The salary you need to earn to afford the new VW T-Cross in South Africa

South Africans need to earn at least R44,000 per month in order to afford a VW T-Cross on a finance plan, according to a calculation by TopAuto.

Volkswagen recently added two new entry-level models to the crossover series, significantly reducing its price tag in the process.

The base T-Cross now asks for a minimum of R400,700, compared to the R471,400 that motorists would previously need to commit,

The cheaper sticker is in large part thanks to the return of a lower-spec 1.0-litre turbo-petrol (TSI) engine, which produces a total of 70kW and 175Nm.

This is paired with a five-speed manual gearbox, resulting in an average fuel spend of 5.9l/100km.

Buyers can also choose an uprated version of the TSI plant with 85kW and 200Nm, which connects to a seven-speed automatic shifter and consumes 5.6l/100km.

Standard equipment across all models includes 16-inch wheels, a multifunction steering wheel, cloth upholstery, 2 front USB ports, 2 speakers, manual air conditioning, hill-start assist, tyre-pressure monitoring, a remote central locking system, and an 8-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Anyone who buys the 85kW variants will also receive LED headlights and daytime running lights, LED rear combination lamps, power-adjustable and heated side mirrors, park distance control, electronic stability control, and driver attention monitoring.

The mid-range Life units additionally feature an 8-inch digital driver display, 16-inch alloys, cruise control, and a wireless charger, while the Style comes with Matrix LED headlights, 17-inch alloys, dual-zone climate control, and a larger 10-inch instrument cluster.

Finally, the range-topping R-line throws in dynamic turn indicators, R-line badges, ArtVelour R-Line seats, and stainless steel pedals.

Every T-Cross is sold with a 3-year/120,000km warranty and a 3-year/45,000km service plan.

What you need to earn

We can use the following formula to work out the monthly payments on the new VW:

• Car price – R400,700/R543,800
• Payment term – 60 terms (5 years)
• Interest – 11.00%
• Deposit – 0%
• Balloon – No balloon payment
• Extras – No optional extras

According to this, you’ll need to pay at least R8,807 per month for the base model, or up to R11,919 per month for the R-line.

Financial experts then recommend that you do not spend more than 20% of your gross monthly salary on vehicle payments.

This means you’ll need to earn anywhere from R44,035 per month to R59,595 per month to afford the new T-Cross on a finance plan in South Africa.

Note that this figure does not account for insurance, fuel, and maintenance, which must all be factored into your budget.