We've been given our clearest look yet at the upcoming Volkswagen T-Cross compact SUV, with a new video featuring close-up shots of the finished car's styling.
Jürgen Stackmann, Volkswagen's marketing chief, posted a short video on his official Twitter account that showed elements of the crossover's exterior and interior styling. The T-Cross will be revealed in full on Thursday (25 October).
which Autocar has already driven in prototype form, will become the fourth SUV in VW's European line-up, beneath the Volkswagen T-Roc, Volkswagen Tiguan and Volkswagen Touareg.
The all-new T-Cross. Coming soon. Seat Arona, Renault Captur and second-generation Nissan Juke. Latest spy shots show the car in its most undisguised form yet, although some cladding on the front and rear disguises the car as a T-Roc, covering its actual features.
Volkswagen T-Cross prototype 2018: first drive of crossover supermini
The T-Cross is the latest in a 19-strong line-up of SUVs that VW plans to have in place within the next two years. VW’s aim is to boost sales of high-riding models to 40% of its overall global total by the end of the decade.
It uses VW’s MQB A0 platform, shared with the VW Polo, Arona and Audi A1, among others.
Engines will also be shared with the T-Cross’s Volkswagen Polo sibling, meaning that 1.0 TSI petrol and 1.6 TDI diesel units will make up the vast majority of the range (the cars we drove used these two engines).
While the platform has been engineered to accommodate a plug-in hybrid variant, the first-generation T-Cross is unlikely to be electrified. It is too small to yet be considered for what still remains relatively expensive hybrid tech; a 48V mild hybrid will only appear on the Mk8 Golf next year.
Volkswagen Up GTI demand has exceeded expectations
The T-Cross will not get a GTI variant, with VW having previously said the badge will only be used on its Up, Polo and Golf hatchbacks.
A harder R version is more likely, but a decision will be based on the success of the larger T-Roc R arriving next year.
VW design chief Klaus Bischoff told Autocar recently that the T-Cross’s design had already been signed off and was “not so far from the [T-Cross Breeze] concept”, albeit without its drop-top.
