Volkswagen T-Cross review - Reliability and safety
The T-Cross features good levels of standard safety kit, and reliability should prove to be solid
All T-Cross models come with airbags for the driver and front passenger, side impact airbags and curtain airbags front and rear. Extra safety kit includes a tyre pressure-loss warning system, a city emergency braking system and predictive pedestrian protection, lane assist and PreCrash preventive occupant protection, which tenses the seatbelts and closes the windows in the event of an imminent collision.
Even entry-level Move models are equipped with front and rear parking sensors, blind spot detection, adaptive cruise control and driver fatigue detection, while a reversing camera costs an extra £300.
Euro NCAP tested the T-Cross in 2019 and awarded it a full five stars for safety, with 97 and 86 per cent scores for adult and child protection, respectively. It also received an 80 per cent score for its safety assistance technology.
T-Cross owners seem pleased with the compact SUV, as feedback from those who completed our latest Driver Power customer satisfaction survey allowed it to finish in 21st place on our list of the best cars to own. It trumped key rivals such as the Renault Captur (34th) and Nissan Juke (64th), and was one of four Volkswagen models to crack the 75-strong list. However Volkswagen as a brand came 27th (out of 32) in our best car manufacturer rankings, well behind the likes of Skoda (20th), Hyundai (17th) and Kia (6th).
Warranty
The T-Cross, like all other new Volkswagens, comes as standard with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty. There’s also a three-year paintwork warranty and 12 years of cover against corrosion from the inside out. Most rivals come with similar warranty periods, although the Hyundai Bayon (five years) and the Kia Stonic (seven years) have longer protection.
Servicing
Buyers can choose between Volkswagen’s fixed or flexible service packages. The former is recommended for lower-mileage cars, typically covering less than 10,000 miles per year. Those using their T-Cross for daily mileages of over 25 miles are better served by the latter.
The car uses a range of sensors to determine when it needs servicing, but Volkswagen claims that the T-Cross can cover anything between 10,000 and 20,000 miles between oil changes on the flexible service package.
