Volkswagen T-Cross - Interior, design and technology

According to the manufacturer, the Volkswagen T-Cross is intended to sport a more funky design than the brand’s larger SUVs. There are elements inspired by the rest of the VW family, such as the side crease that’s reminiscent of the Polo supermini, and the foglight surrounds mimic those on the T-Roc small SUV. Meanwhile, the full-width reflector around the back is designed to emphasise the car’s width. Cars equipped with the optional IQ light package (standard on Style trim) get a more arresting X-wing design in the rear lights.

In a class that’s full of quirky, colourful and interesting designs, the T-Cross is not the most eye-catching small SUV around, but it looks smart in a way that is sure to appeal to Volkswagen’s fan base. If you do want to liven things up beyond the usual array of white, grey and black paint options, the T-Cross is available in a fetching Clear Blue metallic, a pricey Kings Red metallic for £860, or a bold Rubber Ducky Yellow. The general public voted for the latter name as part of a social media pole.

Inside, the dashboard layout is almost identical to that of the closely related Polo. That means there’s an eight-inch infotainment display sitting above a pair of central air vents, simple, logical control layouts and an attractive steering wheel design. Life and Match trims have a bit of silver trim across the dash that’s a bit more jazzy than the darker panels of R-Line cars, while Style can be had with a Cosmic Blue interior or contrasting Mistral and Titanium Black interior.

The majority of the T-Cross line-up, including the base model, comes with an eight-inch digital driver’s display, while the range-topping R-Line gets a fully configurable 10.25-inch digital cockpit instead. The latter allows the driver to customise the information presented, choosing a regular-looking speedometer and rev counter, or prioritising trip or navigation readouts. The graphics are sharp, and while it isn’t completely essential, it does make the cabin feel more high-tech than those of many rivals.

There’s little in the way of soft-touch plastic: the large expanse along the top of the dashboard is hard and scratchy, unlike in the Polo, where it’s made of a softer, rubberised material. The cabin doesn’t feel as premium as the Renault Captur or Peugeot 2008’s, but it’s all logically laid out. Entry-level Life and mid-range Match trims of T-Cross feature physical climate controls for the air-con system, which we’re always fond of. Style and R-Line have dual-zone climate control which utilises a touch sensitive set-up that isn’t as easy to use on the move.

While the dash design is pretty much the same as the Polo’s, the driver gets a better view of the road ahead, thanks to a hip point located 100mm higher than in the supermini.

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Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

Every model in the T-Cross range comes with an eight-inch touchscreen as standard. In Life and Match models, this includes Bluetooth and a DAB radio, but no built-in satellite navigation, which is a £600 option unless you stretch to an Style or R-Line model. However, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard-fit, so we don’t expect many people will bother forking over the extra cash, and just use a navigation app from their phone instead.

The infotainment system itself is still one of the best in its class. The graphics look clear and sharp, while the touch-sensitive shortcut buttons surrounding the display are big enough not to be distracting on the move. The two physical dials – one for volume and one to adjust the navigation zoom – are quite small and fiddly, though. Spring for the larger 10.25in screen that comes as part of the Discover Pro package and these dials are removed altogether in favour of a pure touchscreen setup.

Programming the navigation system is easy, thanks to a large on-screen keyboard. Loading times are quick enough, and you can pinch and swipe on the display to preview a route.

The audio experience is the one area of the VW infotainment system that lets the side down. Sound quality from the standard speakers is nothing better than okay; the speakers lack clarity and punch. A six-speaker, 300-watt Beats sound system is among the optional extras available, though. A wireless phone charging pad is a £200 option across the range.