Nissan launched the craze off with the Juke, and many manufacturers saw the potential in the market and followed suit.
It took a while coming but finally Volkswagen has joined in, with the T-Cross taking the Polo hatchback’s underpinnings and adding a bit more height, length and space.
Like almost every other small SUV though, the tougher looks are little more than that. There is no 4×4 option in the T-Cross’s range and this is a car that is designed to look like an off roader, but not necessarily tackle tough terrain like one.
It’s designed to stand alone as a model, and is not just a Polo on stilts. Even the basic trim gets a set of alloy wheels, while all but the entry-level version comes with roof rails.
The most striking design feature is the large light bar that runs across the rear of the car.
It’s far from the outlandish approach taken by some rivals like the aforementioned Juke, but there is the opportunity to add a little splash of personality in the form of a design pack.
This allows you to add orange, green or black splashes to the alloy wheels and dashboard. VW won’t let you go too wild though, so your choices are limited on those models in the corresponding body colour.
As is the case with most small hatchbacks these days, the engine range on offer in the UK is limited to petrol options only. You can, for now, only choose between two versions of a 1.0-litre with either 94bhp or 113bhp.
VW reckons most people will go for the more powerful model, but this doesn’t mean you should discount the lower powered model, especially if you are going to spend most of your time around town. It only really starts to feel like it runs out of grunt at higher speeds and still cruises quite happily once it gets up to pace.
The more powerful model is the pick of the two, though. It’s not blisteringly fast, with 0 to 60mph taking just 10.2 seconds, but it pulls well from low revs and goes on up through the gears smoothly and remarkably quietly.
The only quibble is with the length of those gears – you might find yourself cruising in fourth gear rather than the more efficient higher ratios.
The smooth twin-clutch semi-automatic gearbox removes this minor dilemma, as well as providing a slick alternative to the necessity of changing gears.
VW has the ability to put a diesel engine into this car, but has chosen not to. Given that the average fuel economy ranges from just under 45mpg to just under 49mpg on the two petrol models, you can see why.
The T-Cross goes for solid dependability rather than excitement on the road, with the ride and handling complementing the smooth and quiet nature of the engines.
The light steering makes nipping around town easy and stress free, while it remains settled around faster corners out on rural roads with more resistance offered through the steering wheel when you pick up the pace.
It seems to make little difference which size of wheels you go for – the small VW rides well on everything up to the largest 18-inch versions.
It’s unlikely that many people will buy a small SUV expecting a thrilling ride though, and the T-Cross’s excellent space and versatility will be a far bigger draw. There is vast amounts of room for people and things in the front part of the cabin, with cubbies under the seat, between the seats and in the doors.
Inside, the personalisation of the exterior can be continued with a selection of different dashboard finishes available. The look is stylish and remarkably classy for a car in a sector that has generally been built to a budget given its size and target market.
The signs of cost cutting come when you inspect the materials a little closer – the plastics on the top of the dash are particularly harsh and unyielding to the touch, but that is the only blight on an otherwise excellent cabin.
The back part of the car offers an excellent amount of flexibility. There are sliding rear seats as standard, meaning you can choose between a huge amount of legroom for your rear passengers or a 455-litre boot capacity – more than even in the larger T-Roc SUV.
It’s not a binary choice; you can still get a good amount of legroom if you set it halfway and you still get 385 litres with the seats all the way back.
Underfloor storage and a height-adjustable floor comes as standard from SE trim and it allows you to get a totally flat loading bay when you drop the seats.
If that is important, don’t go for the upgraded Beats Soundpack stereo system – the subwoofer sits under the floor and means you can only set it at the higher level.
The entry level S model comes with a decent amount of kit – DAB digital radio, an 8-inch colour touchscreen, Bluetooth and air conditioning for example – but stepping up to SE adds a few attractive elements that make the T-Cross that bit more appealing.
The roof rails and 17-inch alloys add a visual upgrade, while the adaptive cruise control with emergency braking, auto lights and Apple CarPlay and Android capability means you don’t need to add a satellite navigation system.
Other than the visual options, such as the coloured wheels, the only ones really worth considering are the Winter Pack and the parking sensors if you go for a lower trim as the big rear pillars can get in the way when you are looking back for reversing.
The T-Cross has been a long time coming, but VW has watched what all its rivals has done with their own small SUVs and improved on it.
Finally, there is a contender in the class that doesn’t major on ‘quirkiness’ and instead offers a grown-up driving experience and a brilliant amount of practicality.
Logbook Lowdown
Model: Volkswagen T-Cross
Price range: £16,995-£25,050
Engine range: Turbo-petrol – 1.0, 1.0-litre 113bhp
Power: 0-60mph in 10.2 seconds, top speed 120mph (1.0 113bhp)
Average fuel economy: 48.7mpg (1.0)
CO2 emissions range: 111-115g/km
Rivals: Nissan Juke, Renault Captur, Seat Arona
Rating: 9/10
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