Volkswagen T-Cross vs Skoda Kamiq

What's the difference?

The Volkswagen T-Cross might be late to the small SUV party, but it’s not so much tardy, as making a fashionable entrance.

It’s a very impressive compact SUV - big on space, style and comfort, well priced, decently specified and a smart option for customers who aspire to a German badge being shown off in their driveway.

The Kamiq's entry price is much higher than when Skoda Australia launched the small SUV, and it is missing key features - some of which are a result of the semiconductor crisis and beyond the company's control.

It also proved a little thirstier than expected too, but for the most part, the Kamiq is a solid pick.

It is one of the most enjoyable small SUVs, of any price, to drive, with sharp dynamics and a willing turbocharged engine.

A spacious-for-the-segment cabin and top-notch tech add to the Kamiq's appeal.

It’s not to be confused with the slightly larger T-Roc model, which has just arrived here too. The T-Roc is bigger, based on the Golf. But that model isn’t quite as clever when it comes to its design as this one.

Despite being smaller, the T-Cross is super smart when it comes to overall packaging. It’s based on the Polo city car, and isn’t much bigger in terms of nose-to-tail length (T-Cross: 4108mm; Polo: 4053mm). However the T-Cross is a taller, boxier design, and that means added practicality. It is 1760mm wide and 1583mm tall, whereas the Polo is 1751mm wide and 1446mm tall.

It still has the rugged SUV styling cues you’d expect, albeit in a bit more of an urban-focused design. There are still chunky bumpers and off road inspired bits to separate it from a standard city hatchback, and it has 180mm of ground clearance - ideal for jumping the occasional gutter.

And because it’s a VW sold in Australia, there are option packs to add on if you want them. The test car you see in these images has the R-Line pack optioned up, which adds a number of body design changes and 18-inch wheels on the outside, and some nice bits inside, too. More on that in the next section.

Disappointingly, VW has launched the T-Cross with a base model that still has halogen headlamps, where the mid-spec car you see here has LED lighting all around. I’ll break down the specs for you in the pricing section. 

The Kamiq is something of a contradiction in that it is visually appealing, yet conservative at the same time.

The standard Candy White paint of our test car probably didn't help the staid vibe.

But, there are elements – such as the split headlights with a crystal-like pattern of the daytime running lights, and the well-crafted rear end – that set the Kamiq apart.

These features and the signature grille leave no doubt that you're driving a Skoda.

If you're after a more visually arresting Kamiq, check out the sporty looking Monte Carlo.

Inside, the design is again on the conservative European side. In fact, in Ambition grade at least, the Kamiq's cabin looks a little drab.

The cream headliner and a metal-look insert running the width of the dash breaks up the grey, and there are some interesting angles to the dash and door panels, but it all looks a bit generic.

There are some SUVs in this segment of the market that pack more in than you think is physically possible. The Honda HR-V comes to mind first and foremost, and the T-Cross is very close to that benchmark-setter when it comes to interior practicality.

That’s because the T-Cross has a clever sliding second-row seat that allows you to either prioritise back seat room, or boot capacity. Depending on what you’re doing, you can adjust the space ratio to suit.

The sliding second-row means the boot capacity can either be 385 litres (seat all the way back) or 455L (seat forward), and that increases to 1281L with the seats folded flat, too. Under the boot floor is a space saver spare wheel, and those rear seats fold 60:40 as well.

With that back seat in its most passenger-focused setting, and with the driver’s seat set for myself (182cm), I had easily enough knee room, toe space and headroom to be comfortable for hours in the back. With it slid forward, that wasn’t the case - but it’s arguably only going to be used like that if you have younger children in boosters or baby capsules, anyway. 

Either way, it’s a good compromise, one that many competitors can’t offer. Not even the HR-V (though it has Magic Seats which are amazing in their own right).

