VW T-Cross Life review reveals small SUV big on value

Compact Volkswagen T-Cross SUV gains vital safety upgrades for entry-level variant.

Every week grocery prices seem to nudge higher. Since Covid, consumers have been battered with rising costs.

Car sales skyrocketed as Australia escaped the pandemic clutches.

Yet the latest figures show the cost-of-living crisis is turning the screws on households. National car sales statistician VFACTS numbers show a declining private sector as families feel the pinch.

It’s timely then that Volkswagen has updated its most affordable SUV.

For just below $35,000 you can drive home in a 2024 model T-Cross 85TSI Life, that now comes with additional safety equipment as standard.

What do you get?

Among the most vital new inclusions for the base model 85TSI Life is adaptive cruise control, as well as lane assist and centering functionality. It maintains a set distance when trailing vehicles and means hassle-free highway travels.

Rear cross traffic alert is another new addition which is an extra set of eyes when reversing from car parks.

Wireless phone charging and a digital driver display has also been added, which joins the feature list that includes an eight-inch touchscreen armed with wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a six-speaker stereo.

White and yellow are no-cost colour options, blue, silver, grey and black are metallic or pearl effect which are $600 extra.

Volkswagen offers three and five year care plans for servicing, with the five-year deal costing $2850 – a saving of about $570 compared to paying as you go with capped pricing. The three-year offer is $1500 – about a $200 discount.

Roadside assistance is complimentary for one year, and extends by another 12 months every time you fulfil service intervals with a Volkswagen dealer.

Dials and buttons ensure the cabin functions are not difficult to navigate in the Volkswagen T-Cross 85TSI Life.

How was the drive?

Three-cylinder engines deliver a distinctive soundtrack, almost sporty.

From a standstill the T-Cross can be hesitant at slow speeds as it finds the right cog low in the rev range, although engaging sport mode or using the steering wheel mounted paddle shifters can deliver more urgent acceleration.

Sharing its underbody architecture with the Polo hatch, the T-Cross is a nimble offering which feels adept and confident in varying conditions.

Push hard into a corner and it takes some effort to break traction, while it also changes direction well, with nicely weighted steering providing surety and composure.

The 40-litre tank will deliver a range of about 600km, and our average fuel consumption was close to the official figure from VW of 5.6L/100km using premium unleaded.

Four adults can find comfort in the T-Cross. The rear seat can shift forward to provide additional boot space but that does reduce knee and legroom.

It’s a compact SUV with a small boot, and at 385L our weekly family grocery shop saw a few bags consigned to the back seat.

The entry-level Volkswagen T-Cross 85TSI Life starts from just under $35,000 drive-away.

Would you buy one?

Kel: I felt like it was a step back in time. The base model Life was really simplistic, with no heated seats, manual dials for the aircon and turning the key to start rather than a button. My expectations are high nowadays and I’d have to step up the ranks to get the features I love. The T-Cross isn’t for me, I’m a fan of the T-Roc which is one size above … I love the R version which is among my all-time favourites.

Grant: Sedans and hatches are on the outer, and it seems just about everyone needs an SUV. I’d be happy with its sibling, the Polo, that is $3000 less and offers even better driving performance (although it does miss out on some of the now standard gear on the T-Cross). For those who love a European, and the VW badge does have kudos, the current drive-away deal is a good one for an attractive SUV with tech-savvy functionality.