Drives

WHAT DO TWO SUVS HAVE TO DO WITH THE STORY OF THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE? QUITE A LOT, ACTUALLY

WHAT WE have here, dressed as two midsized SUVs, is a conundrum. Where do your priorities lie when it comes to choosing a set of wheels? Do you want soothing practicality and a vehicle that does its job with ease while leaving you in sublime comfort? Or are you searching for something more athletic that aims to be more than just a conveyance and appeals to the heart as much as the mind? In other words, do you prefer the tortoise or the hare?

Our contenders for this philosophical dilemma are the Volkswagen T-Roc and Mazda CX-30. The VW is a fashionably late newbie to the segment, while the Mazda has already cemented itself as the class benchmark by winning multiple Wheels tests.

Not to be confused with its smaller T-Cross sibling, the T-Roc takes what makes the Golf a perennial favourite, and applies its hatch