Volkswagen T-Cross – What you need to know

The Volkswagen T-Cross is the most affordable SUV in the German brand’s local line-up.

The compact, urban-oriented, five-door wagon is available in two permanent model grades – the entry-level 85TSI Life and flagship 85TSI Style. A mid-series 85TSI CityLife was also introduced early in 2021 but limited to 1000 units.

All grades offer one engine, one transmission and the same front-wheel drive layout. But that is where the similarities end.

So let’s delve into the specifications to see what’s what and which of the two permanent T-Cross models is the one for you.

Priced from $28,390 plus on-road costs, the Volkswagen T-Cross 85TSI Life comes with the following standard features:

The colour palette for the Volkswagen T-Cross offers eight colours, two of which are standard. Metallic and pearl-effect paint adds $600, and if you want Makena Turquoise prepare to shell out $800 extra.

There are several option packs on offer.

Available for the T-Cross 85TSI Life is the $1200 Driver Assistance pack with its adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert, park assist for both parallel and parking bays, the proactive occupant protection system and power-folding door mirrors.

Both trim levels can be ordered with the Sound and Vision option pack that costs $1900 and brings a digital cockpit, satellite navigation and a 300W Beats premium audio system.

Exclusive to the T-Cross 85TSI Style is the $2500 R-Line pack that lifts the look of the T-Cross by adding 18-inch alloys, R-Line badging and dark body accents, plus a rear diffuser together with dark tinting on the rear and rear-side windows.

The T-Cross R-Line front and rear bumpers are in body colour and there is a lower air intake. Inside the R-Line features aluminium finish on the pedals, R-Line scuff plates, race decorative dash panel trim, a leather multifunction sports steering wheel and carbon flag sports cloth upholstery.

Volkswagen T-Cross models in Australia have, as standard, the obligatory anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control systems plus seven airbags, along with auto headlights, rain-sensing wipers, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror and tyre pressure monitoring.

Additionally, there are three top-tether child seat anchor points and two ISOFIX points.

Both T-Cross variants contain driver assist systems including a speed limiter, rear-view camera with guidelines, front and rear parking sensors, lane keep assist and lane departure warning, distance warning display, driver fatigue warning, front assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection along with manoeuvre braking.

If you want the whole enchilada, the T-Cross 85TSI Style has even more. Auto high beam headlights, adaptive cruise control, auto kerb function where the left mirror dips to show the kerb to avoid damaging the alloy wheels, blind spot monitoring with rear traffic alert, park assist and the proactive occupant protection system all come standard. 

The two Volkswagen T-Cross models come with an 8.0-inch colour capacitive touch-screen display with smartphone, HMI and proximity sensor, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto mirroring, an AM/FM radio and the ability to play MP3, WMA and AAC music files.

Embedded in the screen are a temperature display, digital clock and the car menu with convenience and service settings. Naturally, the infotainment system has phone connectivity and audio streaming for multiple devices.

Sit behind the wheel of the T-Cross Life or Style and you’ll be looking at the multifunction information display with its trip computer able to show trip time and length, average and current speed, speed warnings, average and current fuel consumption and fuel range, vehicle status, driver assistance functions, audio and telephone menus. And you also get a speedo, tacho, fuel gauge and low-fuel warning.

In terms of air-conditioning, the entry-level 85TSI Life has manual air-con while the higher-spec Style offers the comfort of dual-zone climate control.

Are you after the convenience of keyless entry and a starter button? Stick with the T-Cross Style as the Life misses out on those benefits.

Sports seats offer extra support, and if you want them, head over to the T-Cross Style that also has the snazzier lizard shadow steel black inlays in the dash and front door trims.

Do you want the interior lit with crystal-clear LEDs? Then the one for you is the T-Cross Style with its LED reading lights in both rows and LED ambient dash lighting. And only the T-Cross Style offers front-row footwell lighting. 

On the road, the entry T-Cross Life lights the way with halogen headlights, whereas the Style is fitted with self-levelling LED headlights that include LED daytime running lights. Around the back both have LED tail-lights but only the Style has side marker lamps.

Also setting the two apart is the chrome around the fog lights, side windows and on the roof rails of the T-Cross Style, plus its 17-inch alloy wheels as opposed to the 16-inch rims on the T-Cross Life.

All variants of the Volkswagen T-Cross are powered by a 1.0-litre direct-injection three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that produces 85kW of power and 200Nm of torque.

Bolted to this is a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission that sends drive through the front wheels.

Since all Volkswagen T-Cross models are powered by the same driveline, the choice comes down to how much fruit you want in the German brand’s smallest SUV.

You could be shrewd and go for the 85TSI Life and throw in the $1200 Driver Assistance pack.

But you still don’t end up with all the trimmings of the 85TSI Style, and with finance so cheap, that’s the one I’d sign up for.

How much does the Volkswagen T-Cross cost?
85TSI Life – $28,390
85TSI Style – $31,390
* Prices exclude on road costs