Volkswagen T-Cross review

At first glance, the Volkswagen T-Cross small SUV doesn't seem like a model VW really needs in its line-up.

After all, alongside the T-Cross you'll find the VW T-Roc (another small SUV, but one that’s slightly larger) and the VW Taigo (think of it as a T-Cross with a sleeker roof). Indeed, you might even find yourself trying to choose between the three cars.

Look a little closer, and you'll see there are some key differences. The T-Cross is available with less-powerful engines and more spartan trim levels, for example, so it can be quite a lot cheaper to buy if you select your spec carefully. It also has some clever tricks, including sliding rear seats, so in some ways it's a more versatile car.

If you're in the market for a small SUV, you might also be tempted by the closely related Skoda Kamiq or the Nissan Juke. And there's the fun-to-drive Ford Puma to consider too. Read on to find out how the Volkswagen T-Cross stands up against the competition...

The VW T-Cross's entry-level petrol engine (badged 1.0 TSI 95) is all you'll probably need. It's not as nippy as a Ford Puma 1.0 Ecoboost MHEV but still serves up enough performance with a bit of work from the engine, hitting 0-62mph in 11.2 seconds officially. It comes with a five-speed manual gearbox.

The more powerful 1.0 TSI 115 offers slightly faster acceleration (0-62mph in 10.0 seconds) and comes with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. The difference isn't huge, so we'd be tempted to save the money if you tend to stick to town driving. It does make cruising on longer journey a bit less effort, but you'll still need to change down a gear when driving up steeper hills.

The 1.0 TSI 115 is also available with a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox. We’ve yet to try it, but we know it's a little slower than the manual, with 0-62mph in 10.3 seconds.

The T-Cross isn't quite as comfy as the Skoda Kamiq or VW T-Roc but it rides pretty well compared with most other small SUVs. It’s much less fidgety than the firmer Kia Stonic for example and far more controlled and less bouncy than the Citroën C3 Aircross.

Often we suggest sticking with the smallest wheels possible for the smoothest ride. With the T-Cross, though, wheel size makes little difference to comfort and our recommended Match trim comes with 17in wheels, which is as big as they get.

Those looking for something easy to drive in town will find the T-Cross's light steering a boon. It's particularly helpful when you’re trying to park or weave through traffic.

On faster roads, it’s not quite as agile or fun as the stiffer Puma, but there’s plenty of grip on offer and body lean is fairly well controlled. The light steering doesn’t provide much confidence at higher speeds though.

The T-Cross's 1.0-litre petrol engine is pretty hushed by small SUV standards and only makes a distinctive chirp when revved. The T-Roc lets in even less wind and road noise when you're on the motorway.

If you go for a version with a manual gearbox, you'll find the gearshift a bit notchy, but the clutch has an easily identifiable biting point that makes it easy to pull away smoothly. Likewise, the feelsome brake pedal helps it draw to a gentle halt.

Driving overview

Strengths Willing performance around town; good ride and handling balance

Weaknesses There are more fun and comfortable small SUVs out there

The VW T-Cross is no Range Rover in terms of driver elevation, but it does place you further from the road than many of its small SUV rivals – including the Ford Puma and Kia Stonic – and much higher than the Skoda Kamiq.

Aside from how high you sit, the whole arrangement feels similar to that of the VW Polo (which the T-Cross is based on). That's a good thing because it means there’s a wide range of seat and steering wheel adjustment, including standard height adjustment for the driver on all trims, plus a height-adjustable centre armrest.

Our only minor grumble is that, depending on the length of your legs, you might find that the leading edge of the seat base digs into the backs of your thighs.

Another slight demerit is the two-zone climate control system fitted to Style trim and above, which uses touch-sensitive controls that are more fiddly to use than the basic ventilation controls fitted on lower trim levels with physical dials and buttons.

An 8.0in digital instrument panel is standard on all trim levels, while a larger, more customisable 10.3in digital screen is standard on range-topping R-Line trim (and optional on the rest of the range). The 10.3in screen places a lot of useful information – including navigation maps in models with sat-nav – right in front of you. It's worth considering as an option on lower trims.

Narrow windscreen pillars keep the view forwards unobstructed, but as with many of its rivals, the T-Cross’s wide rear pillars are a hindrance when you're looking back over your shoulder.

Fear not, though: all versions come with front and rear parking sensors, and a rear-view camera is standard on Match trim and above.

Ultra-bright LED headlights come as standard with all trims, with upgraded adaptive units fitted on Style trim and as an option on other trim levels.

Every T-Cross has an 8.0in colour infotainment touchscreen along with a USB-C connection, USB charging, Bluetooth and DAB radio. Style trim and above adds built-in sat-nav. A larger 9.2in screen with the Discover Pro system is available as an option.

Volkswagen Connect comes as standard, and allows the car to communicate with an app on your phone so that, among other things, you can analyse the efficiency of your driving or check on the car's location. 

Four USB-C ports (two up front and two in the rear) come fitted as standard, as well as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring.

Whichever trim you choose, the basic hardware and software remains the same and works just as well as it does in other Volkswagen models – and better than in, for example, the Peugeot 2008. That is to say the operating system is user-friendly and the screen responds promptly to prods.

As with other touchscreen-based systems, some of the smaller icons can be hard to hit while driving. Meanwhile, the six-speaker sound system can be upgraded with a Beats Soundpack, which adds a subwoofer and boosts power to 300W.

Earlier versions of the T-Cross were disappointing in terms of interior quality, but an update vastly improved the materials used on the dashboard and doors. Much of the scratchy and hollow-sounding plastics have been replaced with dense-feeling soft-touch materials at eye level, while glossy trim finishers brighten up the ambience.

