Volkswagen T-Cross Review

How much does it cost?

Prices for the Volkswagen T-Cross start from £25,970 in entry-level Life trim and climb to £26,260 for Match, £29,465 for Style, £30,375 for R-Line and then top out at £30,890 for the range-topping Black Edition.

There are some savings to be found on the used market, however. You can get a Black Edition car with the more powerful 1.5-litre engine for £29,995 on AA Cars, or an R-Line model - again with the 1.5-litre engine - for £27,995, despite having just 4,000 miles on the clock.

Engine and performance

Overview

You’ll find only petrol power available with the T-Cross. The good news is that there’s a good spread of capacities and power outputs to suit all types of drivers. Things kick off with an entry-level 1.0-litre engine, which, with 94bhp and a five-speed manual gearbox, is the least-powerful but most simplistic setup you’ll find in this car. There’s also a 113bhp version of the same engine, but linked to an automatic gearbox instead.

From there, the range leads to a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine. With 148bhp, it’s the most powerful engine that you can get in the T-Cross range and is only available with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. For long-distance drivers who need some extra flexibility and punch, it’s definitely the best option.

Out on the road

The T-Cross aims to provide a ‘big-car’ experience in something smaller and, in many areas, it succeeds. You get a more elevated driving position than you would in your typical hatchback, and there’s good visibility all around, too. The smaller-capacity engines are a little thrummy when you’re pushing on and, as we mentioned earlier, it’s the 1.5-litre models which feel the most grown-up thanks to their added performance.

The manual gearboxes fitted to the T-Cross are smooth and easy to use, while the clutch pedal isn’t tiresome to operate, either. The dual-clutch automatics are popular, mind you, and they shift smoothly. However, there is a certain amount of ‘lag’ in these models; ask for some quick acceleration and the whole setup can pause slightly, which can make certain driving situations - like entering a busy roundabout - more of a challenge than they need to be.

Ride and handling

The T-Cross feels like a much larger car to drive than it actually is, not because it is unwieldy and tricky to position, but because it feels far more refined than you’d expect. At motorway speeds, it remains reasonably hushed, with only small amounts of wind and road noise peppering the cabin. Automatic gearbox versions feel the most at home here, too.

However, with its compact dimensions, the T-Cross is still great around town, too. The light handling means it feels nimble in traffic, while the car’s square design means it’s a doddle to park. It also handles road imperfections and larger potholes well, though sportier versions on alloy wheels do feel somewhat stiffer overall.

Interior and features

Interiors

The interior of the Volkswagen T-Cross has that solid, assured feeling that we’ve come to expect from the German brand’s cars over the years. There are some nicer materials and some not-so-nice ones, but it’s all pulled together well and there are very few squeaks and rattles to be found. The good news is that there are also plenty of physical controls used in the cabin and though newer versions of the T-Cross get more touch-sensitive sliders, they’re still pretty easy to use.

The front seats are comfortable and well-padded, and we like that you still get shortcut keys added to either side of the infotainment system to help make scrolling through different menus much easier.

Boot space and practicality

For what is quite a compact car, the T-Cross offers plenty of space. Because of the car’s upright design, it’s got plenty of headroom in store for all occupants. There’s a small transmission tunnel at the rear, but it’s not so large as to completely eradicate legspace for anyone sitting in the middle seat at the back. The T-Cross also has a trick up its sleeve - sliding rear seats. That means you can prioritise either boot space or rear-seat legroom depending on your situation.

Speaking of boot space, the T-Cross offer a generous 385 litres as standard, or up to 455 litres if you slide those rear seats all the way forward. There’s a height-adjustable boot floor, too, and when you fold the rear seats completely down, they go fully flat, so loading larger items in the back is easy.

Features

Life specification is where the list of available trims starts with the T-Cross, bringing an eight-inch digital display ahead of the driver, as well as an eight-inch infotainment system which includes all key media functions. As mentioned, there are some handy shortcut keys on the side of this screen, as well as physical knobs for the volume and channel selection.

Mid-range ‘Style’ is a popular choice as it brings a large infotainment system and features such as wireless smartphone driving which help to make everyday life a little easier. The good news is that whichever T-Cross specification you opt for, you’ll be getting a decent level of equipment as standard.

Trim and colour options

There are plenty of trim levels to choose from when looking at the T-Cross, with Life, Match, Style, R-Line and Black Edition specifications available.

With Life, you’re getting 16-inch alloy wheels alongside LED headlights and a digital radio setup, as well as four USB-C charging points inside, with two up front and two in the rear. You also get automatic headlights, which intelligently switch between dipped and main beam depending on traffic conditions.

Match introduces 17-inch alloy wheels and a handy rear-view camera, which helps to make this car even easier to park. You also get keyless entry and starting, as well as tinted glass for the rear windows, bringing a sleeker and more understated look in the process.

Move up to Style and you’ll get Volkswagen’s more feature-rich Discover Navigation system, as well as 17-inch diamond-turned alloy wheels. Semi-automated travel assist technology can also ‘guide’ the steering when you’re on the motorway, though the driver will still need to keep their hands on the wheel. It can help to take some of the strain out of a longer journey, though, and it’s included on Style models.

Popular R-Line brings a sportier take on the T-Cross formula, bringing with it a more dynamic look thanks to 17-inch black diamond-turned alloys, chrome-plated raditor grille inserts and sport front seats. R-Line also brings a 10.25-inch digital dashboard ahead of the driver, which incorporates loads of information and can be customised via the steering wheel controls.

Finally, Black Edition - as you might expect - brings a range of black-coloured styling elements across the car alongside LED matrix headlights and LED rear lights. The front grille is also illuminated at this grade, bringing some extra presence to the car when driving at night.

You’ve got plenty of exterior colours to choose from, too, ranging from standard blacks and silvers to more eye-catching shades like the bright ‘Rubber Ducky Yellow’.

Safety and reliability

The T-Cross has been around for a little while now and its basis on the same platform as the Polo means that it should be pretty solid overall. The accompanying engines are also relatively unstressed in terms of power output, so they shouldn’t prove to be much of an issue.

All T-Cross cars get electronic stability control as standard, as well as driver attention and drowsiness monitors, lane change assist and a dynamic road sign display system as standard. Plus, you get ISOFIX child seat mounting points on the outer rear seats in addition to the front passenger seat, allowing you to safely fix three child seats when you’re on the go.

MPG, emissions and tax

With its range of clean-running engines, the T-Cross shouldn’t prove too costly to keep going. Even standard 1.0-litre units can return anywhere from 50.7mpg, so trips to the fuel station should be few and far between in these models. Emissions of 127g/km CO2 are a little high for this size of car, mind you. The 1.5-litre engine might be more powerful, but it still should return well over 45mpg combined, while emissions of 135g/km CO2 aren’t all that much more than those for the 1.0-litre engine. All versions of the T-Cross will be accompanied by the standard £195 per year rate of tax, though some will also have a higher first-year rate of up to £540, which is traditionally rolled into the ‘on-the-road’ price of the car, when shopping for a new model.