NEW CAR DEBRIEF
VW T CROSS
1 This VW T- thing is here to stay?
Yep, though Touareg clearly didn’t get the email (presumably because it was scratching a living in the desert with no signal, not even GPRS). Following hot on the heels of TRoc comes TCross, a smaller MQB-based crossover with much in common with Polo (and Seat’s Arona).
2 Rugged and all-wheel drive, like a 2018 Panda 4x4?
Nah. In this market o-road ability matters little (and certainly a lot less than perceived quality and some thrifty engines). TCross is frontdrive only, with two TSI engines doing the job at launch; choose from 94 or 109bhp and manual or DSG transmissions.
3 Ideas above its station?
No longer can aordable cars go without the kind of tech reserved for the likes of the SClass a decade ago. So your TCross gets Golf’s smart Active Info Display plus lane assist, adaptive cruise and auto lights. No word on an electriied powertrain yet, though VW’s e-SUV is slated for 2020.
4 I want one now!
Patience, patience. Orders open early 2019, with irst deliveries expected in the spring. Pricing is TBC but expect to need £17k just to get through the door. Trim levels will run from S to RLine, with a loaded Launch Edition car expected to lead the charge.