2022 Volkswagen T-Cross Style R-Line review

This stylish and feature packed little SUV could help potential buyers reduce their monthly petrol bill, but there’s a catch.

Australians buy more SUVs than any other vehicle. We put Volkswagen’s little T-Cross through its paces to see if the extra space and ride height are worth the added cost.

VALUE

The T-Cross is the smallest SUV in the Volkswagen range. Based on the Polo small car, it starts at roughly $35,000 drive-away for the 85TFSI Life model, which has Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless phone charging, an 8-inch centre touchscreen, cruise control and parking sensors front and rear.

The T-Cross is the brand’s smallest SUV.

The next model up is the Style at about $38,000, which ups the ante with two-zone climate control, push-button start, bigger wheels, ambient lighting and more safety equipment. Our test vehicle, based on the Style, also had an R-Line pack, which is essentially a cosmetic upgrade that includes 18-inch wheels, better fabric seats, some faux carbon fibre highlights in the cabin, tinted windows and more. It adds $2600 to the price. A “sound and vision” package seems better value at $2200 for a premium sound system, digital driver display, satnav and wireless smartphone mirroring.

Warranty is five years and servicing is expensive at $2886 over five years. If you pre-pay, it drops to $2250.

COMFORT

The T-Cross is surprisingly roomy for a compact SUV. The high roofline means there’s decent headroom for taller passengers in both the front and rear. The rear seats also have good legroom, although the back is better suited to two passengers, as the middle seat is a little uncomfortable. There are no rear air vents and the rear armrests are hard plastic but the boot is larger than average.

It shares many components with the pint-szie Polo hatchback.

The R-Line has low-profile, 18-inch wheels, which don’t iron out bumps and corrugations as well as the smaller wheels on the cheaper versions, but overall the ride is pretty good for this size of vehicle.

The tyres can get a little noisy on coarser road surfaces.

SAFETY

The cheapest Life model has auto emergency braking and lane-keeping assistance but it misses out on driver assistance tech you’d find on some rivals at this price, most notably blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alert. They are available as part of a $1200 driver assistance package that also includes adaptive cruise control, semiautomatic parking and a more sophisticated version of auto emergency braking. Those features are standard on the Style.

It has plenty of tech features, but there are lots of hard plastic surfaces, too. Shot by Thomas Wielecki.

The T-Cross scored five stars in crash tests when it launched and performed well in adult occupant protection with a score of 97 per cent.

ON THE ROAD

The T-Cross’s 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine punches above its weight, thanks to a decent serving of torque available early in the rev range. It’s teamed with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto that shifts decisively at speed, but can be a little jerky and slow to react off the mark, especially when the car’s stop-start function is engaged.

It’s sure-footed through corners, though, with crisp, communicative steering and good body control.

The T-Cross is one of the sweeter driving little SUVs on the market.

Fuel efficiency is impressive. Volkswagen claims an average of 5.4 litres per 100km and we achieved 5.8L/100km on a mix of freeway and city driving. Unlike some competitors, it is only available in front-wheel drive, limiting its ability on unsealed surfaces.

VERDICT 3.5/5

The T-Cross is at the expensive end of the compact SUV market but offers decent space and an above average driving experience.

ALTERNATIVES

Toyota Yaris Cross Urban Hybrid, from about $38,800 drive-away.

Not as rewarding to drive but uses less fuel, has more equipment and a comprehensive standard safety package.

Mazda CX-3 Akari, from about $41,200 drive-away.

Smaller inside, with a tiny boot but has standard leather, a bigger 2.0-litre engine and more driver assistance tech.

Kia Stonic GT-Line, from about $32,750 drive-away.

Down on power, missing some safety gear and not as solid to drive, but considerably cheaper, with loads of goodies.

VOLKSWAGEN T-CROSS STYLE R-LINE VITALS

PRICE About $40,800 drive-away

WARRANTY/SERVICING Five years, unlimited km, $2250 over five years

ENGINE 1.0-litre turbo petrol, 85kW and 200Nm

SAFETY Six airbags, auto emergency braking, lane-departure warning, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alert

THIRST 5.8L/100km

LUGGAGE 455 litres

Originally published as 2022 Volkswagen T-Cross Style R-Line review