In recent years, I have gotten to know high-built small cars. If you are looking for a rental car on holiday, this is a class that offers a lot of car for the money.
Disappears from Norway
In recent years I have driven many miles in high-built small cars such as Skoda Kamiq, Audi Q2, Citroen C3 Aircross, Opel Mokka, Renault Captur and most recently, Volkswagen T-Cross. I could go on to mention cars such as Seat Arona, Peugeot 2008, Opel Crossland, Nissan Juke and Toyota C-HR - all built on the same concept. None of them have been successful in Norway and are unlikely to be either. Perhaps because they end up between two seats - too small for families with children and too big as a second car. Today, only Peugeot 2008 and Opel Mokka are brought into Norway because they are delivered as electric cars.
Favorable as a rental car
I rent cars in Barcelona - always the same class - high-built small cars. Sixt recognizes my muzzle, without the muzzle factor playing any major role. Occasionally I get upgraded for free, but last weekend the Formula 1 circus came to town, and then I had to make do with what I ordered - a Volkswagen T-Cross. It could just as easily have been a Skoda Kamiq, Seat Arona or Audi Q2. They share the same platform and drivetrain. The 1,0 TSI 110 hp with manual 6-speed gearbox is an absolutely excellent drive for these cars.
Big car feeling
The Volkswagen T-Cross is produced together with the Polo in Pamplona, Spain. The primary target group for this model is probably located primarily in Southern Europe, in places where the car fleet and road standards are not top class. The T-Cross offers a lot of car for the money, both for the buyer and the renter. I like it because it is affordable to rent, comfortable and drives well. I know it's based on the Polo, but it surprisingly feels much more like a big car. You get a lot by sitting higher, with less noise from the engine and the road, but it must be more than extra height and more rubber in the tires that creates this big car feeling. I'm sure Volkswagen has made some tweaks to the chassis, maybe longer suspension travel, different damping? I feel that the T-Cross is more of a T-Roc "light" than a high-built Polo.
1,0 TSI engine
In Europe, you can get the cars with either 95 hp or 110 hp. The largest engine previously produced 115 hp, but from 2022 it was downgraded to 110 hp. The 110 horse is better suited to the Volkswagen Group's high-built models than the 95 horse. With 110 hp, you get a 6-speed manual gearbox instead of 5-speed. Both gearboxes are nice to operate, but the 6-speed gearbox means that you can "cruise" steadily at 120 km/h on Spanish motorways with a very pleasant and low rpm. You notice it a bit on consumption, but mostly on comfort. In the countries around the Mediterranean, most people still choose manual transmission, and they do so wisely when it comes to the T-Cross (and the other sister models). The automatic option 7-speed DSG unfortunately often gives a "lag" when starting from a standstill. If you have to go out on a busy road, your heart will be in your throat. This is also experienced in PSA's models (PureTech 130 hp with EAT6). It is better to put the gear lever in "S" before setting off, but that is not how it should be.
Place
Tall cars provide more space. The T-Cross has 385 liters of luggage space, which can be expanded to 455 by pushing the rear seat forward. We could bring two not-too-large suitcases with the back seats intact. The trunk is divided into two parts. By removing the middle plate, you can load in height - not so much in length.
Suitable for day trips
The Volkswagen T-Cross fulfills many purposes – as a small family car, a car for grandparents or active young people. For us it worked well as a comfortable and affordable day trip car for up to 4 adults. The photos were taken on some of our trips. T-Cross is one of the best representatives in the class of high-built small cars – the class that offers the most car for the money.
I cannot bring the Volkswagen T-Cross back to Norwegian sales premises, but recommend ordering one like this the next time you rent a car elsewhere in Europe. Then you get more out of your holiday budget.
Facts about the Volkswagen T-Cross
Weights and Measures
External dimensions - L, W, H: 411 x 176 x 157 cm
Wheelbase: 255 cm
Net weight: 1270 kg (without driver)
Payload: 395 kg
Number of seats: 5
Boot: 385 – 455 litres
Trailer with brakes: 1200 kg
without brakes: 630 kg
Roof load: 75 kg
Drivetrain
Engine: 1,0 TSI MV
Power: 110 HP
Torque: 200 Nm @ 2000-3000 rpm
Gearbox: 6-speed manual MQ200-6F
Front wheel drive
Performances
Top speed: 189 km/h
0-100: 10,8 seconds
consumption
Stated consumption WLTP combined: 0,57/10 km
Measured consumption: 0,51 (195 km – average speed 88 km/h)
Tires
Dimension: 205/65 R16
Type: Summer tire
About the car
Place of production: Pamplona, Spain
Owner: sixt.es
Model: 2022
Mileage: 11296
Km driven: 766
Rental period: 10 days
Source: volkswagen.de
See
So if I want to exchange my Tiguan for a T-Cross, is that not possible anymore?
The T-Cross is no longer in the model range for Norway, but some dealers may still have cars in stock. There are also several almost unused T-Cross for sale on Finn.no. Audi Q2 and Skoda Kamiq share most things with the T-Cross. I have driven them all and can recommend them 🙂