Sure, there are still some scratchy plastics but they’re better hidden now. Everything feels well screwed together and should stand up to the rigours of family use. 

The glossy trim panel on the dashboard is replaced on Style trim and upwards with a softer padded material that look like faux-leather. Overall, interior quality is a bit better than in the (slightly cheaper) Seat Arona.

Interior overview

Strengths Comfortable driving position; plenty of tech upgrades available as an option; later models have improved build quality

Weaknesses Fiddly touch-sensitive climate control panel on higher trim levels

You’ll have no problem fitting in the front of the VW T-Cross, even if you’re tall. Leg room is as generous as it is in a VW Polo and there’s plenty of head room.

It’s not exactly cramped width-wise, but the slightly broader VW T-Roc offers a bit more elbow room between you and your passenger.

Interior storage is plentiful. There’s a sliding drawer under the driver’s seat, a large glovebox and door bins, plus a multitude of trays, cubbies and cupholders for all your odds and sods.

By the standards of the small SUV class, rear space in the T-Cross is impressive. There’s more leg and head room than you get in the back of the Seat Arona, with enough for a couple of six-footers to be comfortable, even when sitting behind people of the same height. The Skoda Kamiq has even more leg room though.

A definite bonus is the T-Cross's unobtrusive central floor tunnel. It allows the middle rear passenger to slide into their seat without much clambering and doesn't force them to straddle a wide hump. That said, the T-Roc is more generous for shoulder room in the back, so if you regularly need to seat three adults in the rear it could be a better choice.

Every T-Cross offers the flexibility of sliding rear seats that let you prioritise boot space or rear leg room depending on your needs – a feature you'll also find in top-spec versions of the Vauxhall Crossland. Few of the T-Cross's rivals offer that feature, and it doesn't appear on the closely related Seat Arona or Skoda Kamiq, the bigger T-Roc, or the Ford Puma.

The rear bench slides in one piece (rather than in separate seat sections like in some more expensive SUVs), but the seat backs split 60/40, so you can fold down one side to make way for a long load while a passenger or passengers use the remaining seat(s). The back seats don't recline.

The T-Cross's sliding rear seats let you extend the boot volume from 385 litres to 455 litres, depending on how far back you push the seats.

In other words, there's enough space for a buggy or a decent haul of holiday luggage. If you slide the seats forward, there's still almost as much space as you get in a Nissan Qashqai (although don't expect to carry adults in the back at the same time). The slightly pricier T-Roc has an even bigger boot, as does the Kamiq. If you want a really big load bay in your small SUV, look at the Puma.

A height-adjustable boot floor is available on higher trim levels. It allows you to create a separate space beneath the main boot compartment, or if you slot the floor in its highest setting, you eliminate any annoying step in the floor of the extended load bay when you've folded down the rear seats. The optional Beats sound system removes that facility, because it has a subwoofer that lives under the boot floor.

Practicality overview

Strengths Spacious for occupants all round; versatile sliding rear-seat

Weaknesses Rivals offer more boot space

The pricier Style and R-Line trims make little sense on the VW T-Cross, because if you have that much money to spend, the T-Roc is a better buy.

The 1.0 TSI 95 Match offers the best value for money, and it's cheaper than the entry-level Ford Puma. PCP finance deals are also more attractive than the Puma’s, with the T-Cross commanding lower monthly payments. It's not quite as frugal or as low on CO2 emissions, but it still proved really efficient in our real-world MPG tests. 

Combined with relatively affordable servicing and insurance bills, and depreciation that isn't too heavy by class standards, the T-Cross can be a thrifty buy if you choose carefully. Make sure you check for the best prices on our New Car Deals pages.

Entry-level Life trim is well equipped with 16in alloys, adaptive cruise control, air-conditioning and ambient lighting. Options such as heated front seats, rear privacy glass and wireless phone-charging don’t cost too much individually.

Match trim represents good value for money because it adds a few additional creature comforts over Life without costing too much more. It includes keyless entry, tinted rear windows and larger 17in alloy wheels.

Style adds dual-zone climate control, silver roof rails (rather than black), automatic high-beam assist, lighting in the front grille and sat-nav, but the hike in price is too great for us to recommend it. The most expensive R-Line trim makes the least sense, and mainly adds styling features.

The T-Cross finished in a rather strong eighth position out of 22 small SUVs rated in our 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey. Volkswagen as a brand finished a rather underwhelming 22nd out of 32 manufacturers in the same survey. Seat finished slightly higher, while Skoda did much better. 

What protection do you get if things go wrong? A three-year warranty, limited to 60,000 miles, comes as standard with every T-Cross. That’s typical of many rival manufacturers, but not as generous as Hyundai’s five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty or Kia’s seven-year, 100,000-mile package.

The T-Cross was awarded five stars out of five for safety when it was tested by Euro NCAP in 2019, with a better adult occupant protection score than the Puma and the Nissan Juke. Child occupancy protection wasn't quite as good, but only by the narrowest of margins.  

A generous list of driver assistance kit contributed towards the T-Cross's strong score. Technology includes automatic emergency braking (AEB), which can monitor the road ahead for both cars and pedestrians, lane-keeping assistance, a driver fatigue monitor (which advises you when to take a break) and post-collision mitigation system.

Moving to the security side of things, an alarm is standard across the range.

Costs overview

Strengths Entry-level versions are well priced; relatively strong safety record; good reliability rating

Weaknesses Top-spec versions are too pricey

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