Updated Volkswagen T-Cross Unveiled With Modern Looks, Diesel Engines Officially Out

VW has tweaked the styling, added more equipment to the standard offering list, introduced new tech, and improved the interior quality. First orders are set for “the fourth quarter of 2023” (that can mean anything from early October to late December).

From afar, the refreshed T-Cross’ new front and rear sport LED lights all around (headlights, daytime running lights, and taillights are all the energy-saving light-emitting diodes). The new small SUV gets Volkswagen’s IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights - a premiere for the T-Cross. Apart from the brightwork, the car shines in three new liveries: Grape Yellow (a crisp, sporty yellow hue – you can admire it in the gallery), Clear Blue Metallic (a light blue shade), and Kings Red Metallic (a strong tone of red).

The significant changes are on the inside, with the Digital Cockpit now standard equipment, alongside a multifunction camera, DRSD (Dynamic Road Sign Display), and a free-standing infotainment display. The basic model has an 8-inch touchscreen (20.3 cm), but the upgraded versions have a 9.2-inch main screen (23.4 cm).

Regardless of the equipment package installed on the T-Cross’s four variants, all instruments are digital. Three more upscale choices besides the standard model will be available: Life, Style, and R-Line. And the big news is that the T-Cross will ditch the two diesel engines currently offered, keeping the TSI – Volkswagen’s Turbocharged Stratified Injected – engines.

For now, VW did not reveal any powertrain specifications, resuming to say, “The new T-Cross models are powered by the well-known, efficient TSI engines from Volkswagen.” If the German group sticks to the current powerplant lineup, the next-gen T-Cross will have four gasoline inline-fours: three one-liters and the top-of-the-range 1.5-liter.

We’ll learn about the go-fast options when the Germans reveal the specifications and prices. In the meantime, the manufacturer boasts about the improvements made to the T-Cross’s interior. The dash panel and front doors are now upholstered in soft, higher-quality materials (the latter is standard, but only Style and R-Line get the upgraded door panels).

Manual air conditioning is the standard system, and the Air Care Climatronic with back-lit touch sliders is optional. Regarding cargo space, the T-Cross offers between 385 and 455 liters of regular trunk volume. The variation is possible due to a sliding rear bench seat (it can move 140 mm/5.5 inches).

With the back row of seats down, the luggage compartment increases three-fold to 1,281 liters, and there’s even more room available when the passenger seat folds down. This creates a 2.4-meter-long loading space that can take in large accessories – like surfboards or paragliders.

Keeping in line with today’s electric-assisted biking trends, the small SUV has a more powerful drawbar that can carry a load of 75 kg / 165 lbs; that's 20 kg / 45 lbs over the load capacity of the current model.

For serious travelers, the Travel Assist function now makes trailer towing easier. The T-Cross automatically accelerates, applies the brakes, or maintains a predefined speed depending on the traffic conditions. While it does provide a helping hand, Travel Assist is not a self-driving feature and requires permanent supervision from the driver.

The new T-Cross will also feature Lane Assist and stop-and-go options. Still, we’ll learn the details when VW makes the configurator available in the last trimester of this year. That’s also the start signal for pre-orders, and the actual market launch is expected in the first three months of 2024. No prices have been announced yet – the Germans keep the card close to their chests and say, “Despite the extensive enhancements, the new T-Cross will still be offered at a very attractive base price.”