2017 VW Cross up! owner’s review – Perfect for city driving

TopAuto reader Ryan has driven his VW Cross up! from the day it rolled through the showroom doors, and he’s been fighting off cash buyers ever since.

“One particular family member has been trying to take it off my hands,” he said.

Ryan shared his ownership experience with us below.

Which model do you own?

I own a VW Cross up! with 45,000 kilometres on the clock, which I bought new in November 2017.

What are your three favourite things about the car?

Fuel consumption is my number one favourite thing about this car.

I get around 5.8l/100km, which is more than what VW states, but that is with generous aircon usage and a rather heavy accelerator foot.

I also like its interior design and infotainment system, as well as the general ease-of-use in heavy Cape Town traffic.

Which three things do you like least about the car?

Finding three things would be tough.

I would like more power at times, but 55kW is plenty for 95% of my daily needs – which includes a lot of city driving.

An automatic model would also have been nice, but I don’t think VW are bringing those to South Africa.

I will say this, though: if you regularly carry more than one passenger and you are on the taller side,  you will need to push the driver’s seat way forward for the rear passengers to have any leg room.

I was driving with my knees up by the dash with four adults in the car. Small kids you will get away with, however.

What is it like to drive your car every day?

It is incredibly quiet and well-refined, and offers a roomy and uplifting interior space – which was far superior to the alternatives in this category that I test drove.

My fuel costs are negligible, too, and I fill its 35-litre tank every two or three weeks.

Closing the front doors then gives a very reassuring “thump” and adds to the feeling of safety. I previously owned a Toyota Aygo, which I also loved, but this is decades ahead in terms of refinement.

What is the hardest journey you have ever taken with your car?

Well, there were no “hard” journeys ever taken in this car, but definitely long ones.

The longest journey I did was a round trip from Cape Town to Durban via Bloemfontein, which the car took in stride running at the speed limit with a moderate load.

It’s out of puff around the 140km/h mark, but I believe this would not be too big of a problem for most.

It was also very accommodating on this trip and I did not arrive feeling fatigued.

Would you recommend your car to friends and family?

I absolutely recommend this car.

The Cross variant comes with great features as standard, such as rear parking sensors, Bluetooth, cruise control, heated seats, fog lamps, and hill hold assist.

Its price was high relative to the segment when I bought it, but the build quality far outshines its competitors.

In my experience, dealing with VW service departments was also pleasant.

This is a great car for a young adult with no kids who is looking for a fun runaround which is cheap to run and service.

The seats are comfortable, but don’t expect good side support if you like to tear around your neighbourhood traffic circles.