2024 Volkswagen T-Cross review: Australian first drive

The Volkswagen T-Cross launched as the company's city-sized SUV in 2018, but it was 2020 before the model arrived in Australian showrooms – becoming an overnight sales success for the brand.

While arguably fewer people on the street would know what a T-Cross is – especially when compared to a Polo – in 2023, Volkswagen sold more than six times as many T-Cross SUVs to Australian buyers than the Polo hatchback.

So what is it about the T-Cross that has so many people driving away in one after walking into a Volkswagen dealership?

For those buying their first or second car, or older folks who are downsizing and thinking about retirement, the T-Cross makes a lot of sense. It's small – which means it's easy to manoeuvre and park, especially in the city or shopping centres – but not too small inside, while also being easy to get into and out of thanks to the higher-riding SUV body.

It's also good on fuel, and the VW badge reflects a level of premium German motoring – a step up on Japanese or South Korean brands, perhaps – without being too extravagant like with an Audi, BMW, or Mercedes-Benz.

So after four years of strong sales, Volkswagen has now updated the T-Cross and revised the line-up – almost entirely getting rid of option packs, and instead rolling many of the previously optional features into the three grades available: the entry-level T-Cross Life, the mid-range T-Cross Style, and the range-topping T-Cross R-Line.

While the updated T-Cross is now more expensive than the model it replaces, as previously mentioned, Volkswagen has now fitted the models with standard features that were only available as options previously, meaning buyers are getting extra stuff for the extra money.

The 2024 Volkswagen T-Cross Life is priced from $33,990 before on-road costs, while the T-Cross Style and T-Cross R-Line cost $37,490 and $40,990 before on-road costs respectively.

However, announced at the model's launch, Volkswagen Australia is offering drive-away deals for all three variants.

The T-Cross Life is available nationwide for $34,990 drive-away, and comes with an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, rear-view camera, and DAB+ digital radio, an 8.0-inch digital instrument display, wireless smartphone charging, auto LED headlights and high-beam, power-folding mirrors, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, lane-centring assist, radar cruise control with stop-and-go, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, and 16-inch alloy wheels.

The T-Cross Style is $39,990 drive-away, and adds matrix LED headlights with illuminated front grille strip, updated tail-light clusters, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster with widescreen map view between the gauges, keyless start, dual-zone climate control, Comfort Sport seats, and 17-inch alloy wheels with Hankook tyres.

Finally, the T-Cross R-Line is available for $43,990 drive-away, and adds a colour-coded R-Line body kit, R-Line interior, Beats sound system, privacy tinted windows, drive mode selector, and 18-inch alloy wheels – along with an exclusive red metallic paint option.

All models are powered by the same 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine making 85kW and 200Nm, driving the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The T-Cross is Volkswagen's smallest SUV, measuring in at 4108mm long, 1760mm wide, and 1583mm high, with a wheelbase of 2563mm – which makes its footprint relatively compact, so scooting through city traffic and parking is nice and easy.

Weighing less than 1300kg and with a turning circle of 10.6 metres, the T-Cross is very manoeuvrable and changes direction easily.

Despite its small dimensions, somehow inside the cabin, the T-Cross feels relatively spacious. You're not going to want to hold any cat-swinging competitions, but the interior doesn't feel cramped the way a city-sized hatchback can.

I can't say enough good things about the ergonomics as they are absolutely perfect – for me, that is. Of course, we all have differently sized torsos and limbs and the rest, but within seconds I was able to find my perfect driving position – a rare occurrence.

While the Style and R-Line get Comfort Sport seats, I was perfectly comfortable in both the base-model seats as well as the Comfort Sport seats.

I also found the digital instrument cluster wasn't hindered by the steering wheel, and I had great visibility of the road and the outside world.

The back seat isn't exactly spacious, but it's also not cramped. Probably more suited to ferrying adults around on short and medium trips, rather than interstate road trips. Regardless, there's decent head room and knee room.

Boot space is decent at 385 litres, and increases to 1281L with the back seats folded down.

All variants of the T-Cross come with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on the 8.0-inch infotainment screen – but the base-model T-Cross Life requires a USB-A cable to be plugged in to use the smartphone's apps.

Step up to the mid-range T-Cross Style or range-topping T-Cross R-Line, and you get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While our time in the car was limited, we didn't experience any connectivity issues or lag when using wireless CarPlay in the VW.

Only the R-Line gets the upgraded Beats sound system; however, the standard audio system did the job just fine for us – with good volume and mid-range frequencies, and a bit of bass.

The remote controls on the steering wheel – real buttons – are easy to locate and use, and the native satellite navigation between the gauges on the digital instrument cluster was very helpful.

A quick shout-out to Volkswagen's people here for resisting the urge to increase the size of the infotainment screen as part of the car's midlife update. While it's an easy upgrade, it's almost always unnecessary – and in this case, the 8.0-inch screen is perfectly adequate.

The Volkswagen T-Cross was awarded a five-star safety rating by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) in 2019, scoring an especially high mark of 97 per cent for adult occupant protection.

The T-Cross ranked above 80 per cent for all five major tests – 85 per cent for child occupant protection, 81 per cent for vulnerable road user protection (pedestrians and cyclists), and 80 per cent for safety assist.

However, since ANCAP tested the T-Cross in 2019, Volkswagen has added more safety and driver-assist features, including adaptive cruise control, lane-centring assist, blind-spot monitoring, proactive occupant protection system (seatbelt pre-tensioning if an imminent crash is detected), and rear cross-traffic alert – all standard with the facelifted 2024 model.

As well as the new standard safety features mentioned above, the T-Cross comes with autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist, front and rear manoeuvre braking, and six airbags – though it's worth noting there's no centre airbag to reduce the likelihood of heads clashing in the event of an accident.

While all tyres have to meet a minimum level of safety in Australia, the T-Cross Style and R-Line both get Hankook tyres as standard, which are noticeably grippier having tested them back-to-back on a winding mountain road against the cheaper Giti tyres fitted to the T-Cross Life. For all the computers and gadgets to help us avoid or survive an accident, tyres are ultimately the things connecting our cars to the road and have to look after acceleration, steering, and braking.

Long story short – while the tyres on the T-Cross Life aren't bad, when it comes to tyres, better is... better.

As with most of the industry, the Volkswagen T-Cross comes with a factory-backed five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Servicing intervals occur every 15,000km or 12 months (whichever comes first), with owners given the ability to purchase the brand's Care Plan package for $1500 for the first three years, or $2850 for five years – saving up to $571 over the recommended retail price.

Comprehensive insurance for a T-Cross Life has been quoted at $1584 per annum and is a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male, living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Curiously, when our man Rob Margeit reviewed the pre-facelift Volkswagen T-Cross Life less than a year ago, using identical parameters, he was quoted $1002 per annum for comprehensive insurance. While we know the T-Cross has gone up in price with the midlife update, we're at a loss to understand why the insurance is suddenly 58 per cent more expensive than it was in October 2023.

While the city SUV segment is fiercely contended, with models like the Yaris Cross offering a hybrid engine, Volkswagen's instead chosen to go with a small turbocharged engine for the sake of fuel efficiency.

Using a minimum of 95RON premium unleaded, Volkswagen claims a combined fuel consumption rating of 5.6 litres per 100 kilometres – an increase of 0.2L/100km compared with the model it replaces.

Unfortunately, our time with the new T-Cross was limited and didn't provide an accurate setting for real-world fuel economy testing. We'll get another T-Cross into the Drive garage in the near future to see what the new version is like to live with, but in the meantime, you can read our previous reviews by clicking here.

If it's been a while since you last drove a modern-era Volkswagen, you may have forgotten just how satisfying these vehicles are to drive. The Volkswagen Group is now a giant in the industry, owning brands including Bentley, Lamborghini, Audi, and Porsche – but those in charge haven't forgotten about models at the other end of the price range.

The T-Cross is a pleasant surprise. While the ride is good – taut but comfortable – it's the handling that is a standout, particularly in the context of the city-sized SUV segment.

While the T-Cross shares some of its architecture with the Polo, keeping some of the fun you would expect from a small, lightweight hatchback. It's easy to change direction, there's no obvious understeer – where the front of the car pushes wide while cornering – and there's a good amount of feedback from the front wheels to the steering wheel.

But at speed, the T-Cross almost feels like it grows in size. When you hit the freeway, it transforms from a fun little hatchback into a stable, confidence-inspiring SUV. And with the excellent ergonomics and comfortable seats, I'd be happy to drive this thing across the Nullarbor Plain tomorrow.

However, it's city driving where the T-Cross ironically feels less competent. The engine and gearbox work well once you're moving, but getting off the line can be a bit of a struggle, due to the lack of low-down performance and the arguably outdated dual-clutch transmission. Once you add in the auto start-stop, it can take at least a full second to begin moving from a standstill – no matter what you demand from the throttle.

The engine and transmission may not be best-in-class, but there's a lot about the T-Cross that is. The ride and handling are both excellent, the build quality is about as good as it gets at this price, and the interior and technology are also top-notch.

The Volkswagen T-Cross is a real standout in this segment – and the midlife update will ensure the model continues to be a sales success for the German brand.

The updates to the new model are subtle, with many of the changes happening with regards to variants and options packs, rather than major physical upgrades. But if it ain't broke, it don't need fixing.

Despite our minor complaints with the engine and transmission, we suspect owners will learn how to extract the best out of the car and learn to live with its foibles – and it would be a small compromise to make considering the many pluses the T-Cross has to its name.

We really appreciated the fantastic comfort and spot-on ergonomics, as well as the surprisingly fun handling of the T-Cross, and its motorway composure.

If you're in the market for a city-sized SUV that isn't afraid of long distances, if you want a quality automobile without spending too much, and you want the latest in safety and tech without going overboard, the Volkswagen T-Cross should be at the top of your shortlist.

We spent the majority of our time in the updated T-Cross Life and T-Cross Style. While the T-Cross R-Line easily looks the best, the entry-level T-Cross Life is hard to go past at $34,990 drive-away at the time of writing.

It seems unlikely anyone would really miss any of the features found in the mid-range T-Cross Style; however, if you're prepared to spend the extra $5000 for the keyless start button, the wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, better tyres, and some of the extra niceties that come with it, then you should.

You can read the latest news about the T-Cross by clicking here, and the Volkswagen Australia website naturally has a lot of information on the latest T-Cross, found here. You can also find used and demonstrator T-Cross vehicles for sale at Drive Marketplace.

As always, we strongly recommend taking a test drive at a dealership before committing because personal needs and tastes can differ.

Find your nearest Volkswagen dealer via this link. We’d also recommend test-driving the Toyota Yaris Cross and Mazda CX-3 because they're popular with consumers and are good benchmarks.