Polo-based Volkswagen T-Cross SUV revealed at world premiere
Volkswagen finally pulled the covers off the T-Cross, its widely-teased new Polo-based SUV in a triumvirate of locations today. Reveals were staged in Amsterdam, São Paulo and Shanghai, underlining how important the car is. The final member of Volkswagen’s SUV family, the T-Cross offers the tall driving position and versatility of a crossover, but in a near Polo-sized package.
A new departure
Taking elements from the T-Roc, the T-Cross is both taller and bluffer than the Polo, but carries through elements of the small car’s styling, such as the ‘Tornado’ line which runs along the side panels. Frontally, the new Volkswagen SUV styling is clear, while the rear features a new full-width light bar. A new departure for VW styling, it looks great, even if it does evoke similarities of the 1990s SEAT Ibiza and Cordoba in execution. But hey, that’s no bad thing! One of the new car’s key sales messages is individuality, and a wide range of design packs will be available for owners to personalise their T-Cross to their own tastes.
A wheelbase of 2.56 metres – virtually identical to the sixth-generation Polo on which its based – pushes the wheels out to the corners. Inside, there’s between 385 and 455 litres of luggage space (a minimum of 34 litres more than the Polo) thanks to a sliding rear bench seat which moves fore and aft by 14cm. Total carrying volume with the rear seats folded flat is 1,281 litres, while total length is 4.11 metres: the Polo runs the rule at 4.05m. The cabin features the same high infotainment horizontal axis layout as the Polo.
Set new standards
Volkswagen is bullish that the T-Cross will set new standards in the compact crossover / SUV class, especially when it comes to connectivity, economy, flexibility, practicality, style and versatility. No four-wheel drive model is planned, the front-wheel drive car sharing its platform with the MQB-based Polo. The Polo also donates its engines, too, the three petrol and single diesel units already seen in the small VW.
The T-Cross range starts with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged TSI engine developing 94bhp, moves through a 113bhp unit with the same capacity, rising to a four-cylinder 1.5 TSI with 147bhp, the same unit as seen in the seventh-generation Golf. A four-cylinder 1.6 TDI diesel will also be available with 94bhp. All comply with Euro 6 emission standards and the petrol units also feature particulate filters.
Key characteristic
Safety is a key T-Cross characteristic with standard equipment including numerous driver assistance systems, previously reserved for higher vehicle classes. Front assist area and pedestrian monitoring systems are fitted, along with a City Emergency Braking system, lane keeping and hill start assistants, as well as blind spot detection. Park, rear traffic and driver alert systems will also be available as will automatic adaptive cruise control. Inside, smartphones can be charged inductively, and with up to four USB ports, digital convenience is also a T-Cross selling point.
Sales of the Polo-based crossover are expected to start in Spring 2019, with UK prices forecast to start at around £17,000 for the entry-level S model. While not confirmed, trim levels should echo other Volkswagen models, rising through SE and topping off with R-Line (an R-Line-bedecked T-Cross was premiered at the Amsterdam reveal). For more details and to stay informed with the latest news on the new Volkswagen T-Cross as it arrives in the UK, visit the dedicated page on the Volkswagen UK website.
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