New looks and new infotainment
The Volkswagen T-Cross has been renewed. The smallest crossover from Volkswagen can still be immediately recognized as a T-Cross, but it is still being addressed on quite a few points. The facelifted Volkswagen T-Cross will come to the Netherlands at the beginning of next spring.
You can say a lot about Volkswagen, but not that it was early with a compact crossover in the compact class. While cars such as the Renault Captur, Nissan Juke and Peugeot 2008 have been selling like hot cakes for years, Volkswagen decided not to enter the compact crossover segment until 2018. It did so with the T-Cross, a car that has also been with us for almost five years now. With a fairly complete makeover, the T-Cross should be ready for the next few years.
Recognizably different
Do not expect that Volkswagen has suddenly made something completely different from the new T-Cross. The T-Cross remains above all a T-Cross, but quite a bit is changing. The facelifted T-Cross has new and now standard LED headlights from the basic version. They have a new layout and are actually different in shape. They taper more gradually towards the center than the previous ones. For the first time, Volkswagen is supplying its IQ Light LED matrix lighting on the T-Cross. A T-Cross with this piece of extensive LED technology also has a continuous LED strip in the grille.
The T-Cross R-Line before the facelift: more layers in the front.
More is changing. Just like before, each version of the T-Cross has its own bumper work and judging by the canary yellow Volkswagen T-Cross R-Line visible in these photos, that sportier version gets completely new bumpers. There is a more triangular ornament around the fog lamps, the lower cooling opening has grown considerably and, like the grille, has been given different mesh. The R-Line front optically consists of fewer ‘layers’ than before. In the center of the nose you will find the renewed and simpler-looking Volkswagen logo.
Volkswagen T-Cross: also new lighting at the rear.
Also new are the (standard) LED rear lights. Here, too, more changes than you might think. The C-shaped light signature gives way to a cross shape that seems to partially repeat towards the outside of the unit. In addition, part of the rear lights now actually extend into the tailgate. More news? Certainly. As before, the taillights are connected by a black piece of plastic. Previously, a reflector or LED strip ran through the middle. It is now higher in the black panel. At the bottom of the buttocks of the T-Cross in R-Line trim, we see a new bumper, including new mesh.
The Volkswagen T-Cross will of course also be available in other versions in addition to the R-Line. There will be a nameless basic version that you can recognize by its matte black B-pillars. From the Life variant positioned above it, the B-pillar is finished in glossy black. The T-Cross Life has black roof rails, while those on the R-Line are in steel color. The popping paint of the T-Cross in these photos is called Grape Yellow and is one of the new colors that Volkswagen brings to the crossover. In addition, the T-Cross is introduced to new alloy wheels.
Volkswagen T-Cross: softer materials and new infotainment.
Interior
The Wolfsburgers also use the brush of innovation in the T-Cross. The most striking news relates to the infotainment systems. They are no longer integrated into the center console as before, but more or less stick out. In addition, the crossover is now optionally available with a new 10.2-inch display. The physical dials are gone. The R-Line version also has an 8-inch screen as standard, the nameless basic version has to do with a simpler 6.5-inch one. These are also no longer complete flush with the center console more.
From now on you also have to turn to touch-sensitive ones in the T-Cross to control the climate control sliders. The top of the dashboard has been renewed and Volkswagen says to use softer materials in the T-Cross interior, both for the dashboard and for the door panels. Travel Assist – previously only optional for the Style and R-Line versions – is now standard from the Life version, the second trim level.
Volkswagen T-Cross: the new light signature is so good to see.
Engines Volkswagen T-Cross
As before, the Volkswagen T-Cross is back with a 95 hp 1.0 TSI petrol engine that is linked to a manual gearbox. Above that is the well-known 115 hp variant of the same 1.0 three-cylinder, a machine that is also available with a seven-speed DSG automatic transmission in addition to a manual gearbox. The 150 hp 1.5 TSI that disappeared from the delivery range in 2021 will return to the Volkswagen T-Cross. That machine is always linked to a DSG automatic transmission.
Volkswagen opens the order books in November, so we have to wait a while for the prices of the renewed T-Cross. We do know that the first copies will be delivered at the beginning of the spring of next year. The current T-Cross will be available from stock for the time being – with a discount of several thousand euros.
T-Cross in the Netherlands
More than 12,000 copies of the T-Cross have now been sold in the Netherlands. That sounds like a lot, but don’t forget that cars like the Peugeot 2008 and Renault Captur only took about two years instead of five years for such a total.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl