European Car Worth IDR 400 Million In Indonesia, First Drive Volkswagen T-Cross

European Car Worth IDR 400 Million IDR, First Drive Volkswagen T-Cross - T-Cross is the latest Volkswagen model in Indonesia. This compact dimension SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) plays in a fairly new segment for the premium vehicle market, especially for Rp 488 million.

Having a slightly more expensive price than its competitors, VW has high confidence in this product. T-Cross was brought directly from India and made many people curious about what it performed on the streets. We had the opportunity to try T-Cross briefly some time ago around the Kuningan area, Jakarta.

Exterior

The first impression met T-Cross, the design has the same DNA as other VW SUV products such as toureg and Tiguan. The design is a bit stiff although there are some modern touches on the front with LED and DRL lighting being one.

The grille comes with a three-dimensional design with the addition of chrome-colored ornaments that are also found on the lower bumper. The exterior side is most attractive on the back because it features a modern-style LED stop lamp that connects from the left to the right side of the vehicle, becoming its characteristic. The legs use 17-inch rims with a wheel size of 205/55 R17, which makes the posture of this compact SUV look dashing.

The T-Cross has a roof rail, a sunroof that can be opened from the inside, a well as a shark fin antenna. If you pay attention, there are several other chrome ornament additions such as on the door handle, rear bumper, and several other points.

The unit provided by VW Indonesia uses a candy white color. This color contrasts with the bottom of the vehicle that uses black so that it makes the car like using two-tone colors. T-Cross itself is offered with several color options such as Wild Cherry Red, Curcuma Yellow, Candy White, Reflex Silver, Carbon Steel Grey, and Rising Blue.

Interior

Entering the interior of the T-Cross, quite premium with the feel of European products on the design. The impression of elegance and sportiness is present on the touch of leather materials in some parts such as seats, the steering wheel also coloring two tones black and white. Additional comfort, the T-Cross seat is equipped with air ventilation.

The main attention on the dashboard comes from the 10-inch head unit which is quite intuitive with the capabilities of Apple Carplay and Android Auto smartphone connections. The entertainment system is connected to six speakers scattered throughout the cabin. The presence of physical buttons is quite minimal in the T-Cross, replaced with the dominance of the touch button. This is especially for ac settings that take enough time to get used to in their settings. Wireless charging is also present in the center console, including the start-stop button, cup holder, and conventional handbrake lever.

The driver's part is quite interesting. The 8-inch digital cluster meter is a major concern. The design is modern with the appearance of easy-to-read number clues. This view can be replaced according to preferences.

The steering wheel is quite comfortable to grip with a flat bottom shape. The steering position can be adjusted tilt and telescopic even though it is not yet electric. The driving position feels more ideal thanks to the six-way seating position setting. Various buttons are present on the steering wheel such as audio settings and driving information menus and cruise control buttons. Like other European products, the lever turns on the sein lamp on the left side and the right lever to operate the wipers. If the sunroof can be opened with the operation of the button at the top.

In the second row, the legroom is quite spacious. Its comfort comes from the air vents and power socket in the center console. There are three headrests available for rear passengers. The middle can be opened for an armrest. The slope of the backrest cannot be changed but is comfortable enough for travel in and out of the city. For passengers with a height of 169 cm, the rear cabin of the T-Cross still provides ample headroom. There is still luggage space on the back with a volume of 385 liters that is quite wide.

Driving Impressions

What is the sensation of driving an SUV with a compact dimension of Rp488 million? T-Cross comes with a fairly small engine, namely 3-cylinder 999 ccs aka 1.0L TSI technology with a power production of 115 ps at 5,000 pm to 5,500 rpm and 178 Nm of torque at 1,750 rpm to 4,500 rpm. The engine is also coupled with a 6-speed automatic transmission.

On paper, the T-Cross machine is quite small but the power presented includes responsiveness. We tried several times to step on the accelerator deep enough and the power came straight out in the lower laps. Suitable for urban characters who have stop-and-go traffic or leisure driving. The issue of turbo-lag did not feel too disturbing on this first try. As a result, the confidence of driving this small-engined car was immediately present.

Thanks to the use of the MQB platform, T-Cross's control is fairly stable. Its dimensions which have a length of about 4.2 meters, a width of 1.7 meters, and a height of 1.6 meters make it agile to be used winding on urban streets. Plus the ability of the steering wheel translates the driver's desire to maneuver quite responsively. The cabin's slickness is quite good and can dampen road noise during this short test.

The driving taste of European products comes from its damping system. The use of MacPherson suspension at the front and Semi-independent at the back is quite convenient. Not too hard and not too swinging, making this product feel different from a compact SUV in the same segment. It could be this shock-absorbing part that makes T-Cross ordain itself as a real European product, even though it is produced in India. Regarding the driving position, there is no difficulty in getting a broad view of the front. The wide-sized A-pillar comes more backward which makes the left and right side displays easily visible.

Features and conclusions

Some of the safety features of T-Cross include multi-collision brake, hill hold control, and park distance control with rear camera. There are also six airbags throughout the cabin, rain and light sensors, a 3-point seat belt with belt tensioner, and a tire pressure monitoring system in the cluster meter.

T-Cross does not provide integrated safety technologies such as the Advanced Driving Assist System, which is available for T-Cross Europe. The absence of this feature can be a wedge for consumers to choose T-Cross because similar products in this segment already have integrated safety technology.

But on the other hand, T-Cross plays alone in the compact SUV segment from European brands with a price tag below Rp 500 million. In dimensions, it is also larger than the Japanese products present. This is certainly an assessment in itself.

Especially for VW fans in Indonesia who unfortunately miss the presence of this product to be glimpsed as a daily vehicle. The presence of T-Cross also adds to the choice of VW models in Indonesia that already exist Tiguan AllSpace and Polo. An attractive option for European Minded consumers.