- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
1.0T, 3 cyl.
- Engine Power
85kW, 200Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 5.4L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto (DCT)
- Warranty
5 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2019)
2021 Volkswagen T-Cross CityLife review
Volkswagen’s smallest SUV has a big fight on its hands to get some attention in this crowded and popular segment.
- Good second-row space, with sliding and tilting seats
- Lots of interior technology
- Good standard safety equipment
- Expensive to service
- Laggy stop-start system
- Imperfect dual-clutch gearbox
City Life: that’s the biggest hint about the intended purpose of this SUV, which has seemed to shirk as much of the 'sporting utility' from its segment namesake as possible.
More precisely, it’s a 2021 Volkswagen T-Cross CityLife, which represents the middle of the range in Volkswagen’s newest fun-sized SUV. The T-Cross CityLife is priced at $30,390 before on-road costs, sitting in between Life ($28,390) and Style ($31,390) specifications.
For some size reference, this car sits below the Tiguan and T-Roc, and is effectively a Polo-sized city SUV.
The T-Cross is taller than a Golf and a Polo, but sits between the two for length, wheelbase and width. In other words, the T-Cross is overall smaller than a Golf, aside from height.
More broadly speaking, the T-Cross lines up against the likes of the Mazda CX-3, Hyundai Venue, Toyota Yaris Cross, Nissan Juke and Ford Puma, just to name a few.
As with just about every other SUV segment these days, there is no shortage of options vying for new-car buyer attention. Everyone has a crab in this race.
It's safe to say that Volkswagen’s T-Cross will need to be a competent jigger across the board to command its own slice of the pie.
Key details | 2021 Volkswagen T-Cross City Life |
Engine | 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol |
Power | 85kW @ 5000-5500rpm |
Torque | 200Nm @ 2000-3500rpm |
Weight (tare) | 1240kg |
Drive type | Front-wheel drive |
Transmission | Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic |
Price (MSRP) | $30,390 plus on-road costs |
Standard equipment – above that of a cheaper T-Cross City – includes tinted rear and passenger row windows, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, up-specced ‘comfort sport’ front seats, and blind-spot detection with rear traffic alert. There’s also a handful of exterior garnishes to help set the more expensive model apart.
That’s on top of other standard equipment like 17-inch alloy wheels, front and rear parking sensors, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, heated and folding side mirrors, leather-covered steering wheel and a few LED exterior lights.
The options list is short, and we’ve got it ticked. Spending an extra $1900 bags you the Sound and Vision package, which includes a digital instrument cluster, 10.25-inch infotainment display, wireless smartphone mirroring, and a 300-watt Beats sound system.
That means our price as tested moves up to $32,890 before on-road costs, when you also include the $600 Deep Black Pearl paint.
The T-Cross is also available with two different style and colour palettes: Black and Bamboo Garden. We’ve got the latter, as evident by the teal-coloured garnishes on the wheels and door mirrors.
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However, the CityLife is stuck with halogen reflector headlights instead of LED lights that bring more modern aesthetics and performance.
Under the bonnet is a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder engine that’s good for 85kW at 5000-5500rpm and 200Nm at 2000-3500rpm, which gives it less power and more torque than a Ford Puma with the same-sized engine.
The front wheels are spun via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and fuel economy is a claimed 5.4 litres per 100 kilometres with 95RON fuel required.
In our week in the car, which included a long drive out to the New South Wales Central West and back – just before the state plunged into lockdown – we saw as low as 4.9L/100km indicated on the digital instrument cluster. With more heavy town driving – which is where this T-Cross will most likely wind up – the average crept up to 6.5L/100km.
Efficiency is clearly top of mind when it comes to gearbox calibration, which much prefers to shift up than down in most scenarios. By the time you’re past 50km/h around town, it’s already in sixth gear and not far above 1000rpm.
Only when you really prod the accelerator will the gearbox relent and downshift. It’s quite keen to hold a high gear instead, and accelerate slowly through the torque band.
At a glance | 2021 Volkswagen T-Cross City Life |
Fuel consumption (claimed combined) | 5.4L/100km |
Fuel consumption (on test) | 6.5L/100km |
Fuel tank size | 40L |
Tow rating | 1100kg braked, 650kg unbraked |
Boot volume | 385L / 1281L |
Length | 4108mm |
Width | 1760mm |
Height | 1583mm |
Wheelbase | 2563mm |
Turning circle | 10.6m |
ANCAP safety rating | Five star (tested 2019) |
Warranty | Five year, unlimited km |
Servicing cost | $2637 (5 years, 75,000km) |
Colour as tested | Deep Black Pearl |
Options as tested | Sound and Vision package ($1900), Pearlescent paint ($600) |
Competitors | Toyota Yaris Cross | Mazda CX-3 | Ford Puma |
Tapping the gearshifter backwards once engages sports mode, which does a lot to liven up the throttle and gearbox response. It’s quite helpful when you’re looking for faster acceleration, both from a standstill and rolling.
