03 VOLKSWAGEN T-ROC R

ENGINE 1984cc inline-4, DOHC, 16v, turbo

POWER 221kW @5000rpm

TORQUE 400Nm @2000-5200rpm

0-100KM/H 4.8sec (claimed)

WEIGHT 1575kg • PRICE $57,500 (est.)

LIKE: Versatility; mechanical familiarity; dynamics; tenacious grip

DISLIKE: Hidden drive modes; local details unconfirmed

APPLES, THE EXPRESSION says, should only be compared with apples, but how much scope for variation is permitted within a genotype while still allowing an accurate and credible account?

Can the tart and verdant Granny Smith really go head-to-head with a succulent and sherbet-like Cox’s Orange Pippin and expect a fair fight? And if cider is your game I challenge anyone to find a finer specimen than the Kingston Black with its complex tannins, high sugar levels and puckering astringency decidedly