SA Road Tests

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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Many of the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

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First things last: 2021 Volkswagen T-Cross 1.0TSI 70-kW Comfortline

Worth waiting for

Posted: September 30, 2021

Exterior pics by Quickpic

Interior pic by author

The numbers
Base price: R352 300
Engine: 999 cc, DOHC 12-valve, inline three-cylinder, turbocharged
Power: 70 kW at 5000 rpm
Torque: 175 Nm between 2000 and 3500 rpm
0-100 km/h: 11.5 seconds
Top speed: 180 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 6.6 l/100 km
Tank: 40 litres
Luggage: 377-455-1281 litres
Turning circle: 10.6 metres
Ground clearance: 180 mm
Warranty: Three years, 120 000 km
Service plan: Three years, 45 000 km at 15 000 km intervals

When you’re Volkswagen, you don’t have to play by other manufacturers’ rules. Take its compact, Polo-based T-Cross: VW began in the middle, in September 2019, with midrange 1.0TSI, 85-kW Comfortline and Highline models fitted with seven-speed DSG transmissions. These were followed in July 2020 by the “big doggie”, a 1.5-litre R-Line halo model punching out 110 kilowatts and using the same gearbox.

Then, keeping what could turn out to be the best for last, the company recently released its entry-level 1.0 TSI Comfortline developing a “mere” 70 kW, put down to its 16” alloy front wheels via a 5-speed manual ‘box.

Call it rooting for the underdog, but this thing’s a gem. Its manual shifter is among those that wrote the book; smooth-shifting and with nicely-spaced ratios, we could hardly fault it. And 70 kW is more than enough to haul loads and ass to the satisfaction of all but the most jaded. The motor burbles along gently at 3300 rpm for 120 km/h in top; still within its maximum torque band. There’s also plenty of space for four grownups and a child, along with a usable stash of luggage.

Further, although it may be entry-level, it’s still a Volkswagen with decent levels of standard kit: filtered, Climatronic air conditioner;  multi-collision braking; hill hold; ABS brakes with BA, ESP, ASR, EDTL and ADC (explaining those would take a separate essay but it’s all good stuff); six airbags; three sets of ISOFix anchors with top tethers; both front seats manually adjustable for height, reach, recline and lumbar support; height- and reach adjustable steering wheel; cruise control with speed limiter; front and rear fog lights with cornering function in front; LED DRLs; front and rear pdc; rest assist; flat tyre warning; warmed electric wing mirrors and powered windows with one-touch all around.

Electronics include Multifunction Display Plus; Composition Colour radio with six speakers, 6.5” display, Bluetooth and high-speed USB Type-C connectors enabling We Connect Go for coupling cell phones, App Connect and mobile phone interface; remote central locking; auto-dimming rearview, and rain-sensing wipers. Should you want more, there’s a range of options available.

VW’s press fleet manager tossed in:
•    R-Line exterior pack with 17” Manilla wheels at R20 100,
•    Park Assist with rearview camera, and folding function for the wing mirrors, at        R9 900,
•    A smarter, Composition Media infotainment centre that adds inductive charging, at R8 100. It features a CD player with an SD card slot for music (compatible with MP3, WMA & AAC files), AM/FM radio and a .jpeg image viewer.
•    LED headlight pack that also (apparently) upgrades your bendy front fog lamps to LED and features automatic, dynamic range control, at R14 300. Taking this option requires that you accept the Park Assist package (see above) as well. The code phrase, “Forces PZ9” provides a clue for readers who might otherwise be fazed by the configurator on VW’s website.

Practicalities: The loading deck is at about 70 cm and is fitted with a light, four lashing rings and a couple of bag hooks. The seatback splits 1/3:2/3 and folds almost flat to extend the floor to about 1.4 metres to accommodate longer loads. A steel spare wheel with 205/55R16 tyre is under the baseboard. The fully manual tailgate offers two pull-down handles for convenience.

Rear seat headroom rated 9/10 for the 1.84-metre tester although knee room, thanks to 10 cm of slide adjustment, ranged from ‘ouch’ to luxurious but with no complaints about foot space under the lowered driver’s chair. Three head restraints supplement as many full belts although only a child could sit comfortably in the middle owing to a high central tunnel. Two powered, Type-C USB sockets, decently sized door bins, small map pockets and a second courtesy lamp look after comfort - no central armrest, cup holders or grab handles.

Those in front have all the headroom they want while controls for the standard, single-channel HVAC unit are easy to find and use. There is adequate storage in the compact central armrest box, a pair of cup holders, a medium-sized cubby, big door bins and a ‘pie warmer’ on the dashtop. Both sun visors feature unlit vanity mirrors and the conventional parking brake is placed for LHD but reachable.

The driver found the black fabric seats comfortable with good under-thigh support; not. racing-style but functional without being ‘clingy.’ Pedals are nicely spaced, there is plenty of room for big feet and an accessible footrest keeps the left one handy.

This is a nice little car; not racy or overly fancy but offering all that most family-car buyers really need. Then a bit extra. It was worth waiting for.

Test unit from VWSA press fleet



NB: The USB extension cord, with flash drive attached, is not the original equipment item supplied with the vehicle

What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads or goat tracks as well. As a result, my test cars do occasionally get dirty. It's all part of the reviewing process.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles.  And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.

Comments or questions?
Want to ask a question, comment or just tell me you completely disagree with what I say? If you want advice or have a genuine concern, I will be happy to hear from you. All I ask is that you write something in the subject line so I know which vehicle you're talking about.