The VW T-Roc Cabrio Is Outselling the Mazda Miata in Europe. What Gives? [UPDATE]
This isn’t the first time it’s happened, either.
This just in: Europeans are not okay. The Volkswagen T-Roc Cabrio, a car we don’t get here in the States, is the second best-selling coupe or convertible in Europe. Of all the outcomes possible, this is one of the weirdest. And that’s before we dig into the actual coupes and convertibles the T-Roc Cabrio decimated on the sales chart.
CORRECTION 8/22/23 1:00 PM ET: An earlier version of this article and headline wrongly indicated that the T-Roc Cabrio was Europe’s best-selling convertible. The article and headline have been updated to correct this error. We apologize for the mistake.
I’ll get the gut punch out of the way first. According to Automotive News Europe, the T-Roc Cabrio has sold double compared to the Most Obvious Choice of the Mazda MX-5 Miata, with 8,732 units to the Miata’s 4,570 so far in 2023. Trailing the Mazda is the Alpine A110 at 2,155 units, while our cultural export Ford Mustang is right behind with 1,921 cars. The Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ follow with a combined 1,261 cars, split by the Toyota Supra at 584.
There are some bizarre outliers too, with 11 Chevy Camaros sold, one Fiat 124, and one Nissan 370Z. For the most part, though, the list is ordered much the same way it was in 2022, which means it isn't an aberration. This is normal there.
The T-Roc leading that extremely talented class of cars seems criminal, but some basic examination says that this is more about how the T-Roc Cabrio is classed rather than it being a volume seller. The normal T-Roc leads the small SUV and crossover segment on the continent with 111,855 cars, making the Cabrio variant account for just 7.8% of total T-Roc sales. The rest of the niche segment has to fend for itself. Otherwise, there would never be a logical reason to compare the Alpine A110, Mazda Miata, and Toyota GR86 to a roof-optional compact crossover. The T-Roc does lose to the Mini Cooper Convertible's 13,750 sales, though the Mini is in the Premium Convertible category. However, it does slightly beat the Porsche 911 Coupe's 8,216 sales in the Premium Coupe category.
Now, I’m not saying I would choose a T-Roc 'vert over any of those other cars. But if a chance encounter at a random European rental desk offered me one, I think it might just be a delightful tourer. Or a hopeless exercise in frustration. Either way, it’s a guaranteed adventure. Just think of it as Europe’s rental Mustang convertible.
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