Volkswagen T-Cross long-term review: report 8

The Volkswagen T-Cross impressed us on test, but how will it work in the hands of Millie, a key-worker in a care home?...

Volkswagen T-Cross long termer outside care home

The car Volkswagen T-Cross 1.0 TSI 115 SE

Run by Millie Mangwanya

Why it’s here To see if Volkswagen’s smallest SUV is worth the extra over the Polo on which it's based

Needs to Not feel out of its depth on the motorway, be comfortable on long trips and prove more practical than a hatchback


Mileage 6077 List price £20,205 Target Price £19,578 Price as tested £22,580 Test economy 45.0mpg Official economy 47.1mpg (combined) 


21 May 2020 – The T-Cross is doing great, apart from the saga of the old nail

Russian Roulette; do you pull the trigger or not? Except in this case, the trigger was a nail in the T-Cross’s rear tyre, and I was about to chance pulling it out.

Volkswagen T-Cross long termer with nail in tyre

It’s fair to say that Millie (she’s the care worker who’s using our T-Cross) has been enthralled with the car over the last couple of weeks. She’s been calling regular as clockwork to tell me she’s discovered another little gem in its crown.

More on those next time, because unfortunately she also discovered said nail. And that’s how I found myself poised with a pair of pliers, wondering if, after I pulled, I’d hear the sound of silence or a sinful hiss?

I yanked. And I listened intently, to hear if the tyre would hold its breath. It breathed, loudly. I breathed a sad sigh in response. It couldn’t be repaired, either, so after a lot of toing and froing we managed to get a replacement tyre fitted (thanks to Edgware Tyre Brigade, who were very helpful at sorting that) and get the T-Cross back on the road, supporting our key-worker hero.

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