What’s this then? After the brief appearance of a cabriolet version of the Range Rover Evoque – it lasted a mere two years – VW have launched a roofless version of the T-Roc.

As well as the roof, it also does without the rear doors, the hatchback opening and one of the rear seats. This is a strict four-seater.

Less car doesn’t equate to less money, however. The T-Roc Cabriolet is significantly more expensive than the standard car and is available with a choice of just two engines and two trim levels.

Front-seat passengers fare just as well as in the standard car, which is to say there is plenty of room for heads, legs and elbows, and enough adjustment in the seat and steering wheel to accommodate drivers of most shapes and sizes. You also get a more commanding view of the road than you would in a hatchback.

It’s a very different story in the back, however, where space is very limited. The rear of the fabric roof slopes down, reducing headroom, while there’s not a great deal of room for your knees either. There isn’t even room for convenient features like cupholders. Fortunately access and egress is made relatively easy by doors that open fairly wide and front seats that slide well out of the way.

Instead of the hatch opening the Cabriolet has a small lid that opens upwards to reveal a small opening. A high load lip will be an issue if you’re trying to lift heavier items into the boot while the intrusive wheel arches significantly reduce the space available. You do, in fact, lose 161 litres of space to the standard car, leaving a relatively paltry 284. The rear seats fold 50/50, offering up a degree of flexibility if you did want to carry larger loads.

The interior mimics the regular T-Roc which is no bad thing. Everything is logically laid out and you get physical controls for the climate control so you don’t have to fiddle about with a touchscreen to make adjustments on the go.

Those controls don’t feel particularly robust, however, and look around and you’ll find plenty of evidence of cheaper-feeling, scratchier, plastics.

VW’s excellent eight-inch infotainment screen, with its crisp graphics and intuitive menu system, is standard on both Design and R-Line trims. It’s responsive, easy to use and is flanked by some handy shortcut keys that make it easier to navigate between menus on the move.

The regular T-Roc, by SUV standards, offers a compelling drive. Cutting the roof off has, inevitably, altered its character somewhat. You can choose between a 1.0-litre petrol with 113bhp or a 1.5-litre petrol with 148bhp, driven here, and mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.

It pulls well from low engine speeds so you’ll have no trouble pulling away at junctions or accelerating up to cruising speeds. The manual gearbox is a little notchy but with a decently short throw it can feel quite sporty in action.

The steering is quite sensitive, which can impact on stability at motorway speeds while the front tyres do have a tendency to track the camber on the road. It smooths over broken roads surfaces with little fuss while larger imperfections, such as potholes, are rarely jarring.

VW have, inevitably, had to reinforce the structure of the car to compensate for the loss if rigidity as a result of cutting of the roof. Adding more metal adds more weight, of course, and that additional mass makes itself known on twisty roads where you’ll notice a bit of body lean when you up the pace.

Replacing the metal roof with a fabric one does expose the occupants to a little more external noise and wind and tyre roar – including from passing vehicles – are particularly noticeable. There was also an irritating, ever-present, whistle from somewhere around the top of the windscreen. Opent-top motoring is a pleasant experience overall though. Occupants are very well protected from buffeting, even at motorway speeds. You can opt for a relatively inexpensive wind deflector if a bit more protection from the elements is required.

The Evoque Cabriolet came and went in the blink of an eye so, the question is, will the roofless T-Roc suffer the same fate? VW are predicting that it will be a niche product – accounting for just seven per cent of T-Roc sales – which is hardly surprising given the hefty premium it carries over its tin-top brethren.

Still, for anyone who wants to combine wind-in-the-hair motoring with a comfortable ride, reasonable rear-seat space and that craved lofty driving position there is simply no alternative.

VW T-Roc Cabriolet 1.5 TSI EVO 150PS 6-speed manual

Price: 29,185

As tested: £31,230

Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Max speed: 127mph

Max torque: 250Nm @ 1,500 – 3,500rpm

0-62mph: 9.6 seconds

Fuel consumption mpg (WLTP)

Low: 34.8

Medium: 46

High: 51.5

Extra high: 42

Combined: 44

Emissions (CO2): 146g/km

For more information visit www.vw.co.uk

Gallery1