Volkswagen T-Cross review

Remember the T-Cross is basically a Polo, so while fuel economy and CO2 emissions from both the 1.0-litre engines will probably be a bit worse thanks to the bigger, heavier, less aerodynamic body, for the most part the costs involved in running a T-Cross will be broadly comparable to running a Polo.

All models emit between 111 and 115g/km of CO2, so they all fit into the same VED band of £165 for the first year then £140/year thereafter. The most economical models claim 48.7mpg, and the least 44.8. In practice you won’t notice the difference.

The most popular model will be the 115bhp mid-range SE with the manual gearbox, costing just under £20k. An auto is around £1,500 more.

All T-Crosses get an 8in centre touchscreen, air conditioning and active safety tech in the form of autonomous emergency braking and lane assist. Standard equipment on the SE includes adaptive cruise control and an upgraded infotainment system compatible with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. Meanwhile SEL adds LED headlamps, built-in navigation and parking sensors, while R-Line gets a schporty bodykit and the 10.25in digital instrument cluster VW calls its ‘Active Info Display’.

The ‘Design Packs’ are available on SE and SEL trim cars, costing a flat £525 for the former and £650 for the latter. They include wheels, mirror caps, sports seats and interior trim all in the customer’s chosen hue, plus tinted windows.

The warranty is an acceptable three years and 60,000 miles.