The Volkswagen T-Cross will be built on a modified version of the MQB AO platform particularly for India and will only come with petrol and CNG engine options.
Volkswagen has said that they will showcase the India-spec T-Cross at the 2020 Auto Expo in Feburary in New Delhi. The Volkswagen T-Cross will be built on a modified-for-India, version of the MQB platform, known as MQB A0 IN. The MQB A0 IN platform has been modified to be longer and more affordable for the India-spec T-Cross and it will see a market launch sometime in 2021.
As for the design of the T-Cross, it has the typical VW family look and in essence, looks much like a scaled down Tiguan. It will be largely similar to the international-spec model but there will be some India specific customization which will add more chrome to the SUV’s front styling, especially on the grille and the front bumper area. That could in turn make it largely similar to the T-Cross sold in India.
The India-spec Volkswagen T-Cross will have a wheelbase of 2,651mm which is significantly longer than the European-spec version by 90-100mm. All this extra space has gone in between the wheels to make for a larger cabin. Volkswagen intended to free up more space in the second row of the T-Cross particularly for India.
And talking about the interiors, the cabin feels quite plush and premium. The design is again typically Volkswagen but what really stands out are the colored-trim inserts on the dashboard, center console and door pads which really add a zing to the cabin. It will also come well laoded with features including a decently sized infotainment screen complete with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a sunroof.
The India-spec T-Cross will also have a higher ground clearance of 205 mm to better deal with our roads and give it a proper SUV stance. The suspension and axle setup will also be tweaked to better suit our driving conditions.
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But what will be under the hood, you ask? The Volkswagen T-Cross will come with the option of two petrol engines. There will be a 1.5-Litre, four cylinder EVO TSI engine petrol engine which develops 130 bhp. It will also feature cylinder-deactivation technology to help achieve better fuel economy. There will also be a 1.0-litre three cylinder TSI petrol engine with 115 bhp for a lower variant. There will be no diesel engine on offer but Volkswagen might introduce a CNG variant of the T-Cross in India as well.
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The T-Cross will be a sister car for the Skoda Kamiq which will also be built on the MQB A0 IN platform. In fact, the Skoda Kamiq will also share some interior bits and body panels with the T-Cross and will launch in India before the T-Cross. The Skoda Kamiq will also be showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo. Both these cars are part of VW group’s ‘India 2.0’ strategy and they are more cars incoming under this strategy. The Volkswagen T-Cross and the Skoda Kamiq will take on the likes of the Kia Seltos, the next-gen Hyundai Creta, Tata Harrier, MG Hector, Renault Captur and the Nissan Kicks in India.