The new T-Roc has finally arrived, bringing some major upgrades. Volkswagen’s best-selling SUV will be available as a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) for the first time, but there’s more under the hood.

Volkswagen’s best-selling SUV goes hybrid: 2026 T-Roc

Since launching the T-Roc in 2017, VW’s crossover SUV has attracted over two million buyers. Nearly 300,000 drivers in Europe opted for the compact all-rounder last year alone.

Although it’s already Volkswagen’s best-selling SUV, the second-generation T-Roc is an improvement in nearly every way possible.

Volkswagen unveiled the new T-Roc for the first time on Wednesday, showcasing a sleek new design, a revamped interior, and a unique new hybrid powertrain.

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The new model retains the classic T-Roc DNA, with its coupe-like silhouette, but Volkswagen has added several new elements to help it stand out from the crowd.

One of the first things you’ll notice is the updated front-end design, similar to VW’s other updated vehicles, featuring all-new LED headlights. The rear receives an added full-length LED light bar with an illuminated Volkswagen logo.

The interior has been “significantly improved,” according to VW. It pulls several features from the larger Tiguan and Tayron models, including driving controls and various profile options.

A newly added feature, which VW claims is also first in its class, is an optional head-up display (HUD) that displays your driving speed, navigation, and more directly on the windshield ahead of you.

The new T-Roc is slightly longer, gaining an additional 12 cm in length compared to its predecessor. At 4,373 mm in length, the 2026 T-Roc is about the size of the Toyota C-HR and Kia Niro. It also boasts 30% more rear cargo space than its predecessor, with up to 475 liters.

Following the updated Tiguan and Tayron, the new T-Roc is the third VW SUV based on its MQB Evo architecture. For the first time, the T-Roc will be equipped with advanced safety systems, including Park Assist Pro.

The new T-Roc will initially be available with two 1.5 L turbocharged mild hybrid powertrains, followed by two full hybrid drive systems. The HEV models will debut on Volkswagen’s advanced new hybrid platform, which will utilize a small electric motor and a gas engine, similar to what Toyota uses.

Pre-orders for the new T-Roc will open in Germany on August 28 with an official market launch scheduled for November. Prices start at 30,845 euros ($35,500) for the 1.5 eTSI base model.

Volkswagen is keeping most details of its new hybrid system secret for now. However, a VW engineer told Autocar it will offer “more than a few metres” of electric range.

CEO Thomas Schäfer added, “The platform can do it all. We can introduce it as we like.” The Golf, Passat, Tiguan, and Tayron are available with PHEVs or mild hybrids. Now, the T-Roc will be offered as an HEV. When will we see the all-electric models? Likely closer to the end of the decade, as Volkswagen plans to use hybrids as a bridge to EVs.

How do you feel about the new T-Roc? Do you like the updated style? I have to say, I’m a fan.

No NASCAR driver loves to see the end of August more than Joey Logano.

The calendar change means it’s time for the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Or, for Logano, the best time of the year. His favorite time of the year, even if it doesn’t sound like it.

“It’s the most grueling, maybe most unenjoyable time of the year,” Logano told ESPN. “But it’s also the time that has the biggest reward, and the time you get to show up and show what you and your team are made out of and make big moments. I would assume it’s good for the whole sport because it’s when you get the big moments and drama. So as a fan, you’ve got to love it, but as a competitor, you have to learn to love it because really cool things can happen. Really bad things can happen, too, but the fact that you have the opportunity to do something big is cool.”

Logano, the driver of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang, is a three-time Cup Series champion, which has helped him embrace the postseason and all that comes with it. He won his first title in 2018 and his second in 2022. The third title came last year, which moved Logano alongside the company of Cale Yarborough, David Pearson, Lee Petty, Darrell Waltrip and Tony Stewart.

Now he sets his sights on a fourth title. And that would put him into more elite company alongside Jeff Gordon.

“That’d really piss some people off, wouldn’t it?” Logano laughed. “Four would be incredible. Three was definitely special, and it does put you in a pretty elite group. I guess sometimes in self-reflecting a little bit, when you look at the end of your career and you say you have three championships, are you going to be happy? That’s something to be pretty proud of. I’m not going to be upset about it.

“I’m still also going to be the person to say, ‘Boy, I missed out on like four or five that I should have won,’ and still frustrated about that. Yeah, I don’t look too far ahead to what [four] would be, but gosh, it would be great. There’s always room for more.”

The only drivers who have won more titles in the Cup Series are those by the names of Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson. All three won seven in their careers.

Logano’s title defense begins with a similar feeling to 2024 and, he pointed out, the 2018 season. There have been years when Logano felt he had an incredible regular season and didn’t win the championship. He’s also had years when the regular season wasn’t anything to write home about, but ended with the big prize.

The latter is where Logano is now. He was not the most dominant driver during the regular season, scoring just one win, but he had other opportunities slip through his fingers. The first 26 races were good enough for Logano to be 12th in the championship standings, and that is where he ended up seeded for the postseason.

But the reason Logano loves this time of the year is that no matter where he might be on the leaderboard, he and his team, whom he praises for their experience and battle-tested perseverance, have proven time and time again that they show up when others are ready to count them out.

“I think we’re very close to where we need to be,” Logano said. “I think our speed has gotten better. I think we’re in a comparable place to where we were last year. So, if you didn’t know the 22 team and you didn’t know our history, you’d probably argue differently. But knowing these guys the way I know them, and being able to do it multiple times, I feel like we’re in a good spot.

