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Volkswagen T-Cross 2021 review: Style

Volkswagen Volkswagen T-Cross Volkswagen T-Cross 2021 SUV Best SUV Cars Volkswagen SUV Range Family Small Cars
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Looks good, feels good, and fits the fam.
Looks good, feels good, and fits the fam.
EXPERT RATING
7.7

Likes

  • Exterior design
  • Fun drive
  • Fuel efficiency

Dislikes

  • No AWD option
  • No higher spec models for swanky interiors
  • Stop/start inconsistent
Nedahl Stelio
Family reviewer
4 May 2021
5 min read

There are some cars that are just seriously convenient. Add a sprinkle of fun and you have the Volkswagen T-Cross. 

It’s a small to mid-size SUV, competing with cars like the Kia Seltos and Honda HR-V. Think of this size car as the family version of a small car, so instead of a VW Polo or Mazda3, you’d opt for one of these instead. 

I test drove the Volkswagen T-Cross 85TSI Style, which is the more swanky version of the two on offer, and costs $30,990, before on road costs and extras. Here’s how it did with my family over seven days of driving. 

Volkswagen T-Cross 2021: 85TSI Style

Engine Type Turbo 3, 1.0L
Fuel Type Premium Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Efficiency 5.4L/100km (combined)
Seating 5
Price From $25,080 - $30,910
Safety Rating

How does it look?

Like a whole lotta fun, especially in this colour. It’s got a curvy shape, no hard angles and a cute front end with chunky bumpers and it’s higher off the ground than a regular small car. It’s very likeable and it looks friendly. 

The T-Cross is a very likeable car.
The T-Cross is a very likeable car.

Inside is not the fanciest but in this price bracket you wouldn’t expect it to be. It still serves the purpose of a cool small car. There are fabric and leather-look seats throughout and this model has the comfortable sport seats. 

There’s a leather covered steering wheel and gear shifter and it’s got 'Lizard Shadow' steel black trims throughout which lifts the design to a good level. 

Inside is a leather covered steering wheel. 
Inside is a leather covered steering wheel. 

How easy is it to drive

The front seats are manually adjustable and there is no power tailgate. On the plus side you get two cupholders in the front and bottle holders in each door. 

There’s also a wireless charger with a deep pocket for things like keys or a wallet. Plus a decent sized centre storage bin and a bonus drawer underneath the driver’s seat for anything super secret! 

Up front are two decently sized cupholders.
Up front are two decently sized cupholders.

The T-Cross is a good height off the ground for kids to climb into, it’s not too high but is high enough to feel taller than a regular car on the road. There are also two USB ports in the front and two in the back. 

Rear passengers miss out on cupholders which is a fairly standard omission in this category.

How spacious is it?

Interestingly, the T-Cross has enough space for my family of four. I wouldn’t be taking it away on holiday for a long time, but it could deal with a weekend away and you can also fit things on the roof.

The clever part of the interior design of the T Cross, is the sliding rear row, so you can either give passengers extra leg room in the back seat or move it forward and get extra boot space, depending on your needs. 

The T-Cross has enough space for my family of four.
The T-Cross has enough space for my family of four.

So, boot space varies between 385L and 455L, and it’s up to you when and where you use that extra room.

There’s also a good amount of leg and head space in the front row even for taller passengers and the car generally feels spacious for the size it is, thanks to the width of the design.

The T-Cross Style has comfy sport seats.
The T-Cross Style has comfy sport seats.

How does it drive?

Like a zippy little car! It whizzes around town with the agility of a small car, but do you do sit higher on the road thanks to it’s SUV shape

It’s got a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbo engine which is enough for a car this size, there’s a good amount of power to get up large suburban hills and it drives nicely along highways. 

The steering turns easily and you can manoeuvre into parking spots that wouldn’t fit a large SUV, which is quite a nice feeling after weeks of driving big vans

The turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder produces 85kW/200Nm.
The turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder produces 85kW/200Nm.

Ditto for the T-Cross's small turning circle. It actually makes quite a big difference to your day-to-day driving to be able to start a U-turn and make it more often than not!

There’s a good reverse parking camera to help you into parks too. 

It handles well around corners, and my only bugbear is the stop/start function isn’t as immediate as I’d like, but that’s hardly a deal breaker. 

How safe is it?

The T-Cross Style has airbags for front passenger and side curtain airbags for first and second rows. For advanced safety there is blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane assist and lane-departure warning system, park assist and auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection. 

There are two ISOFIX points and three top tether points for kids car seats. The T-Cross scored a full five ANCAP stars when it was tested in 2020 (against 2019 criteria).

What’s the tech like?

There is thankfully a plug-in version of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (I say thankfully because I have trouble with wireless versions sometimes). 

The 8.0-inch touchscreen features Apple Carplay and Android Auto.
The 8.0-inch touchscreen features Apple Carplay and Android Auto.

It syncs immediately with the main apps on your phone and you can navigate with maps and listen to streaming services via your phone apps. It makes technology that much easier. 

How much does it cost to own?

The Volkswagen T-Cross 85TFSI Style costs $30,990, before on road costs. The official combined fuel consumption figure is 5.4L/100km and I averaged 6.5L/100km with a mix of highway and city driving. 

It's covered by Volkswagen's five year/unlimited km warranty. There are three year and five year service plans available and you can save from $256 with the three year and $645 with the five year if you buy into those. 

Verdict

This is such a fun small SUV, I found that when you do need a smaller car because of your circumstance or preference, it actually is enough to fit a family and you don’t necessarily need the bulk of a larger car if all you’re looking for is ample interior space and a decent engine. 

It’s got style, the boot’s size is adjustable plus this model has all the safety you’d want for a family. I gave it a family rating of 7.7 out of 10 and my kids gave it the same. They’re obsessed with this aqua colour right now. 

Pricing Guides

$26,036
Based on 128 cars listed for sale in the last 6 months.
LOWEST PRICE
$20,490
HIGHEST PRICE
$34,990
Nedahl Stelio
Family reviewer
Nedahl has been a journalist for two decades, spending five years as editor of Cleo magazine and has been an editor at Cosmopolitan, Good Food and the Fairfax ‘Health’ section. She’s written across various topics for a range of high-profile food, health, travel and fashion-focused titles. She’s also appeared on The Today Show, Sunrise, A Current Affair, various radio programs and has been a guest judge on Australia’s Next Top Model. Since having two children, you’ll more likely find her at the beach with the family than at a fashion show, doing a bunch of yoga classes, or cooking healthy food while drinking a glass of wine. And of course, the right family car is critical to keeping it all moving smoothly. A roomy cabin, plenty of boot space and stylish interiors rate high on her priority list. She also believes pink is the new black (except when it comes to cars) and that we should ditch single-use plastics.
About Author
Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in the editorial content (Review Prices) is to be used as a guide only and is based on information provided to Carsguide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd (Carsguide) both by third party sources and the car manufacturer at the time of publication. The Review Prices were correct at the time of publication. Carsguide does not warrant or represent that the information is accurate, reliable, complete, current or suitable for any particular purpose. You should not use or rely upon this information without conducting an independent assessment and valuation of the vehicle.
Pricing Guide
$20,490
Lowest price, based on third party pricing data.
For more information on
2021 Volkswagen T‑Cross
See Pricing & Specs

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