Volkswagen T-Cross long-term review: report 4

The car: Volkswagen T-Cross 1.0 TSI 115 SE

Run by: Alan Taylor-Jones, new cars editor

Why it’s here: To see if Volkswagen’s smallest SUV is worth the extra over the Polo on which it's based

Needs to: Not feel out of its depth on the motorway, be comfortable on long trips and prove more practical than a hatchback

Mileage 3042 List price £19,995 Target Price £19,421 Price as tested £22,580 Test economy 45.1mpg Official economy 47.1mpg (WLTP combined) 

13 February 2020 – Bench, pressed

In a previous report for my Fiesta, I wrote that I didn’t mind its smaller boot compared with rivals. Well, that statement came back to haunt me when I needed to transport a big suitcase for an upcoming trip. This meant I had to sweet-talk Alan into lending me his T-Cross for the weekend. Not only does Alan’s T-Cross have more luggage capacity than my Fiesta, but it also has privacy glass to keep prying eyes away from my valuables.

His T-Cross also has a sliding second-row to liberate even more space, however, this proved to be very stiff to operate initially, and because all three perches move in unison, it's a bit heavy to use, and could prove to be too much for some. 

During my drive up north, I noticed a very annoying rattle coming from the nearside corner of the dashboard. I did what anyone would do and Googled the issue, and an owners’ forum suggested that wedging something in the gap between the windscreen pillar and the top of the dash would solve it. I squeezed in some sticky-backed foam that seemed ideally suited to the job, and lo and behold, my return journey, complete with suitcase on board, was squeak free. 

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