The back seat amenities are a mixed bag. There are two USB ports for keeping devices charged up, as well as a pair of map pockets on the seat backs, and a pair of large door pockets. Unlike some more expensive VW models, those pockets aren’t lined, though, and that’s a bit annoying as things will move around in them, as they’re not shaped for bottles. 

There are no cup holders, no fold-down armrest, and no rear ceiling-mount grab handles. So it really depends what you prioritise when it comes to the back seat experience.

The front cabin is very familiar to those who have sat in a VW over, say, the past five years. It’s a well designed and very ergonomically smart space, with everything falling to hand just as you’d expect.

The media screen is excellent - an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android auto, but not sat nav as standard (optional). There are knobs and buttons on either side, so it’s easy to find your way around the screen, and the menus are logical, too. 

Storage includes a pair of small cup holders between the front seats, a covered centre bin, a decent glovebox, and a storage tray on the dash top. There’s also a storage caddy in front of the gear selector, which houses a wireless phone charger pad, and also two more USB ports. And just like the rear, the front door pockets are large but unlined, though at least up front you get padded elbow pads on the doors.

The steering wheel is lovely, and the optional pack with the upgraded sound system and digital driver info screen is worth the money, if you ask me. It adds to that technical, Teutonic feeling that you get in VW products, and helps align the interior nicely to the already excellent standard of perceived quality - even if there are plenty of hard plastics used.

The cabin might look a little drab, but you'd be hard-pressed to fault the overall quality of the interior.

There are some hard plastics on the lower part of the dash but soft-touch materials on top. The Kamiq features a lovely flat-bottom, perforated leather steering wheel that feels nice to touch and has simple controls. However, the cruise control buttons are housed on a stalk on the left side of the steering column. It can be hard to see the controls on these secondary stalks which are often hidden behind the steering wheel and we don't know why carmakers insist on using them. Keep cruise controls on the steering wheel, please.

Tall folk will love the headroom in the Kamiq, and it's easy to find a good seating position but the front seats aren't super supportive. They could do with a little more thigh padding.

The Kamiq's design ensures it is one of the best models in its class when it comes to visibility; there's plenty of glass and narrow pillars, meaning no obvious blind spots.

It features a small but deep central storage bin, a decent glove box, good space for big bottles (1.5L bottles, according to Skoda) and more in the front doors.

The configurable ‘Virtual Cockpit' digital instrument cluster is hard to fault. Although the system asks to hit the ‘OK' button to reset the trip computer, we could not locate an OK button anywhere on the steering wheel.

The 8.0-inch multimedia system has a logical menu and it houses functions for the driver-assist features and other vehicle functions.

Annoyingly, the air conditioning controls are split between analogue switches and digital controls via the touchscreen. You can only adjust fan speed on the screen. Surely it makes more sense for this function to be either digital or analogue, not both?

There's a surprising amount of occupant space in the rear, with plenty of legroom behind my 183cm (six foot) frame, and acres of headroom.

As well as the two USB-C ports up front there's a further two in the rear, as well as lower air vents, map pockets, grab handles and coat hooks. Door storage is narrow and will only fit tiny bottles.

The rear seats fold 60/40 and there's no centre armrest.

At 400 litres (1395L with the rear seats folded), it's a decent-sized boot, but it can't match the Kia Seltos (468L).

Being a Skoda, it has handy touches like a storage nook on the side of the cargo area, rubber mats, hooks for a luggage net and a solid cargo blind for added security.

The Kamiq's 16-inch space-saver spare wheel is housed under the boot floor.

When the Kamiq launched in Australia in late 2020, the line-up started with the entry-level 85TSI manual from $26,990 before on-road costs. Given how much safety and other standard gear was packed in, it was seen as incredible value for money.

That variant – powered by a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine – was dropped in 2021 and now the most affordable Kamiq is the recently added Ambition manual from $34,690 before on-road costs. 

Granted, it has a more powerful and responsive 110kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine – also found in a bunch of other VW Group products – but it's a big jump from the previous entry car.

