We don't trust any Volkswagen concept that's yellow or distinctive since the German company doesn't sell such a thing. So we can only view the T-Cross Breeze as a preview for an upcoming subcompact crossover, a Polo SUV or an Opel Mokka rival, if you will.
Everybody knew the T-Cross was coming to Geneva, but when the covers were pulled, we were shocked to find out that it's a cabriolet. With Winterkorn gone, we thought that Volkswagen's niche-inventing days were over. However, this 2-door convertible crossover is in a league of its own. Reluctantly repeating the joke from the story's title, it's like a Polo crossed with the Range Rover Evoque Cabriolet.
At first glance, it will never work, but in the early days of the B-segment crossover, the Juke was often tested against the A1 because of the similar interior space and overall cost. So using the same yardstick, we could say that this is a competitor for the MINI Cooper S Convertible. That could work, right?
Among the many YouTube videos we found, a 15-minute interview with Volkswagen brand CEO Herbert Diess got our attention. After 5 minutes of Dieselgate talk, he confirms that a Skunk Works "New Volkswagen" division has been established. They believe that the car will become the smartest device on the internet in 10-15 years. The T-Cross Breeze could be our first glimpse into what the techies are doing.
All the traditional switches and buttons have been replaced with screens and touch capacitors. Volkswagen is a brand that's well known for its ergonomic interiors, so this is a dangerous direction, as capacitors are fiddly and distracting. But when you consider future vehicles will be autonomous, having tablets everywhere starts to make sense.
Design-wise, the T-Cross is excellent. It looks nothing like a Golf, Polo, Passat or Tiguan. The front features the same grille+headlight combo as the Skoda VisionS. Meanwhile, the rear features an intriguing full-length trunk opening.
What we like:
What we don't like:
At first glance, it will never work, but in the early days of the B-segment crossover, the Juke was often tested against the A1 because of the similar interior space and overall cost. So using the same yardstick, we could say that this is a competitor for the MINI Cooper S Convertible. That could work, right?
Among the many YouTube videos we found, a 15-minute interview with Volkswagen brand CEO Herbert Diess got our attention. After 5 minutes of Dieselgate talk, he confirms that a Skunk Works "New Volkswagen" division has been established. They believe that the car will become the smartest device on the internet in 10-15 years. The T-Cross Breeze could be our first glimpse into what the techies are doing.
All the traditional switches and buttons have been replaced with screens and touch capacitors. Volkswagen is a brand that's well known for its ergonomic interiors, so this is a dangerous direction, as capacitors are fiddly and distracting. But when you consider future vehicles will be autonomous, having tablets everywhere starts to make sense.
Design-wise, the T-Cross is excellent. It looks nothing like a Golf, Polo, Passat or Tiguan. The front features the same grille+headlight combo as the Skoda VisionS. Meanwhile, the rear features an intriguing full-length trunk opening.
What we like:
- The novelty of the idea
- The front bumper design
- Silver roof rails
What we don't like:
- Convertibles are heavy and not safe during crashes
- It's for girls
- Comes with an 110 PS 3-cylinder turbo engine