Volkswagen T-Cross R-Line Facelift review: Redesigned exterior and improved cabin makes it as lovable a crossover as ever

Let's get a few points out of the way.

Firstly, this updated T-Cross is far from the best that Volkswagen has to offer. Its 8.0-inch infotainment display looks dated next to the new 15-inch system that now sits in the Tiguan as well as the new ID. all-electric lineup.

Secondly, while the dashboard of the car has been improved, its cabin still makes use of a manual hand brake and Volkswagen's older gear shifter, when most new cars are adopting smaller rocker-style or steering column-mounted gear selectors to offer more storage space in the centre console.

Those who are looking for the very best and latest for their money would do better to look elsewhere.

But I've got the windows down, Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Want to Have Fun blasting out of the car's six-speaker Beats audio system, and I'm coasting about in an eye-catching Grape Yellow crossover. For a short moment in time, life appears to be all good, and you can well bet that these little issues are hardly anywhere near the top of my mind.

Rubber ducky

"It's a shame we don't get to call it Rubber Ducky Yellow here", the Volkswagen representative adds as she introduces me to the car, presumably after seeing the utterly smitten expression writ across my face as I first lay my eyes on this new T-Cross.

I eagerly nod in agreement. I've never seen a grape this yellow, so the logic behind the name of this new finish still eludes (it's only in dull light that the paint gives off hues of green), but no matter.

I'm sure all looking for something that will stand out on the road will be perfectly pleased with its bright and bold hue. And for those looking for something a little less bold, amongst the choice of new colours with this update there's also Clear Blue and King's Red to choose from.

And the upgrades on the outside don't stop there. Up front, the car now sports a new grille and a redesigned bumper with new faux intakes at either end. The T-Cross also now sports Volkswagen's IQ. Light Matrix head lights.

And at the rear, there's also a redesigned bumper. But you're more likely to first notice the upgraded LED taillights, which now comprise of multiple LED clusters, so they deliver a rather swanky 3D effect.

Nice and cosy

Step in and you'll also notice that the dashboard has been revised: The section ahead of the front passenger has been redesigned and now makes use of a padded material (the previous car had a plastic decorative piece here).

The air-conditioning control panel here has also lost its rotary controls in favour of touch-sensitive sliders for the temperature and fan speed controls.

And if you can ignore the aforementioned issues with the cabin, the Volkswagen T-Cross is still a pretty decent place to simply be in.

Volkswagen's 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro driver's instrument cluster offers plenty of options for customisation, and you still get physical buttons for switching between the car's different drive modes and to adjust the volume from the speakers.

That sliding rear bench also means you can get up to 455-litres of space for cargo at the rear, although you won't be able to leave them this way if you want to transport people in the second row in any reasonable levels of comfort.

Ready and eager

But take the driver's seat if you really want to be impressed by this little crossover. The car's 114bhp total output may look meagre and its 10.3 second century sprint time is hardly impressive, but on the road the car offers enough responsiveness to reward keen driving.

Pick you own T-Cross in either the 'R-Line' or 'Style' trim and your car will still come with paddle shifters on its steering wheel, so you can easily override the conservative gearshift mapping of the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Dial the engine up beyond 4,000rpm and you'll be rewarded with a pleasing thrum.

And if you do opt to leave the car to its own devices, it stays pleasantly quiet and smooth — perfect for family-ferrying duties. Three days with the car saw it returning a fuel economy average of 13.4km/L, which is a fair performance given its small size and conservative power output.

Yellow all over

Should you get this updated Volkswagen T-Cross? With the Peugeot 2008 and the Renault Captur not currently offered here, shoppers eyeing this $177,400 T-Cross in its 'R-Line' trim will likely line it up against the Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid, which is a touch more keenly priced at $173,888.

They will also want to note that the 'Style' trim T-Cross comes in at just $172,400 and only loses 18-inch wheels for 17-inch items, the Beats speaker system, and the R-line touches in the cabin, without making any compromise to the list of driver assistance features.

The more practically-minded will undoubtedly be drawn to the fact that the Yaris' fuel-sipping hybrid managed to nearly double the fuel economy (at 25.2km/L) of this T-Cross when we drove it back in May 2023 (all prices as of July 12, 2024).

And to add one more point for your consideration, the Toyota can also be had in a Brass Gold exterior finish that is nearly equally eye-catching as this T-Cross' Grape Yellow.

But the drivetrain in the Yaris Cross isn't anywhere near this rewarding when pushed, and when you add on the fact that the T-Cross comes with a decidedly more premium cabin — two points which, to this writer, are critical to the sheer enjoyment and overall driving experience — it really isn't hard to see one choosing the Volkswagen over the Toyota. If it's something compact and fun you're after, this T-Cross should be your clear option.

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This article was first published in sgCarMart.