Here's Why the Volkswagen T-Cross Is a Little Better Than the Polo

If you ignore the slight body cladding, this is actually a subcompact MPV, like the French used to make. It's designed to be good for families and thus could be better than the Polo in so many ways.

We know that many of you are wondering whether it's worth the extra finance cost of the T-Cross. And hopefully, this interesting and entertaining review from South Africa's magazine Cars will answer some of your questions even before you book a test drive.

Starting with cargo space, the trunk of the fake crossover appears larger on paper, but there's no difference in real life. A sliding rear bench has some extra convenience, though not as much as the flat-folding seats.

The headroom is indeed improved, along with the driving position (if you like sitting higher). But when it comes to the driving experience, there's very little between them. The distinguishing factor could be the engine. Both have the same lineup, of course, but the T-Cross is a bit heavier. Thus, the 1-liter turbo may not feel up to the job and Volkswagen is only now making the more powerful 1.5-liter that it promised.

As for the design, that's an entirely subjective thing, though you could argue that Volkswagen could have been much bolder in both cases. One good example of this is the dashboard, as both the Polo and the T-Cross shine in some ways and are bad in others.

While we don't agree that the T-Cross is better looking than rivals from Ford or Renault, it's impossible to imagine this segment without it. And in a world where everything is financed, costing 10% more than the Polo really isn't a big deal.