For the most part, it’s a good gearbox. Gear changes feel sharp and snappy on the move, and once you learn to drive the car in a certain manner, it gets smoother. But it does jerk and hesitate at times at low speeds.
And then there’s the stop-start system. It’s not great, and can leave you feeling like a dead duck in the water when trying to punch through small gaps in traffic. Between an engine at 0rpm and a slow-reacting dual-clutch gearbox, you’re left waiting for a precious few seconds before shooting off with a surge.
You can turn the stop-start functionality off on the dashboard, thankfully.
Interior touchpoints are well covered, with some nice materials and designs around the place. But there are also plenty of generic hard plastics to contend with. The steering wheel and gearshifter, in particular, look and feel nice.
The upgraded infotainment display is a good one, with most of the functionality that a modern buyer would want. Wireless and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are there, but there’s no digital radio. AM radio reception seemed to be hazy the whole time of our test as well, so be prepared to use your phone data for anything other than FM.
The digital instrument cluster is another good element, and a better execution in comparison to those founder in larger and more expansive SUVs, like a Mitsubishi or Hyundai digital cluster. You can flick through maps, as well as tyre pressure monitoring and other tidbits of information.
The T-Cross continues the slow march of USB-C power outlets, with two of these modern points instead of the older USB-A. There’s also a 12-volt charging outlet, and a wireless charging pad that fits a large smartphone (Samsung S20+) with a case.
There are the regulation two cupholders and a laughably small centre console storage area. I think it’s one of the smallest I have ever clapped eyes onto, but is at least made a little bit more practical by the sliding, height-adjustable nature of the lid to act as an armrest.
The second row of the T-Cross packs a surprisingly decent punch for this part of the segment, and has the rare ability to slide the second row fore and aft. There are two USB-C points here, but no cupholders or air vents. You can fit a bottle in the door card, but that doesn’t really work for a takeaway coffee. There’s one additional storage slot, which might be handy for something the size of a small wallet.
However, the best thing about the second row is space. Four decent-sized adults can fit inside this T-Cross comfortably, which can’t be said for all SUVs of this ilk.
A good second row does perhaps come at the expense of a smaller boot, which measures in at 385L. Although, the sliding second row can increase that number to 455L if you’re happy to have knees hard up against seat backs.
The boot is otherwise well appointed, with four tie-downs, a light on the side, and additional storage underneath amongst the spare wheel. Mounted on a 16-inch wheel, the spare isn’t temporary or speed-restricted, which is nice to see in a car like this. Death to goo kits, I say.
The ride and handling characteristics of the T-Cross are quite good. It’s neither firm nor floaty, striking a nice balance between the two extremes. While it doesn’t carry the same sporting schtick as a Ford Puma, for example, the T-Cross is balanced and responsive enough to happily twist through corners happily and confidently.
On the other hand, ride comfort and ease of control around town are in good supply. Electric steering is easy to spin from lock to lock, and the relatively small footprint allows nimble ability in tight scenarios. For all intents and purposes, this drives, feels and rides like a hatchback with a slightly raised ride height.
Servicing the T-Cross is expensive compared to others in the segment. With intervals every 15,000km or 12 months, you’re looking at $2637 by the time five years or 75,000km rolls around.
Volkswagen’s warranty offering of five years and unlimited kilometres is good, and in lockstep with most of the competition out there.
I feel like I’m flogging a dead horse sometimes, but I am compelled to pick up the whip here once again. While there are some advantages that come with an SUV, like hip entry height, packaging and the potential for more interior space, they’re often lacking in value when compared directly to sedans and hatchbacks.
In this case, the T-Cross City Life is sitting very close to a just-smaller Polo GTI, and is also in between a base model Golf and mid-range Golf Life.
While SUVs are all the rage these days, I implore new-car buyers to at least investigate the possibilities of a different segment. Good ones are often sitting on the same showroom floor.
But if you’ve got your heart set on a city-sized SUV, then the T-Cross is worth a look. It packs a good punch in terms of technology and safety, but there is better value for money to be had in other competitive choices.
And while the powertrain proved to be decently grunty, refined and efficient, it’s let down by a tardy-feeling gearbox and woeful stop-start system.