VW has officially lifted the veils of T-Cross.
Revealed in Amsterdam, Shanghai, and São Paulo the T-Cross is a global SUV that
uses the same platform as the Polo and therefore doesn’t offer all-wheel drive
— not even as an option. Design-wise, it’s a combination between VW’s other
SUVs.
From the front, it looks like a smaller Touareg
thanks to the similar grille that blends with the headlights. The side reminds
a lot of the Tiguan thanks to the strong character line, while the rear end is
probably the most original part of the car. The taillights look like nothing
else in VW’s current lineup, and they are connected by a light strip that makes
the T-Cross look wider than it really is.
Speaking of dimensions, the MQB platform has allowed
VW to locate the driven front axle well forward. As a result, the T-Cross has a
relatively generous wheelbase compared to the overall vehicle length. The small
SUV is 4.11 meters long with a 2.56-meter wheelbase.
VW says the interior is spacious and
offers enough room for five people. Furthermore, it benefits from a sliding
rear seat that has 140 mm of travel, maximizing either legroom or boot
volume, depending on the need.
The luggage compartment has a capacity that varies
between 385 and 455 liters with all seats in place. If that’s
not enough, the rear seatback folds down fully or partially to expand cargo
volume to an impressive 1,281 liters.
There are no surprises as far as the interior design
goes, as the dashboard betrays its VW Polo origins. The steering wheel is
completely new, though, and there are some color and trim differences to the
supermini as well. Connectivity-wise, the T-Cross offers the latest
infotainment systems from VW, inductive smartphone charging, and up to four USB
ports.
The T-Cross debuts with four turbocharged power plants: three
gasoline and one diesel. There are two 1.0-liter TSI three-cylinder units rated
at 95 PS and 115 PS. The range-topping 1.5-liter
TSI four-cylinder unit makes 150 PS, while the 1.6-liter TDI diesel
produces 95 PS. All engines comply with the latest Euro 6d-TEMP
emission standard.
T-Cross offers
many driver assistance systems as standard. Those include Front Assist with
Pedestrian Monitoring and City Emergency Braking System, Lane Assist, Hill
Start Assist, the proactive occupant protection system, and Blind Spot
Detection with integrated Rear Traffic Alert. Optional safety features such as
the Driver Alert System, automatic adaptive cruise control and Park Assist help
further enhance safety.
Production of the all-new VW T-Cross will begin in
Spain, South America, and China later this year, with sales following in 2019.