“Team Penske in general does a good job at rising to the occasion, which is so important. But I think if you look at one particular team, the 22 can do that as well as, if not better than, any other team when it comes to people counting you out, saying your stats aren’t good enough to win a championship and then you show up. At this point, I think we kind of like it.”

There is a lot of talk around the postseason and whether the defending champion was a worthy winner. After Logano came from 15th in the regular season to win the title, it sparked a firestorm of conversation about the best driver not winning the championship. There were insults directed at Logano for not being a real champion due to the format, and then insults directed at the integrity of the format.

In the elimination era, 2014 to present, Logano is tied with Denny Hamlin for the most appearances in the Round of 8 (nine) and leads all drivers with the most appearances in the Championship 4 (six). With three championships, Logano has the most of any active driver in the Cup Series. And to go even further, Logano leads all active drivers with the most wins in the playoffs at 15.

“I love it,” said Logano, who has been one of the most outspoken in support of the format. “I know people say, ‘Oh, it’s because it works for you.’ I know. Sure. But I do think it’s very exciting.”

NASCAR created a playoff committee after the 2024 season because of the uproar from fans and drivers over the format. There are ongoing discussions about potential future changes, such as point structure, eliminations and moving away from a one-race finale, with some hoping for alterations to be implemented as early as 2026. The broadcast partners will also have a voice in matters, considering the multibillion-dollar media-rights deal they have with NASCAR.

Logano is one of the drivers on the committee. There are also former drivers, media partners, team owners, manufacturers and track representatives, as well as independent media.

“I think there are ways we can simplify it a little bit because I do think it is a little confusing having two point systems where there is the regular season points and then the playoff points and playoff grid,” Logano said. “There are ways that have come up in those meetings that we can simplify that stuff, which I think is cool. I believe that is good, and we can still accomplish the same thing. I’d like to see that happen. But I think to completely punt on what we’re doing and try something different, I don’t think that’s right either, because a few people complained.

“People complain about everything. Literally everything. The silent majority is a real thing, regardless of the topic.”

Logano, however, is never going to be swayed from the excitement the format brings with its win-or-go-home moments. And he’s ready to be the one to do that again over the next two months.

“There are a couple of people who say we should have the full points all year round and that’s the only real way you can do it,” Logano said. “Well, then it should be like that in every sport, too. But it’s not. Why? Because it’s freaking boring. Nobody is going to watch a boring sport; you have to do something exciting, and the playoff system does that.

“You will not have a Super Bowl moment without a one race, all or nothing. That’s what we have right now.”

NEW YORK — The Mets fell behind against the Phillies on Tuesday, watched their recently acquired setup man blow another lead and were tasked with solving one of baseball’s best closers. In the end, they overcame each hurdle and continued their prolonged dominance over their National League East foes at Citi Field, beating the Phillies 6-5 on Brandon Nimmo‘s walk-off single off Jhoan Duran.

Going back to last season, New York has beaten Philadelphia in nine straight home games, including the postseason. Tuesday’s victory cut the Phillies’ lead in the division to five games with five regular-season games remaining between the clubs, including Wednesday night’s series finale.

“We just continue to punch back,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.

To counter, a team must score, and the Mets have scored in bunches lately after a prolonged offensive slide. New York leads the majors with 98 runs scored since Aug. 12, a promising outburst for a club with marquee names but frustrating results for much of the season.

“The bats have been really coming alive over the last seven to 10 days,” Nimmo said. “We’re doing great on the road and come home and continue it. I think it’s just a testament to the guys paying attention to the little things.”

The Mets beat Duran with four straight singles without recording an out, getting line drives from Starling Marte and Pete Alonso, a 3-2 bloop single from Brett Baty and Nimmo’s game-winning slash the other way. Duran, whose fastball hit 102 mph, was knocked out after 12 pitches.

“We know what this offense is capable of,” Nimmo said. “It’s just going out and executing on a daily basis. And offense has ups and downs, so you’re going to go through that during a season. But what we’d really like is for things to keep going well and keep things going in the playoffs. I’ve always said that the hottest team wins in the playoffs. It doesn’t matter who’s the best team. It’s the hottest team.”

The timely hitting and Edwin Díaz‘s five-out effort out of the bullpen counterbalanced another short start from Sean Manaea and continued woes for reliever Ryan Helsley.

Manaea yielded two runs on six hits and compiled eight strikeouts to zero walks, but his pitch count skyrocketed early and he lasted just 4⅔ innings. He has yet to complete six innings in nine starts this season. He has failed to log five innings in four of them.

“I feel like I’m getting in good counts, just not putting guys away,” Manaea said.

Helsley, a hard-throwing right-hander acquired at the trade deadline, gave up a tying two-run homer to former Met Harrison Bader in the eighth inning. Helsley has allowed 10 earned runs in 11 appearances with the Mets, good for a 10.38 ERA across 8⅔ innings.

“People got to step up,” Mendoza said. “People got to do their job. We just got to get [Helsley] right. Too good of stuff for them to be taking really good swings on fastballs, really good takes on the sliders. So we got to look back and see what we’re missing here because for teams to have comfortable at-bats like that, something’s going on here that we have to figure out.”

Díaz relieved Helsley with a runner on second and one out. That runner, Bryson Stott, stole second and third base, but Díaz, unbothered, struck out Brandon Marsh and Trea Turner to escape. He followed with a clean ninth inning, striking out Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper in the process, to set the stage for the Mets to ambush Duran.

“Where we are at now in the season, every game is super important,” Mendoza said. “Our job is to continue to win series. We got an opportunity to do something here against a pretty good team that’s in front of us.”