The T-Cross is a new compact SUV from VW. How compact? Well, it sits on the same platform as the Polo, which means that it leaves a supermini-sized footprint but carries a significantly taller profile. Compact indeed then.

It enters an increasingly saturated market – you can’t cross a road without encountering a faux off-roader – where it faces some seriously competent competition, including from within its own stable.

VW have stuck with a traditional two-box SUV shape to maximise interior space. The front end is very much on trend for the current line-up of VW crossovers, with a three-strip grille that bears a single strip of chrome running horizontally through its centre, forming a bridge between the daytime running lights.

That line continues along the side, dissecting the door handles and blending into the rear light assemblies. Those rear lights are joined by a heckblende – a German word that effectively translates to rear fascia – that also incorporates a full-width reflector. It is, in fact, the rear view that is the most distinctive.

It rides on VW’s MQB platform, allowing the introduction of a significant number of driver assistance systems as standard, including Front Assist with Pedestrian Monitoring and City Emergency Braking systems, Lane Assist, Hill Start Assist, Blind Spot Detection and Rear Traffic Alert.

Unlike many vehicles in this class, the seating position does feel significantly higher than in a supermini, so you do get something approaching an SUV-like view of your surroundings. There’s a decent amount of adjustment in both the seating position and the steering column so you should be able to get comfortable behind the wheel without too much faffing about.

The view out the front is good, thanks to the thin A-pillars but the same can’t be said for the back – and this is also true of many of its rivals – where thick rear pillars greatly reduces visibility. Front and rear parking sensors are standard only on SEL trim and above but you can add a rear view camera to your options list for relatively few of your British pounds.

An eight-inch multimedia touchscreen is standard across the range, with DAB radio and Volkswagen Connect, which is the firm’s smartphone app updated with pertinent information such as servicing requirement, trip analysis and the vehicle’s location, something that could prove priceless for those among us who like to visit new places and like to park in obscure side streets to avoid paying car park charges!

There’s a USB socket so you can plug in your mobile phone and take advantage of the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration that’s standard on the SE trim model tested here. The standard sound system is equipped with six speakers but can be upgraded with the Beats Soundpack which adds a subwoofer and boosts power to 300 watts.

VW have a deserved reputation for putting together robust, tactile and aesthetically appealing interiors and the T-Cross is bang on the money, for the most part. There’s no doubt that it is very well put together and should comfortably withstand the rigours of family use but for a ‘premium lifestyle’ model, there’s just a little much use of hard, shiny plastics, particularly on the doors and dashboard.

There are option packs that allow you to personalise the interior with the addition of textured and coloured dashboard inserts, as well as ambient lighting to add a little warmth on those dark, lonely nights. Oh, that’s just me?

There’s plenty of room for tall people in the front and even people riding in the back don’t fare too badly. You can, thanks to a rear bench that slides fore and aft, comfortably accommodate two six-footers riding in tandem and that high roof means that no one should be complaining about a lack of headroom. Things do get a bit cozy when you’re carrying a third passenger in the rear but they at least won’t find themselves having to deal with an intrusive transmission tunnel.

The cabin certainly provides plenty of places to store your odds and ends, with a sliding drawer under the driver’s seat, large door bins and a decent-sized glovebox, as well as a number of other cubbies, trays and cupholders. Meanwhile the boot will hold 385 litres of your luggage with the back seat in its rearmost position, or 455 with it moved all the way forward. Stow the rear bench away completely and that figure rises to 1,281 litres.

It also does an excellent job of isolating its occupants from the outside world. At 70mph you start to notice a little tyre roar and door mirror-generated wind noise but it’s not loud enough to become irritating.

There’s just one engine to choose from – a one-litre three-cylinder turbocharged unit that’s available with either 114 or 94bhp. That lower figure, as it turns out, is more than enough to haul the diminutive T-Cross around with the minimum of fuss. It’s particularly capable around urban areas where a decent slug of low-down torque is enough to propel you away from junctions quickly and efficiently. The steering is light enough to make manoeuvring in tight spaces a doddle too. The five-speed manual gearbox has a slick, smooth action that works in perfect harmony with the light clutch.

Once you hit the open round it does take a while to get up to speed but it has excellent cruising credentials and it’s only when you’re attempting overtakes that you might, for a moment, find yourself wishing for a little more grunt.

One thing you won’t be wishing for is greater comfort, because in this particular regard, the T-Cross excels. The suspension is just the right of firm to deal with broken surfaces, potholes and speed bumps with considerable aplomb. It’s firm enough to provide some entertainment when you pick up the pace on A-roads thanks to commendable body control, a nicely balanced chassis with decent grip from all four contact patches and communicative steering that weights up nicely as the pace picks up.

The T-Cross is a great example of the compact crossover breed. It’s very comfortable and undemanding to live with. It is easy to drive and handles quite sweetly for a car in its class without compromising comfort. There’s a surprising amount of room for passengers and their luggage, but it’s small enough to manoeuvre around urban areas with very little fuss. If you’re looking for a small car that’s big on space, then you might want to put the T-Cross somewhere near the top of your shopping list.

VW T-Cross SE 1.0 95PS 5-speed manual

Price: £17,945

As tested: £19,890

Engine: 1.0-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol

Transmission: 5-speed manual

Max power: 95PS

Max torque: 175Nm @ 2,000 – 3,500rpm

Max speed: 112mph

0-62mph: 11.5sec

WLTP Low: 41.9mpg

WLTP medium: 51.5mpg

WLTP high: 56.2mpg

WLTP extra high: 44.7mpg

WLTP combined: 48.6mpg

Emissions (CO2): 112g/km.

For more information visit www.vw.co.uk