T puts VW back on SUV bandwagon
The latest addition to the German manufacturer’s line of crossovers is just capital,says Steve Teale
Volkswagen is the epitome of what is going on in the motor industry. A generation it had hardly any SUVs to write home about. Suddenly it has a flurry ofoptionsforthisever-expanding market place.
VW has made massive inroads into this sector with five models on offer, headed by the fabulous Touareg, a Range Rover alternative.
Other models on offer now are Touran, Tiguan, T-Roc and the T-Cross, tested here.
It is a small-on-the-outside, big-on-the-insidemodelwhich seemstobegoingdownastorm judging by the numbers I have seen on the roads.
It is conservatively-styled, which you might expect from VW. It means the car doesn’t date easily and it has a clean, uncluttered style.
It is a versatile car, too, with a big boot and good road manners. Others car may excite more with stylish touches but T-Cross won’t let you down.
This car has a couple of minor shortcomings. The leg room in the rear seats is smaller than I expected even with the bench moved back, and this model could have done with a higher gear for motorway speeds.
But otherwise, it was a superb package. T-Cross starts at £16,995 on the road but the test version is the mid-range SE at £18,795. The engine is the star of the show – one of those infashion three cylinder one litre powerplants which has more power than you could ever imagine.
The 0 to 60mph figure isn’t given, but it is a competent car around town and on motorways,Handlingisnevergreatin tall crossovers but it does better than most and has a sporty feel on the straight.
T-Cross sits below the TRoc in the brand’s fast-growing SUV line-up and above the Polo in the car line-up.
This versatile and practical urban-friendly SUV is offered in S, SE, SEL, and R-Line trims from launch. A 250-unit, limited First Edition trim was also offered.
The SE model comes with a vast array of features such as power steering, stability control, air conditioning and a vast amount of airbags.
Safety features include automatic headlights, plus devices to ‘spot’ pedestrians in the road and to apply the brakes if you don’t see them; plus systems which keep you in the right lane.
All T-Cross benefit from the car’s signature sliding rear bench seat as standard. This particularly practical feature offers exceptional flexibility – providing the choice between enhanced rear leg room or a bigger load area of up to 455 litres.
SE examples are equipped with17in‘Clayton’alloywheels, black roof rails and front fog lights with cornering function; a leather-trimmed, multifunction steering wheel; and a foot floor which can be varied.
Technical highlights include adaptive cruise control, app connect and a driver alert system.
Options available to new TCross buyers include five alloy wheel designs; keyless entry; high-spec Beats sound system; and multiple style packs.
VW recently celebrated the T-Cross landing five stars, the maximum available, in the Euro NCAP testing. Independent testers awarded the new SUV in the small vehicle segment top scores in all categories. Consequently, this innovative crossover model meets the most stringent safety standards.