Volkswagen Philippines has promised a second-quarter debut of the 2021 T-Cross. The Ayala-owned company isn’t breaking its promise and recently gave us details about the upcoming subcompact crossover.
In a Zoom media event, VW PH divulged to members of the media the T-Cross’s full specs, availability, reservation details, and more importantly, pricing. Here’s a rundown.
Exterior
Despite the straight lines, a commonality among VW models, the T-Cross exudes a youthful and sporty vibe, thanks to the sharp lines and loud colors that it comes with. Of note, the VW T-Cross comes in five colors: Tribu (an orange shade), Syringa Violet, Romance Red, Polar White, and Chinchilla Gray.
As for exterior equipment, the top-spec T-Cross SE comes with LED taillights and headlamps with DRLs, fog lights, 17-inch alloy wheels, and silver roof rail. The S variant comes with halogens, smaller 16-inch rims, and black roof rails.
Interior
To mirror the youthful exterior appeal of the T-Cross, the yellow, violet, and red color variants come with matching interior accents that populate the dashboard. The SE comes standard with leather + fabric seats, while the S is relegated to just fabrics.
As we’ll be getting the long-wheelbase version of the T-Cross, it has one of the longest axle-to-axle measurements among subcompact crossovers at 2,650mm. Regardless, expect huge cabin creature space because of the T-Cross’s relatively sheer size. Only the SE gets rear A/C vents, though.
Tech & safety
Of course, the range-topping T-Cross SE gets all the bells and whistles from VW in terms of tech and safety, which include a bigger 9.2-inch touchscreen infotainment with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting, autonomous emergency braking, rearview camera, and six airbags.
Standard across the range are front and rear USB ports, cruise control, tire pressure monitor, rear parking sensors, and stability control. The lower S trim makes do with a smaller eight-inch touchscreen (still with Apple Carplay and Android Auto).
Engine & mechanicals
Since VW PH confirmed that the T-Cross will be sourced from China, we’re not surprised to see the naturally-aspirated 1.5-liter MPI gasoline engine in the provided spec sheet. This mill makes 113hp and 145Nm of torque, sent to the front wheels via six-speed torque converter automatic transmission.
Though suspension setup wasn’t disclosed at the media roundtable, we expect McPherson struts at front and torsion beam at the rear given the price point, plus disc brakes on all fours.
Pricing & availability
As mentioned, Volkswagen PH has opened the reservation lanes for the 2021 T-Cross, with a refundable P5,000 reservation fee required to secure your slot. More importantly, those who will reserve the T-Cross before the market launch can enjoy the introductory prices below that comes with a P30,000 discount:
- VW T-Cross S – P1,068,000
- VW T-Cross SE – P1,168,000
The T-Cross will officially enter the market on May 26, 2021. Customers will be asked to secure a refundable deposit of P78,400 upon the release of the vehicle in May in light of DTI’s safeguard tariff.