VIDEO: A SNEAK PEAK AT THE 2018 VOLKSWAGEN T-ROC COMING TO FRANKFURT

Volkswagen has decided to give the world a sneak peek at its upcoming baby SUV which was previewed by the T-Roc concept at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. 

The car is due to be unveiled on August 23rd, ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show, and the production version of the T-Roc will the smallest SUV of the brand, positioned below the Tiguan, setting its sights on other pocket crossovers and SUVs. 

Think of it as a Golf turned into a softroader, similar to what Mercedes-Benz has done with the GLA-Class!

We must admit, it is still difficult to tell from the video exactly which one of the sketches and models shown is a true representation of the production T-Roc, as there are a lot of different styling bucks and sketches across the screen in various disguises. However, we think it is on the obscured photo of an orange car that features a blacked-out roof and other conservative styles details we have seen in recent spy photos of the T-Roc.

The production version will share the MQB architecture with the Gold and a number of recent VW models including the Atlas. However, it is expected to borrow relatively small engines from the Polo range with an 113-hp, 1.0-liter three cylinders set to be the junior power plant. The US is likely to get beefier gas engines when the T-Roc lands here – a turbocharged gasoline 1.8-liter unit from the Golf is expected.

The T-Roc will be addressing a crucial and currently empty nice in VW's lineup, one the marque has neglected to fill when the floodgates of small crossovers first opened at the beginning of this decade. It's still a way out though – production begins later this year, but T-Roc models might not hit the US dealers until the end of next summer at the soonest. This may be a long time, but it will be an important vehicle for VW globally – so perhaps it is worth the wait!