2021 Volkswagen T-Cross Review

The Volkswagen T-Cross is the newest global model to enter the German automaker’s vehicle lineup in the world. It brings with it a unique exterior design for a Volkswagen. It also has a youthful and bright interior that comes with colored accents that helps set it apart from the rest of the competition that will surely get you interested in the vehicle. To add to this the crossover comes with a strong emphasis on safety as it comes with automatic braking which newer drivers will surely be thankful for. With many great features backing it up on the spec sheet, we find out how it really handles in the real world with our review. The Volkswagen T-Cross carries a similar design language as seen in the rest of the brand’s much smaller and larger vehicle offerings. This can be seen on the crossover’s front fascia that has a large toothy and angled grille that is flanked on either side by rectangular headlights. Think of a much squarer looking Tiguan and this is what the T-Cross will look like.

Aside from this, the crossover comes with a nice silver accent on the lower bumper that circles around the foglights help give it a more unique look. It’s sort of like a well-groomed mustache on a well-chiseled face that helps bring it all together. It also pairs well with the faux skid plate that gives the T-Cross a much more SUV-like look. As far as lighting elements go, the Volkswagen T-Cross comes with LED daytime running lights, LED headlamps, and halogen foglights. If there is something that Volkswagen does well is how it sets up its vehicle’s headlights. Moving on to the side of the T-Cross and you get nice clean lines with silver roof rails at the top which are matched by a slim silver accent across its beltline. It’s nothing too fancy as the crossover goes with a more subtle design approach with only a few creases here and there to add texture to its look. The T-Cross also comes with 17-inch wheels to finish off its side profile. At the back, the crossover comes with a more rounded rear end that is topped off by a rather large black accent that spans the width of the vehicle terminating at the LED tail lamps. The black accent contains a thin and long reflector that fits the overall design of the rear. Meanwhile, the LED tail lamps come with their own unique design that fits in well with the overall aesthetics of the crossover. While the rear of the T-Cross had us at the office split when it came to its design, it blends in well and helps make the vehicle stand out in a sea of crossovers. On the inside, the Volkswagen T-Cross is a breath of fresh air as it comes with a brighter and more youthful look compared to its competitors. While the vehicle still comes with standard analog gauges on the instrument cluster which flanks a digital trip computer, the execution is done well. The crossover also features a large infotainment system at the center that also doubles as a reverse camera and simple to use air controls. However, this isn’t the main focus of the interior as it is dominated by a large colored trim that is on the dash. The trim is so large in fact that it extends to the panels on the doors and even to the center console. This is what makes the Volkswagen T-Cross a unique crossover. This trim can be had in multiple colors which help brighten up the cabin of the vehicle. In a segment where most of the cabin color choices are either beige, gray, or black, the T-Cross stands out by giving its cabin a splash of color and a more youthful look. Now to achieve this, Volkswagen had to go with more durable plastics which isn’t a bad thing as you will want this colored accent to last as long as possible. Moving on to the seats, they complement the overall bright and youthful look of the vehicle. These seats stray away from the typical and formal monotone designs commonly used in other crossovers and add a splash of color to the cabin. The seats come with a white leather outline for the front of the seat, while the center of the seat comes in a gray textured design, further, still, the bolstering of the inner seat also comes in a much darker gray, while the rear body of the seat is wrapped in black. Altogether, it presents a more modern design that fits well with the car’s general aesthetic. When it comes to technology the Volkswagen T-Cross comes well equipped. For starters, at the heart of the dashboard resides a 9.2-inch infotainment system that comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It comes with a familiar design, similar to that seen on the Volkswagen Lamando. Aside from this, it also comes with gesture control which is a feature often seen in higher-end models and is a rarity in its segment. You also get a 4-speaker sound system which does well to pump out the sounds, however, does lack a little bit when it comes to the mid to higher range of the sound spectrum. That being said, it’s still a solid sound system to have despite its minor shortcomings. Moving on to its convenience features, the Volkswagen T-Cross comes with an easy-to-use air conditioning system that comes with tactile knobs. It’s a system that just works and works well with no muss or fuss about it. One thing that we noticed, however, is that in the full heat of the sun, you may need to max out the air conditioning system as heat can easily find its way into the vehicle as it has a panoramic sunroof. That being said, the air conditioning system is still capable enough of maintaining a nice and comfortable cabin temperature despite the heat of the sun bearing down on it. In the city and in light traffic the Volkswagen T-Cross was able to score 11 km/L. A definitely great score for the newest global model to enter the local lineup of the German automaker. On the highway, the crossover was also able to deliver a great fuel economy score coming in with 18.5 km/L. This puts it slightly above its competition but nevertheless still great figures to have especially from a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine.