Latest news with #T-Cross
TimesLIVE
6 days ago
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
We get behind the wheel of the updated VW T-Cross
Launched in 2019, the T-Cross is Volkswagen's best-selling SUV and was recently given a midlife upgrade with refreshed exterior styling, an updated interior and new tech. The update comes none too soon with VW and other legacy brands having to fight off a growing number of keenly priced rivals from China and India getting more sophisticated with more features. Late last year, Volkswagen SA launched the latest T-Cross in upper-grade Life, Style and R-Line guises priced between R471,400 and R543,800. Earlier this year, it followed up with more affordable Base versions priced at R399,900 and R418,200. All variants are imported and sold with a three-year/120,000km warranty and three-year/45,000km service plan. Volkswagen has given the new T-Cross more styling swagger, with restyled front and rear bumpers, revised light clusters and a new radiator grille. Three bold new exterior colours are available: Grape Yellow, Clear Blue Metallic and Kings Red Metallic. Standard assistance systems consist of adaptive cruise control with stop/go functionality, cornering assist, lane assist, emergency assist and pedestrian monitoring. All T-Cross models are powered by a 1.0 l three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. The Base version has outputs of 70kW and 175Nm and a five-speed manual transmission, with all other versions getting the more powerful 85kW/200Nm unit paired with a seven-speed DSG gearbox.
The Citizen
06-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
VW drops price on T-Cross base model to take fight to the Chinese
Volkswagen banks on brand's rich local heritage to fend off onslaught from the People's Republic. In February this year Volkswagen South Africa (VWSA) announced that were adding two new entry-level derivatives to their top selling T-Cross line-up. A 1.0 TSI 70kW Base fitted with a five-speed manual transmission and a 1.0 TSI 85kW Base with a double clutch setup, priced at R400 700 and R418 200 respectively. Fast forward some five months, and an invite arrived for us to go spend some time with VWSA and get acquainted with the VW T-Cross in the metal this time. A 1.0 TSI 70kW Base was dropped off at The Citizen Motoring's office for us to use for a few weeks and to get to the event as part of an impromptu media launch-type drive. Psychological R400k barrier Now while we expected the spec to be exactly that same, what we did not expect was that VWSA had quietly dropped the price on the 70kW Base model to R399 900. Citing unrelenting market pressure from the Chinese, who are extremely active in this segment, as one of the reasons they wanted the entry level T-Cross to come in under the psychological R400 000 barrier. This makes perfectly good business sense especially when you consider that the VW T-Cross is 100% under fire from the likes of Chery with their Tiggo 4 Pro. Offering seven model derivatives ranging in price from R269 900 to R386 900 it's easy to see why the Chery Tiggo 4 is shooting the lights out. This Chinese offering has in fact now moved up to be South Africa's third best-selling passenger car behind the VW Polo Vivo and Toyota Corolla Cross. The VW T-Cross Base features an 8-inch digital cockpit. Picture: Mark Jones Not flashy, but solid The 1.0 TSI 70 kW Base VW T-Cross comes kitted with the basics like a 8-inch digital cockpit, App-Connect, multi-function steering wheel, 2 USB ports in front, two speakers, central locking, childproof locks on rear doors, interior cloth trim for seats and door trim, air-conditioner, hill assist, 16-inch wheels and a tyre pressure monitoring system. While not flashy in any way, all the controls fall easy to hand, and are easy to use in typical VW fashion. The Chery Tiggo 4 offers 108kW and 210Nm, and the 70kW and 175Nm on tap from the 1.0 TSI Base is never going to feel racy. And it isn't. VWSA claim a 0-100km/h sprint time of 11.5 seconds and a top speed of 180 km/h. But what is maybe of more importance is that the claimed fuel consumption number is just 5.9-litres per 100km. And here the Chery Tiggo 4 falls short. ALSO READ: Facelift Volkswagen T-Cross base models finally priced VW T-Cross banks on brand heritage So, while seemingly outgunned on price and spec on paper, VWSA are counting on their legacy, reputation for quality. And on people still having the desire to own a Volkswagen. It's a tough ask in a very price sensitive part of the market. But this fight might pass down to the new locally produced Tengo compact crossover. It will hit the market in 2027 as a more affordable replacement for the overseas sourced T-Cross. The VW T-Cross comes standard with a three-year/120 000km warranty and three-year/45 000km service plan.
The Irish Sun
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Best used small SUVs you can buy for under £15,000 from practical Peugeot to tiny retro favourite
THE best second hand small SUVs for less than £15,000 have been revealed. Sports utility vehicles ( 8 The Renault offers a stylish interior Credit: Whatcar The Seat Arona The Seat Arona offers a roomy interior, smooth ride and a petrol engine. With an option of a 1 litre or a 1.5 litre engine motorists can choose how much power they would prefer to get from their Unfortunately the durability of the Arona is in question with it reportedly failing short in this category. Read more in Motors A second hand Seat Arona will set The Suzuki Vitara The boxy Suzuki Vitara has some real off road capability, something you would expect from an A raised ride height and the option of four-wheel drive means the Vitara can tackle some rough and unforgiving surfaces. It offers a choice of 1.4 litre and 1.5 litre engines with the 1.4 litre boosted by a Most read in Motors A second hand Vitara will cost motorists about £13,000 and it offers masses of interior space. The Renault Captur The Captur offers a reasonable and well rounded motor at decent prices. Not the comfiest or the most powerful or the cheapest on the list the Renault does a lot of things well but none the best. Motorists are given a choice of 1 litre and 1.6 litre engines offering some decent power. The 8 The Renault Captur will cost around £11,000 second hand Credit: Whatcar The Peugeot 2008 The Peugeot offers a punchy bit of power generated by its A seriously spacious interior offers plenty room for the whole family despite it only being a small SUV. The motor has a modern ICockpit set-up allowing the driver to view the essential dials over the A second hand 2008 will set you back about £12,000 depending on model and mileage. 8 The Peugeot 2008 has several modern features Credit: Whatcar The Mini Countryman A Mini isn't usually what comes to mind when thinking about SUVs. But the Surprisingly for a Mini the countryman is spacious and offers a wealth of retro, classic Mini style. With a bit of a firm ride the Countryman isn't the most comfortable but it does offer great reliability. A second hand Countryman will cost around £14,000 8 Despite being a Mini the Countryman is an impressive SUV Credit: Whatcar The Volkswagen T-Cross The It offers several safety features and is easily manoeuvrable with its compact dimensions. The T-Cross has two A second hand T-Cross will cost about £13,000. 8 The T-Cross is a reliable and well equipped option Credit: Whatcar The Skoda Kamiq With a slightly lower ride height than the other SUVs on this list the Kamiq's drive height is only slightly higher than that of a family It still offers an impressively spacious interior and great performance. The Kamiq is easy to control and the ride is nice and smooth making it a great choice for families. The Kamiq can be bought with a A second hand Kamiq, depending on mileage, will cost around £13,000. 8 The powerful Kamiq is a bit pricier Credit: Whatcar The Audi Q2 Surprisingly, an With more engine size options the Q2 can be more or less powerful depending on the variant you purchase. The 1 litre, 1.4 litre and 1.5 litre petrol engines offer plenty of power at several levels. Diesel 1.6 litre and 2 litre engines offer even more punch at the low end. It offers a spacious, stylish interior and A second hand Q2 will set you back by about £13,000. 8 A surprising addition, the Audi Q2 is very reasonably priced Credit: Whatcar The Volkswagen T-Roc The second Volkswagen to make the list the T-Roc offers plenty of space and a smooth ride. A great family car the A 1 litre, 1.5 litre and 2 litre variant are available at varying prices. A The Ford Puma The Ford Puma is very reasonably priced and offers everything you could want from a Excellent steering and handling, plenty of space and a couple of punchy engine options. The Sun Motors: Buy your next vehicle today If you're part of the 3.3 million Brits looking to buy a used vehicle this year, Sun Motors is an ideal place to start * If you click on a link in this boxout we will earn affiliate revenue Enjoy: A choice of fuel type whether it's petrol, diesel, electric or hybrid A range of models from convertible, estate, saloon and many more A range of top brands such as Ford, Volkswagen, Toyota and BMW Financing options Trusted dealers 8 The Ford Puma is the cheapest on the list and offers some great features Credit: Whatcar
The Citizen
14-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
PODCAST: VW Tera to be renamed to Tengo, Tavo, Tiva or Tion
