Volkswagen debuts T Cross SUV in Europe; India may have to wait till 2020 for it

After a lot of teasing, Volkswagen has launched the T Cross SUV at an event in Amsterdam. The new mid-sized SUV is based on the new-gen Polo platform and will be making its way to India as a part of Volkswagen's India 2.0 strategy.

At 4.11 metres in length, the T Cross is Volkswagen's smallest SUV and its fourth overall after the Tiguan, T-Roc and Toureg. Based on the MQB-A0 platform, the SUV gets a choice of four turbocharged engines, three of which are petrol and one diesel.

The first two petrol engines are 1-litre three-cylinders tuned to produce 95 PS and 115 PS of power, respectively, while the 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol produces 150 PS of power.

On the other hand, the diesel engine is a 1.6-litre four-cylinder capable of producing 95 PS of power. Transmission is handled by a choice between a 5-speed manual and a 7-speed direct-shift gearbox (DSG). All engines are said to be Euro-VI ready.

In terms of styling, the T Cross features design elements from the Tiguan and Toureg. The front grille gets horizontal slates that extend all the way to the headlamp, fog lamps integrated into the front bumper, prominent wheel arches and fairly deep creases across the car's body.

Dimensionally, the car measures 4,199 x 1,760 x 1,568 mm. The company says that with a wheelbase of 2,565 mm, the T Cross can seat up to five people comfortably. Also thanks to the foldable rear seats, the boot space can go from 385 litres all the way up to 1,281 litres.

The T Cross also gets a host of electronics, just like the Toureg, to better compete with rivals in its class. Expect the latest assistance systems from Volkswagen, including pedestrian monitoring, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane assist and emergency braking. To keep the millennials happy, there are four USB ports and wireless charging as well.

Expect the T Cross to arrive in India sometime in 2020. The SUV will go up against the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Maruti Vitara Brezza and Ford EcoSport.