Volkswagen acknowledges problem with 1.5 TSI Evo engine

Volkswagen has said that it's aware of a possible fault with its 1.5-litre petrol engine - and not ruled out a possible recall that could affect thousands of cars in the UK.

The 1.5-litre TSI Evo petrol engine made its debut in the Golf in 2017 and is now being rolled out across the range as a replacement for the old 1.4-litre turbocharged unit. It's currently available in the Golf, T-Roc and Arteon models as well as other Volkswagen Group vehicles.

HonestJohn.co.uk contacted Volkswagen after a report from a reader that his T-Roc 1.5 manual developed  a 'kangarooing' sensation when cold - something we've also experienced in our SEAT Arona long-term test car. 

In a statement from Volkswagen in Germany, the company said: “Volkswagen is aware of reports from customers complaining that some vehicles featuring the 1.5-litre TSI Evo engine with manual gearbox can be slightly hesitant in the cold-running phase.

"We are currently developing a solution to prevent these rare effects in the affected vehicles.”

When pushed about whether this could lead to a recall for all 1.5-litre Volkswagens in the UK, a spokesperson said they had "no further info to add to the statement at this stage".

With the launch of the 1.5-litre engine, Volkswagen bucked the downsizing trend by replacing a 125PS 1.4 four-cylinder unit with a 1.5 four-cylinder producing 150PS. The move was intended to improve performance as well as provide better real-world fuel economy.

The upcoming Volkswagen T-Cross small crossover is also set to use the 1.5-litre TSI Evo engine.