More than just a Polo on stilts
NEW SUV: VW IS CROSSING ITS TS AND DOTTING ITS IS
The price is right, as is the car, so test drive one – or kick yourself.
To be honest I have always looked at those who buy family SUVs – especially the smaller ones – with a mixture of pity and irritation. Generally speaking, a SUV is slower, thirstier and not much bigger than the basic model hatchback on which it is based. It does have a raised ride height – presumably to make it easier to park illegally on pavements.
Also, most can venture no further off road than the school cricket pitch on prize-giving days, because they are two-wheel-drives.
My view has always been that if you want to look like the Camel Man (or Woman), get a serious offroader. Otherwise get a sedan.
However, I must admit that there is a cheeky appeal to the mini-SUVs popping up all over the place at the moment – think Renault Duster, Hyundai Creta, Ford Ecosport. They’re cute and cope adequately as family transport (although I wouldn’t head off to the sea in one with family)
Volkswagen has just entered that arena and, frankly, the opposition should start worrying. The new T-Cross small SUV from VW is based on the Polo, which means instant demand anyway. The savvy motorist out there has always known that in most categories it competes in, VW’s products are the benchmark so the T-Cross will eventually dominate this segment. It sold 800 in its first month and 1 200 in the second. The real question about ownership probably is: how long is the waiting list?
Just a Polo on stilts, then? Well, yes and no. It is definitely a sibling to the successful hatchback, but has its own personality and for a VW, it is aggressively priced. The base model 1.0 litre three-cylinder turbopetrol (with 85kW) comes in at R336 000, without extras. And there are not many of those, which is a surprise. Early next year, VW is bringing in an even cheaper, 1.0 version, with just 70kW, which I think could be the volume seller.
Given its origins and pricing, you’d be forgiven for expecting the T-Cross to be nasty or compromised in some way.
It surprised the life out of me to discover this is one of the better products in the VW family. I include sister brand Audi, because the T-Cross was, interestingly, much nicer to drive than an Audi Q3 we had on test, which costs R200 000 more.
It’s energetic enough with the little turbo motor quite capable of handling highway work, as well as traffic light dashes in the city.
It’s also economical: on our usual highway test route of 140km, it returned 5.6 litres per 100km, while a door to door average of 109km/h was achieved. That’s pretty good.
Steering was light, but communicative enough and the T-Cross changed direction with a similar sort of alacrity to a Polo.
The biggest surprise, though, was the premium feel of the whole package.
Ride comfort was excellent – far better than you have a right
to expect in this class of vehicle – while interior noise was as low as you’d find in a premium sedan. Because it was so quiet, it would have been easy to hear any rattles…but there weren’t any.
For what it is, and given where it competes, this car is one of the best VW have produced. That does come from a VW fan, I’ll admit … but if you’re looking for this sort of vehicle and you don’t test drive the T-Cross, you’ll kick yourself one day.