Volkswagen PHL formally reenters SUV market with T-Cross
YOU MIGHT not have noticed, but Volkswagen Philippines had quietly purged its sport utility vehicle (SUV) offerings (namely, the Touareg and Tiguan) from the lineup. In effect, that left the company ironically unrepresented in a segment seeing massive growth. Of course, that’s an untenable position to be in.
So, last Friday, the company decisively rectified that situation with the launch of the Volkswagen T-Cross — a compact crossover that’s now seeking its place under the Philippine sun. You might say it’s back in time for the playoffs, as the crossover frenzy is arguably at an all-time high.
From the outset, two significant qualities are going for the T-Cross. The first is the fact that it’s a global model — something that should help to allay concerns of consumers who were, for good or bad, off-put by China-specific VW models. These “regional” models, supplanting more familiar nameplates like the Polo, Jetta, and Golf obviously have neither the history nor recall of these.
Volkswagen Philippines leadership is well-aware of these considerations, and its president, Felipe Estrella, came to the defense in a past press conference, saying that the quality of VW releases — regardless where these are made (or even distributed) — is essentially the same. The advantage, of course, in sourcing from China is that the SRPs have been significantly brought down due to proximity and tariff relief.
Having said that, the T-Cross comes with, well, a full set of international credentials. In a release, Volkswagen Philippines said, “(It) has lived up to its global stature, having been introduced in 2018, and by 2020 had been offered in 55 countries, selling over 300,000 units in just the course of two years.”
To keep up with the demand, the Volkswagen rolls out T-Cross units from four global manufacturing and assembly hubs — in China, Brazil, Germany, and India. The company points out that regardless of the factory where they’re made, each T-Cross is “consistent with the exact design and engineering specifications and standards of Volkswagen Germany.”
Volkswagen Philippines added in a release, “It’s as if the T-Cross that will park in every Filipino garage comes straight from Volkswagen’s global headquarters in Wolfsburg.” That garage is expected to be owned by “upwardly mobile, results-oriented, and overachieving multi-faceted millennials who expect their cars to keep in pace with their wide-ranging passions and personalities — which begins with the design statement aptly summed up in ‘I am more than one thing.’”
This second thing going for the T-Cross is its price. The two variants both get a P30,000 discount until the end of June, making their tags even more affordable. The T-Cross 180 MPI AT S is priced at P1.068 million, while the higher-spec 180 MPI AT SE tops out at P1.168 million. These prices allow the vehicle to undercut a number of brands’ offerings in the category.
It appears to be working. Volkswagen Philippines told “Velocity” that the first batch of units — 80 vehicles in total — have already been spoken for. “The overwhelming response of the market is exciting! Our dealerships have only started to receive and display the first T-Cross units (last) May 26, but we have already sold out the initial batch. We have another shipment coming and, due to the public clamor, we are extending our cash discount offer of P30,000 up to June 30 to accommodate the demand,” said Mr. Estrella.
Powering the five-seater subcompact SUV (reportedly boasting the longest wheelbase [2,651mm] in its class) is a Euro 6-rated 1.5-liter engine with six-speed Tiptronic AT promising “optimal fuel efficiency and… power.” Measuring 4,218-mm long, 1,760-mm wide, and 1,589-mm tall, the T-Cross provides up to 1,319 liters of cargo space.
Aside from a “strong body structure,” Volkswagen said the T-Cross receives a slew of safety and convenience features including: electronic stabilization program, cruise control, tire pressure monitoring system, and rear park distance control. Additional LED headlights, six air bags, rear camera, and autonomous emergency braking are provided the SE variant.
The T-Cross reputation for safety is bulletproof as it achieved a rating of five stars in the European New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the Australasian NCAP, and Latin NCAP.
VW is even harping on the PMS (preventive maintenance service) savings that can be realized with the T-Cross. Customers only need to visit the casa once a year or every 10,000 kilometers (whichever comes first), making it “up to 40% more affordable (versus) the industry standard” over the course of five years of ownership. Add to this a warranty of three years or 100,000 km, and a spare parts warranty of two years.
To further drum up interest, Volkswagen Philippines is holding a #TCrossTrendspotting activity, which enjoins the public “to send as many photos of their random T-Cross sightings on the road, at the dealers, or in any location, to the social media pages of Volkswagen Philippines with a brief caption explaining their impressions of the vehicle, along with the hashtag #TCrossTrendspotting and #MoreThan1Thing.” Five winners of the promo to run until June 30 will be chosen, with each receiving an “entertainment gadget.”
It sure seems like Volkswagen knows how to make a roaring comeback.
For more information, visit www.volkswagen.com.ph; like and follow the Volkswagen Philippines Facebook page and Instagram account at @volkswagenph.
