Volkswagen T-Cross To Take On Creta, Captur, XUV300 In 2020

Volkswagen’s smallest SUV is out to carve a niche in a very important segment.

- Abhay Verma

Compactness is the name of the game – look at our cell phones, computers and many more things we use every day. It’s all about packing more in the smallest of sizes – so why should our SUVs remain large and burly, unnecessarily? Which is why compact SUVs enjoy immense popularity today. And as one of the largest car makers in the world, how could Volkswagen not have a compact SUV in its arsenal? Which is why, the T-Cross. It broke cover at three different locations across the world simultaneously last October, which tells us the importance of the T-Cross as a global product.

Goes without saying that the T-Cross is the next big thing for Volkswagen India too and will be the first offering as part of its ‘India 2.0’ strategy. And why not – we’ve seen a steady influx of compact crossovers recently. The Hyundai Creta is the name to beat, having brought big volumes for the Korean carmaker. I was present at the global unveil of the T-Cross in Amsterdam and was impressed as it felt upmarket and youthful while boasting equipment levels unheard of in the compact SUV segment.

Fast forward to March 2019 and I flew to the Spanish island of Mallorca to drive the T-Cross. The T-Cross you see here is the European-spec though. The Indian version will be different and in all probability get a new name too! It will also be slightly longer and possibly taller. The Indian version is also expected to get flared wheel arches and other design changes for a more muscular stance in keeping with Indian tastes. That said, the European T-Cross has a very chic appeal and looks very upmarket. The front end looks chiselled thanks to the headlamp design while the matte black grille offers a rugged feel along with the faux skid plate (on the R-Line trim).