Volkswagen T-Roc SUV delayed

Unforeseen global demand for Volkswagen’s new T-Roc compact SUV, a competitor for the Subaru XV and Mazda CX-3, has forced the German car-maker’s Australian subsidiary to push the release date back to 2020.

Despite the dieselgate scandal that has dogged the company over the last two years, buyers appear to have forgiven the brand's deceptive conduct. Demand even outstrips supply for some vehicles.

In Australia SUV sales are booming but Volkswagen has only two in its showrooms – Tiguan and Touareg, which will be renewed next year – and the T-Roc delay cannot have come at a worse time.

Originally set for a local launch by early 2019, a little over a year away, the T-Roc's delay is the result of high demand in the northern hemisphere.

Just like in Australia, buyers in the northern hemisphere are going gangbusters for SUVs… and especially tiddlers like the Volkswagen T-Roc which are visually appealing, full of safety tech and easy to park.

Volkswagen Australia managing director Michael Bartsch told motoring.com.au his company could begin selling the T-Roc in this country in 12 months.

However, too many buyers have already been burned by long waiting lists with the latest Tiguan mid-sizer, which arrived last year and will be joined by the seven-seat Allspace version next year, so a repeat performance is not on his set list.

"We could have bought T-Roc to Australia sooner, in a very small volume and a high-spec car, but it's not the right way to approach a new model.

"I think we're better off making sure we do it well than frustrating people and doing something token. The approach we're taking is more reflective."

Bartsch freely admits mistakes have been made in the past and doesn't want the situation to become the brand's legacy.

Volkswagen Australia's head honcho said the same issue affects other models in the VW portfolio, including the Golf R and GTI.

"We've taken a little bit of a lesson with the Tiguan. We've probably frustrated too many people by launching a car that we couldn't get the production we need to satisfy the market, particularly the Highline model."

"I don’t want to do T-Roc half-baked," he stated.

The problem with delaying the T-Roc, however, is that rivals such as the CX-3, Toyota C-HR and even higher end models like the Audi Q2, BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA will gallop away in the sales and recognition races while Volkswagen soldiers on with a just a couple of larger SUVs.

It's also an embarrassing back-flip on the company's previously stated 2016 promise of delivering five new SUVs over the next 30 months (by February 2019).

But Bartsch is upbeat about VW's fortunes, stating that despite the dieselgate scandal which has hurt the brand here – the company is defending a class action in Australia this month – things are improving.

"We've got stability in vision, stability in mission, the brand position is recovering.

"We want to make sure the brand touch points deliver on the promise – there's a long way to go still but we're certainly getting there. I think that's been a little bit lacking in the past, particularly in the aftersales and service area.

"We're heading in the right direction but the job is not yet done."