-topping R-Line trim, which is closer in price to the LBX's high-spec Takumi trim level. It, too, is well kitted out, coming with many of the items listed for the LBX. True, it misses out on the head-up display (part of a £950 Technology Pack) and electric tailgate (a £340 option), but it compensates by adding a heated steering wheel and metallic paint (Canary Yellow), while its three-zone climate control allows rear passengers to set their own temperature; the LBX's two-zone system is just for those up front.
Anyone taking out a PCP finance agreement will find the LBX's monthly payments more attractive. On a three-year deal with a 10,000-mile annual limit and a £3500 customer deposit, it will cost you £471 per month, aided by a £750 deposit contribution from Lexus at the time of writing. Despite a more generous £2000 deposit contribution from Volkswagen, the T-Roc is still significantly pricier, at £593 per month although this could well come down as time goes by.
The LBX is likely to cost private buyers less to run over three years and 36,000 miles of ownership. Although its insurance and servicing costs will be higher, it's predicted to hold on to its value better, and petrol bills will be significantly smaller, thanks to its greater fuel efficiency. On our real-world test route, we achieved an impressive 1.4mpg in the LBX, compared with the T-Roc's still-respectable 43.3mpg.
The LBX's hybrid system also helps it to pump out less CO2 (officially) than the T-Roc, and that means company car drivers will pay significantly less in benefit-in-kind tax. That said, a fully electric alternative (such as the Kia EV3) will bring even lower tax bills.
We'll have to wait to see how the new T-Roc fares in the next What Car? Reliability Survey, but its predecessor finished in a strong second place out of a class of 38 small SUVs. In contrast, the LBX was second from bottom, with a lot of owners having trouble with 12-volt batteries going flat. However, new LBXs now come with a different battery, hopefully rectifying that issue. Lexus fared better in the brand league table, ranking ninth out of the 30, while Volkswagen was 24th.
Both cars have a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which is typical for the class. However, you can extend the cover on the LBX for another year with every correctly scheduled service at a Lexus dealer, up to 10 years or 100,000 miles, making it one of the industry's longest warranties.
Independent car safety body Euro NCAP awarded both cars the maximum five-star rating. However, the T-Roc scored higher marks for frontal collision protection for front occupants; the LBX was marked down because an impact with the dashboard posed a potential risk of injury.
Both come with lots of safety features, including automatic emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, driver attention monitoring, lane-keeping assistance and a rear cross-traffic alert system.
Our verdict
The LBX still has the classiest interior of any small SUV, and its compact dimensions and quiet low-speed driving manners make it more relaxing than the T-Roc to thread through town. If you don't frequently ferry a car full of tall people around, it remains a fine choice especially given that its lower purchase price and lighter thirst make it a very cost-effective buy.
The T-Roc, though, has a broader array of talents. In particular, it's much more spacious for a growing family, as well as comfier to travel in. Its ride is smooth at all speeds, on optional adaptive suspension, at least, and it's a quieter motorway cruiser.
While less plush than the LBX, the T-Roc's interior no longer lets it down. In fact, it's the most well-rounded small SUV on sale, and it'll be even more appealing in cheaper trim levels.
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1st – Volkswagen T-Roc
For More practical; quieter at cruising speeds; more responsive gearbox; sets the standard for ride comfort
Against Steering is less well weighted; less consistent brake pedal feel; fiddly climate control sliders
Recommended options None
What Car? rating 5 stars out of 5
For Fantastic real-world fuel economy; best-in-class interior quality; superior warranty if it's serviced by Lexus
Against Not as spacious in the back; slightly unsettled ride at low speeds; infotainment is less intuitive to use
Recommended options None
What Car? rating 5 stars out of 5
Lexus LBX review >>
Lexus LBX deals >>
Lexus LBX 1.5 Hybrid Premium Plus
Engine 3cyl, 1490cc, petrol, plus electric motor
Peak power 134bhp
Peak torque 89lb ft (petrol engine only)
Gearbox CVT automatic
0-60mph 9.2sec
Top speed 106mph
Braking 30-0mph 9.9m
Braking 70-0mph 54.7m
Noise at 30mph 57.8dB
Noise at 70mph 65.5dB
Kerb weight 1330kg
Tyre size (standard) 225/55 R18
CO2 emissions 103g/km
Volkswagen T-Roc 1.5 eTSI 150 R-Line DSG
Engine 4cyl, 1498cc, turbo, petrol
Peak power 148bhp
Peak torque 184lb ft
Gearbox 7-spd automatic
0-60mph 8.8sec
Top speed 132mph
Braking 30-0mph 9.0m
Braking 70-0mph 50.5m
Noise at 30mph 57.0dB
Noise at 70mph 63.6dB
Kerb weight 1474kg
Tyre size (standard) 225/50 R18
CO2 emissions 128g/km
Cars pictured
Lexus LBX Takumi with Sonic Grey Pearlescent paint (£920)
Volkswagen T-Roc 1.5 eTSI 150 R-Line with Canary Yellow/black metallic paint (£435), Adaptive Chassis Control (£765), black styling pack with 19in York Aero wheels, black roof rails and black door mirror housings (£580) and Harman Kardon sound system (£590)
