THE letter T figures prominently when it comes to Volkswagen's naming conventions.

First there was the Touareg and the Touran. Then came the Tiguan and now we have the T-Roc - and there's even a T-Cross on the way.

The T-Roc sits below the Tiguan in the marque's fast expanding SUV/crossover line-up.

It's a compact crossover that aims to be funky as well as functional and it's a combination Volkswagen pretty much manages to pull off.

In an automotive age when there are quite a few characterful and quirky cars out there the T-Roc certainly has an element of fun about it.

On the inside the T-Roc is splendidly well appointed and considering it's a smallish crossover the cabin feels nicely roomy.

It's certainly up to the mark as a family car in the same way as a traditional hatchback like the Volkswagen Golf would be.

Head and legroom are generous in the rear and the surprisingly spacious boot offers 445 litres of carrying capacity. With the rear seats folded this increases to 1,290 litres.

Volkswagen's instrumentation and switchgear really hit the spot in terms of both quality and user-friendliness.

Trim levels are on a par with standard Volkswagen specifications - S, SE, Design, SEL and R-Line.

This mid-range Design model represents a good blend of equipment levels and affordability.

You get twin zone climate control, an eight-inch infotainment centre, heated door mirrors that fold and parking sensors front and rear.

It also has quite a few styling flourishes including twin chrome-effect trapezoid-exhaust surrounds and contrasting roof and door mirror colours.

Other features include ambient interior lighting and a driver fatigue detection system.

Not that long ago one might have expected a diesel engine to be high up on potential buyers' tick lists but I'd imagine more petrol units are likely to be sold.

Given the shift towards ever smaller and more efficient petrol engines, the 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol unit, which delivers 114bhp, is more than up to the job.

In this car it was mated to a very slick-shifting six-speed gearbox.

Other engine options include 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre petrols and 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre diesels.

Overall the driving experience is thoroughly decent.

You're getting a bit of added ride height but not so much that the T-Roc rolls while cornering.

Rather it is splendidly composed and has about as car-like a feel as one could wish for in a crossover.