Volkswagen has confirmed the T-Cross SUV will go into production, releasing a design sketch further fleshing out how the Renault Captur and SEAT Arona rival will look. The crossover will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show this autumn, suggesting it will arrive with UK customers during winter or in early 2019.
Sitting below the T-Roc, Tiguan and Touareg in Volkswagen’s burgeoning SUV range, the T-Cross is underpinned by the same MQB platform as the Volkswagen Polo and SEAT Ibiza superminis. It measures 4,107mm long and will only be offered with front-wheel drive. The T-Cross will also be built alongside the Polo in the Navarra plant, Spain, increasing its annual production to around 350,000 cars a year and boosting its workforce by 10 per cent. The frontal design isn’t expected to be dissimilar to that of the T-Roc, with a bold grille that flows seamlessly into the headlights. Beneath this, the nose is dominated by oversized fog lights surrounded by LED daytime running lights. The T-Cross will be closely based on the T-Cross Breeze convertible crossover concept that made its debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. The new sketch shows off its wide wheelarches, SUV-style bumpers with skid plates and rear lights that span the entire tailgate.
The Geneva concept was powered by a 1.0-litre TSI petrol engine, and it’s likely this will be joined by a 1.6- litre TDI diesel unit with 94 to 114bhp. If this is the case, the T-Cross’ small size and relatively light weight should help it achieve fuel economy of around 70mpg.
The T-Cross Breeze Concept also featured a futuristic interior with two large screens – a system similar to that now available in the Touareg. It’s likely a scaled-down version of this will appear in the T-Cross, borrowing the digital instrument cluster and infotainment screen offered in the Polo. Its shared architecture has also given T-Cross designers access to lots of equipment, making it “one of the safest vehicles in its class”. Autonomous emergency braking and lane departure warning systems will be fitted as standard when it goes on sale later this year.
