Updated Volkswagen T-Cross review
This compact crossover has a case to answer for the dwindling number of hatchbacks in Australian new car showrooms.
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Volkswagen’s market research shows its T-Cross SUV is “prime choice” for young, female metropolitan buyers.
You’d therefore expect this reviewer – a not-so-young male who has abandoned city life – would find it quite unsuitable … even a bit irrelevant.
Not so. I’m hardly the core T-Cross target market, but VW’s tiniest of SUVs – facelifted for 2024 – impresses as being utterly fit for purpose: good-looking, roomy, safe, and an eager thing to punt around town.
First and last car buyers swarm to T-Crosses, much like they once did VW’s Polo hatchback, on which this SUV’s based.
Of note, Aussies bought five times more T-Crosses than Polos last year.
This updated model brings new bumpers, LED lights, digital driver display and much improved standard driver assist kit to all grades.
There’s also a more up-market cabin feel, with the hard and scratchy plastic dashboard replaced by a softer touch effort.
But you know what’s coming – prices are up.
Recommended retail prices climb by $3000 or more, but there’s drive-away pricing for all three grades, with fancy paint ($600-$900) the only option.
On the road, an entry-level T-Cross Life is $34,990, mid-spec Style $39,990 and flagship R-Line $43,990.
Hop inside and there’s excellent order and simplicity to the T-Cross’s controls.
Okay, it’s dark and austere, but if you favour class over fripperies, you’ll appreciate the maturity.
Elements that made the T-Cross successful remain. Its thrummy 85kW 1.0-litre turbo three-cylinder isn’t as powerful as CX-3 or Venue rivals, but its healthy 200Nm torque trumps most, making it a livelier thing for zipping through suburbia.
Also remaining is a handy sliding rear seat – rare for a city SUV.
When nobody’s in the back, seats can move forward to give a whopping 455L boot: more than a Mazda CX-5 medium SUV.
At $5000 under the Style, the Life’s clearly the value pick, even if its 16-inch alloys look daggy, plus there’s the indignity of putting a key in an ignition rather than using a push button start.
The Style’s 17-inch alloys, dynamic LED lights (front and rear they look superb at night), ambient cabin lighting, dual zone climate, wide-screen map display and wireless phone connectivity give polish, but it’s a big jump in dollars.
The R-Line’s the real looker with 18-inch alloys, body kit and bad boy tinted windows, while a Sport mode keeps its engine and gearing in ‘ready for fun’ setting.
Speaking of fun, the outgoing T-Cross desperately needed bright body colours, now remedied for 2024. A beautiful light blue’s the pick, or blood red’s an R-Line exclusive.
There’s a vibrant ‘Grape Yellow’ but it looks a resale nightmare.
It’s a reassuringly Volkswagen-y car to drive. Seats are supportively sculpted and roomy and it’s easy to find a comfy position.
The seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox is beautifully smooth, bar a few hiccups at low speed. But for town life, using the paddle shifters brings the most reward – you can keep the little three-cylinder revving nicely, and time your quick-shifts to enjoy the pleasing pull offered.
The steering’s easy if a tad lifeless, and while it’s not a little funster like, say, VW’s Polo GTI, the T-Cross is agile and playful enough.
It confidently tackles fast corners with poise, then 110km/h cruises in rare serenity for a city SUV. Harsh city bumps catch it out as the ride’s relatively firm, and its lack of power hurts it on steep hills. Otherwise it’s a talented partner for urban life.
The properly useful safety kit’s standard: active cruise control, rear traffic alert and blind spot monitor, and thankfully it’s well calibrated.
What’s missing is a hybrid to rival Toyota. VW’s official economy is 5.6L/100km, but my test saw 8L/100km over a mix of roads.
Service costs also sting: $3221 for the first five years is too much for a city SUV.
VERDICT
It’s not cheap and there’s no hybrid, but this grown-up, versatile and lovely to pilot T-Cross is the class of the city SUV field.
3.5 stars
VOLKSWAGEN T-CROSS
PRICE: From $34,990 drive-away
ENGINE: 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol, 85kW/200Nm
WARRANTY/SERVICE: 5 years/unlimited km, $3221 for five services/75,000km
SAFETY: 5 Star, 6 airbags, advanced AEB, adaptive cruise control, rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitor, lane centring, rear camera
THIRST: 5.6L/100km
CARGO: 385-455 litres
SPARE: Space saver
Originally published as Updated Volkswagen T-Cross review
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