South African public gets to choose the new name for the baby SUV to be built in Kariega. Volkswagen has given the public a choice between four names for the new compact SUV known as the VW Tera in Brazil it plans to build in Kariega. In sticking to its naming convention with all its SUV names starting with the letter T, the names on the table are Tengo, Tavo, Tiva and Tion. But what do these names mean? On this week's episode of the Pitstop podcast, we take a closer look at the four names. ALSO READ: Voting opens: Names for South Africa's VW Tera revealed VW Tera to be renamed According to the German carmaker, Tengo is defined as a 'rich cultural significance in African language and describes qualities like strength, resilience and purpose'. Moving on to Tavo, VW describes it as 'a gender-neutral word meaning good or beloved in Latin and also eight'. Tiva 'means nature in Hebrew and is also associated with vitality, life and energy', the carmaker says. Lastly, the name Tion 'signifies aesthetic appeal and evokes a sense of movement and change'. ALSO READ: What South Africa can expect: Volkswagen Tera detailed in Brazil Kariega plant upgrades The local version of the VW Tera will be built on the same A0 platform as the Polo and T-Cross. The VW assembly plant in Kariega recently underwent a R4-billion upgrade of 100 robots, conveyor belts in the final assembly area and enhancements to the body paint shops to gear up for the new SUV. Production is expected to start sometime next year. The Mzansi VW Tera is set to replace the T-Cross as Wolfburg's smallest SUV. The latter goes out of production next year. It is set to be replaced by the all-electric ID.2X in European markets. The Brazilian-built VW Tera and its sibling in Mzansi will then be offered exclusively for developing markets.
The Citizen
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Volkswagen's new compact SUV gears up for Africa, with a new name you can vote for
Volkswagen's new compact SUV gears up for Africa, with a new name you can vote for Volkswagen has been in the process of adding the Tera compact SUV to its global line-up, with assembly for a locally produced iteration scheduled to begin at its Kariega plant in the Eastern Cape by late 2026 or early 2027. The only caveat is that it won't be called the Tera here… Looking for a new or used Volkswagen? Find it here with CARmag! Last week, Volkswagen sold 12 000 Tera units in 50 minutes during its launch day in Brazil. The event spanned the extent of the country, across all Volkswagen dealerships, which generated millions of rands worth of revenue. Volkswagen Group Africa will want to replicate this success when it unveils the locally produced SUV across the continent, and has officially kicked off with a campaign to imbue the forthcoming model with a more appropriate name for the African market. The move is backed by a R4b investment and marks the brand's attempt to gain ground in the competitive entry-level SUV market. While the vehicle is known as the 'Tera' in other regions, Volkswagen South Africa has confirmed it will adopt a unique name for the local market. The company has opened a public poll to select from four shortlisted names: Tengo, Tavi, Tiva and Tion. Each name was chosen for its cultural or linguistic significance, and the final decision will reflect feedback from local voters. Place your vote here. Related: VW's Kariega Plant Will Pause Production in 2025 For R4 Billion Investment of Tera SUV The forthcoming model will be an alternative to the T-Cross, giving buyers a more affordable option in Volkswagen's SUV line-up. It's expected to compete with similarly priced models from brands like Renault Captur and Chery Tiggo 4, all of which have gained traction with budget-conscious buyers. Underneath, the SUV will use the same MQB-A0 platform as the Polo and T-Cross. That means it will likely share some design elements and interior tech, including Volkswagen's latest infotainment systems and digital driver displays. In terms of engines, the 1l, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit is expected to be the main option. Final pricing and full specifications will only be announced closer to the model's launch in 2027, but the local production and platform-sharing suggest Volkswagen is aiming for a competitive price point to appeal to a wide range of buyers. Click here and browse thousands of new and used vehicles here with CARmag! The post Volkswagen Hands Over To SA To Select Locally Produced SUV's Name appeared first on CAR Magazine. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
