In the final week of September, members of the motoring media and content creators got their hands on more than one kind of wheel as Volkswagen Philippines engaged them on an idyllic ride-and-drive with the Volkswagen T-Cross from AC Motors Centrale in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig to Tagaytay City in Cavite.

From driving Volkswagen’s global subcompact SUV, the T-Cross, to the sumptuous lunch at Hillbarn and Kap’ean, to a fun and creative session at a potter’s wheel, participants of the       T-Cross motoring lifestyle experience discovered more than one way to enjoy a trip to the popular ridge onboard the T-Cross. The ride-and-drive activity, which was spread out over three days, was made to highlight the T-Cross’ advantage— of it being “More Than One Thing” for its buyers.

The T-Cross, which was launched in the Philippines in 2021, is produced in four key facilities worldwide–Brazil, China, Germany and India. It was launched globally and simultaneously in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Sao Paulo in Brazil, and Shanghai in China in 2018. Thus, each T-Cross vehicle coming out of any of the production facilities bears the same precision engineering and global standards of craftsmanship the Volkswagen brand has been known for.

As such, the 2022 T-Cross SE that the participants drove for the 150-km day tour are virtually the same T-Cross that has been awarded multiple times, such as Best Compact SUV at BusinessCar Awards 2019 in United Kingdom, Compact SUV of the Year at the 2020 Continental Tyres Irish Car of the Year in Ireland, the Best “Exterior Volume Brand” at Frankfurt Motor Show 2019 in Germany, the Compact SUV of the Year by UOL Carros 2019 and L’Auto Preferita in Brazil, and the Compact Family Car category win in the 5th annual Cars.co.za Consumer Awards in South Africa.

The T-Cross stays true to the German automaker’s distinctive build and design qualities. The T-Cross—like all other Volkswagen models—benefits from precise German engineering across the entire production process, in all its global facilities. This is evident in every model’s fit and finish: Laser welding technology; forged steel door hinges; high-strength panels, and; consistent door seals and panel gaps, all contributing to a strong and durable body structure. This means that every T-Cross owner anywhere in the world is assured of a consistent, solid, world-class build. It’s as if the very same engineers, designers, and assemblers in Wolfsburg built every T-Cross themselves.   

Though the classic and signature Volkswagen look is still evident in the T-Cross, its “Cool” factor grabs the attention of the younger generation of drivers with hip and trendy interior and exterior designs and colors bearing quirky names such as Tribu Yellow, Syringa Violet, Romance Red, Chinchilla Gray, and Polar White. The SE variant, in fact, even matches interior trims with its exterior color. For that more “in control” feel at the pilot’s seat, the gauges and infotainment system are easy to read with the Active Info Display, while the large 9.2-inch infotainment monitor maximizes the Wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity.

The 2022 T-Cross SE variant features the efficient 1.5-liter Multi Point Injection (MPI) gasoline engine paired with a 6-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission which—operating under Volkswagen’s BlueMotion technology with Euro 6 standard—optimizes fuel economy and minimizes emissions without sacrificing power. Thus, the group’s climb from the lowlands of Metro Manila to the 700-meter elevation of Tagaytay ridge was a breeze, the T-Cross’ 113 PS of maximum power and 145 Nm of maximum torque more than sufficient to bring participants to their cool destinations. The Cruise Control also made the long expressway drive extra-relaxed and comfortable, while the Sport Mode was always available to provide an extra power boost when desired.

The practical spaciousness of the T-Cross cabin was also highlighted. With the folded rear seat bench, an already cavernous 329 liters of luggage compartment expands up to 1,319 liters—more than enough for the participants to take in their camera equipment, tripods, and other tools of the media trade, along with the souvenirs of the pottery-making exercise and other personal items.

The participants, however, were never really “alone” in their T-Cross during the entire trip. To keep everyone safe on the road, the vehicle’s Electronic Stabilisation Program (ESP) was their “guardian angel” of sorts, always ready to help them stay in control of the vehicle even when the way got twisty, or when unforeseen obstructions on the road suddenly came up.  Other safety features of the T-Cross also came in handy for the various driving conditions a trip up the ridge presented, such as the Hill Hold Control, Anti-Slip Regulation, Rear Parking Distance Control, and the rear camera (exclusive to the SE variant).

Driving in higher elevations also presents an additional challenge—the sudden onset of fog. In such conditions, the T-Cross SE variant adds another layer of safety via visibility by being equipped with LED headlights, daytime running lights, and front fog lamp with corner light function, apart from the standard rear foglamp. When the mist does clear up, the SE variant is ready to give its occupants added visual treats via a panoramic sunroof.

The media participants discovered that, on board the Volkswagen T-Cross, there’s really more than one way to enjoy a trip to a familiar destination. And that was just for one day. Imagine the things the T-Cross can bring you to—anytime, anywhere you wish.

Imagine, as well, the pleasure and convenience of owning the T-Cross. The model’s aftersales support is founded on the campaign “Keep your Volkswagen running like a Volkswagen,” which offers delightful aftersales services on all fronts, such as limiting periodic maintenance services (PMS) to just once a year which leads to 20% less cost of ownership compared to its competitors, 100,000 kms or 3-year warranty coverage program (whichever comes first), 3-month stock on parts, enhancements in service quality via Express Service, free 24/7 Emergency Roadside Assistance (ERA), and ensuring that only technicians mentored by globally certified trainers, and backed by on-site and virtual diagnostic technical support, look after your T-Cross.