We tested the Ambition automatic which is priced from $35,690 before on-roads and for that you get cloth seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, tinted windows, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, a power tailgate, manually adjustable front seats, dual-zone air conditioning, keyless entry and start, and an umbrella in the driver's door – a clever Skoda signature.

UPDATE: The Kamiq 110TSI Ambition  has now been replaced by the Kamiq Style 85TSI, which was announced on May 5, 2022.

Tech-wise it has a fully digital instrument cluster, wireless phone-charging, 8.0-inch multimedia display with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a lengthy list of standard safety gear (see safety section below).

But, it is missing some key features like a digital radio and satellite navigation. The former is not available on any Kamiq grade and the latter is standard on the flagship Signature, which is priced from $38,090, and it's part of an option pack on the mid-grade sports-focused Monte Carlo from $37,590.

We can maybe forgive the lack of sat nav, given an increasing number of people use phone-based maps, but the absence of digital radio is weird.

It's much less of a bargain than when it first launched.

In terms of rivals, the Mazda CX-30 starts at just under $30,000, the Kia Seltos starts from $27,290, while the Renault Arkana kicks off at $34,590.

Powering the VW T-Cross will be two different engines.

At launch, and in our test car, is the 85TSI petrol engine, a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo unit with 85kW of power (at 5000rpm) and 200Nm of torque (from 2000-3500rpm). It is teamed exclusively to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and only comes in front-wheel drive. It’s hardly fast, but can manage 0-100km/h in 9.9 seconds.

There’ll be a more powerful 110TSI motor soon. It has a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-turbo with 110kW of power and 250Nm of torque. It also comes with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto and 2WD. It’s hardly a horsepower hero, but VW claims a 0-100km/h time of just 7.8sec for this variant. 

So that means there’s no diesel, no four-wheel drive (4WD or 4Motion), nor all-wheel drive (AWD), and no hybrid, plug-in hybrid or electric variant, either. 

The kerb weight for the 85TSI model is just 1240 kilograms, which is very light for a small SUV. The towing capacity is also a bit light, with an unbraked towing capacity of 630kg and a braked towing capacity of 1100kg.

As mentioned, the Kamiq is no longer offered with an entry-level 1.0-litre three-pot unit. Instead, all variants are powered by VW Group's 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine delivering 110kW of power at 6000rpm and 250Nm of torque at 1500-3500rpm.

The Kamiq is front-wheel drive only and the Ambition is available with a six-speed manual gearbox and the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission offered as standard on all other grades.

Claimed fuel consumption for the T-Cross 85TSI is 5.4 litres per 100 kilometres - the claim is perhaps a little ambitious, as is often the case with Euro three-cylinder petrol engines.

But it does have start-stop technology and brake energy recuperation, and during my time in the T-Cross I’ve seen a return of 6.4L/100km across a mix of urban and country driving, as well as some long highway stints. 

According to Skoda, the official combined fuel-use figure for the automatic Kamiq is 5.6 litres per 100 kilometres. The manual is more frugal at 4.9L.

After a week of mixed but mostly urban driving, we recorded 8.5L/100km in the Ambition. That's quite a difference from the official figure.

In terms of CO2 emissions, the figure is 128g/km.

The T-Cross drives like a Volkswagen. That might sound like a pretty obvious assertion, but the fact of the matter is that the German brand has a certain feel to the way its cars drive, and this little teeny weeny SUV drives rather similarly to some of the other members of the VW family, including much larger models.

That's one of the things I like most about the T-Cross. It drives bigger than it is. That means it feels substantial and considered on the road, not light (even though it is, at 1240kg) or small (though it is) and it doesn't feel like it'll get pushed around on the open road either.

Truly - I did more than 600 kilometres in the T-Cross, including a lot of highway and open road testing, and it feels substantial, refined and well resolved, which is something you can't necessarily say about a lot of its small SUV competitors. 

It's impressive, but it isn't perfect.

