By Sala Masindane

It may sound like a line or scene from a movie you have seen before, so please do not adjust your screen or your frequency. However, the Chinese manufacturers are fully in the country and coming for everyone. Everyone is feeling the pinch, and probably no one is feeling it more than Volkswagen. The Polo and Polo Vivo are still running that segment, barely of course, but the SUV segment is where they are feeling most of the pressure. Still, the T-Cross has been putting up a good fight and continues to find a place in many homes locally. We spent time with the updated T-Cross to see if it is still a winner.

Exterior updates

Since this is a midlife update, not much has changed, but it still retains the charming looks that have made it one of the best-selling cars locally in recent years. From the outside, the updated T-Cross is immediately recognisable by its redesigned front and rear, featuring new integrated LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, and LED taillight clusters.

Inside

The cabin is where the biggest improvement can be seen and felt. The central element of the facelifted T-Cross’s interior is the free-standing infotainment display. The dash panel features soft-touch upholstery and significantly higher-quality surface materials. The infotainment system is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It is certainly a step in the right direction, as its predecessor felt a bit underwhelming in this regard. We also appreciate the retention of physical buttons, which goes against the latest trend. The infotainment is relatively easy to use. The rear offers enough space for average-sized passengers, and there is 385 litres of boot space.

Performance and drive

Under the hood of the flagship R-Line is a 1.0-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder engine with outputs of 85 kW and 200 Nm. Power is sent to the front wheels through a 7-speed DSG gearbox.

The T-Cross feels at home whether you are navigating city traffic or cruising on the highway. It is smooth, and the ride quality is comfortable. During our time with the T-Cross, we achieved an average of 6.9 L/100 km compared to the claimed 5.6 L/100 km. Overall, the T-Cross remains a solid product, but its pricing may be its biggest challenge.

Final word

It may be priced at R471,400, but VW is bringing a more affordable version of the T-Cross. Hopefully, it has not fallen too far behind to compete with what is currently being offered in the market.