The engine is good and offers a nice whoosh of midrange pulling power, but in stop-start traffic the throttle response - in combination with the dual-clutch auto and start-stop engine tech - can make for some frustratingly slow take-offs. 

As speeds rise, it's a more enjoyable drive. The transmission shifts smoothly and smartly, and the engine response is ample, though up steeper hills you might wish for a touch more grunt, and the good news is the 110TSI model coming soon is bound to appease that desire.

The steering is nicely weighted and offers decent feel to the driver's hands, and you're never left second-guessing what will happen next. 

The suspension is quite well sorted, though my test car's 18-inch alloy wheels and low profile tyres (Hankook Ventus Prime 215/45/18s) were a little sharp over less-than-perfect urban streets. It still rides well and copes with big lumps and bumps decently, but it can be a little jittery - though arguably any small SUV on 18s will have a similar criticism levelled at it. 

Prior to getting behind the wheel of the Kamiq Ambition, I was impressed by the former base Kamiq with the 1.0-litre engine, which I sampled shortly after it launched.

Now having driven the 1.5-litre version, I'm even more enamoured with the Kamiq.

It is quick off the mark, with the responsive 110kW engine providing a lot of urge. Previous-generation VW Group models with the brand's dual-clutch transmission (they call it a DSG) have a tendency to lag on take-off -  a combination of the jolty transmission and the turbocharger.

These days the lag is much more subtle and doesn't impact the responsiveness, certainly when it comes to the Kamiq. Even the idle-stop function lacks the delay found in older VW Group product.

There is a bit of low-speed jerkiness caused by the transmission, but it's not a deal-breaker.

The Kamiq is a star performer among its rivals when it comes to dynamics. as well as super-sharp steering - typical of Skoda and VW models - it impresses when cornering, planting itself thanks to a balanced chassis, well-calibrated traction control and good tyres.

Road manners on loose surfaces are also hard to fault, and the Kamiq's cabin is relatively well insulated from outside noise.

The Kamiq's ride is mostly settled, particularly on urban streets, but the low-profile tyres and slightly firm suspension tune mean you will feel potholes and speed bumps. But again, not to the point of being a deal-breaker.

The Kamiq is offered with a solid range of safety gear as standard.

Features like front and rear autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, multi-collision braking, a rain braking feature, reversing camera, rear parking sensors, automatic flashing brake lights in the case of an emergency, adaptive cruise control, tyre pressure monitor, driver attention alert, lane assist and more.

Blind spot detection and rear cross traffic alert are usually standard on the Monte Carlo Signature, but Skoda says these two features are not currently available as they are impacted by the global semiconductor shortage. These two items are not offered at all on the Ambition grade.

The Kamiq has a five-star ANCAP rating that was awarded in 2019. It has seven airbags but does not include a front centre airbag that is designed to reduce the risk of injury during a side impact.

On the road, the adaptive cruise control is a bit slow to respond when you pull out to overtake on a freeway, for example.

The lane keeping aid functions well for the most part but can sometimes tug on the wheel.

VW Australia backs its models with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty plan, which is equal to the majority of mainstream players in the market.

There’s also a couple of new service plans available, aimed at lowering the cost of ownership.

At the time of writing, the pricing for the brand’s “Care Plans” were pegged at $990 for three years/45,000km, or $1800 for five years/75,000km cover (VW says the first service is free).

If you compare that to the brand’s pay as you go offer (Assured Price Service), you’ll save $256 for three years, or $645 if you get the five-year plan. It’s well worth considering rolling into your finance plan. 

There’s one year of roadside assist cover included for new VW products, but if you maintain your car with the brand, it renews up to nine further times, allowing 10 years of roadside cover.

Skoda offers a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty for the Kamiq.

The servicing schedule is every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

The Czech brand offers customers two service packs for the Kamiq Ambition, including a five-year/75,000km term for $1500, or a seven-year/105,000km for $2100.