Volkswagen T-Cross SUV Teased, Will Debut at 2018 Paris Motor Show

Many people buy small SUVs because they assume they're safer for the driver and occupants than hatchbacks and sedans of a similar compact size. That's not always the case, of course, but it could be when it comes to the new T-Cross being teased by Volkswagen, which the German auto giant is claiming will be among the "safest vehicles in its class" when it arrives as a direct rival to the Nissan Juke next year.

The T-Cross will be the smallest SUV in the VW family when it arrives to sit in the range below the T-Roc, and this rival to the Citroen C3 Aircross and others will be making its full public debut at the Paris Motor Show in October.

If anyone was expecting the T-Cross to be something of a Russian doll approach to styling by Volkswagen where all its SUVs look the exactly the same, just in different sizes, this latest sketch of the rear puts paid to that notion. The rear of the vehicle has a lamp cluster stretching along the full width of the trunk lid, but the proportions of the vehicle in the sketch are possibly slightly exaggerated so the arch-filling alloys and chunky bumpers won't make it into production without being toned down at least a little. This is the general consensus as a number of spy shots of prototypes have been seen in recent weeks showing a more restrained approach to exterior styling.

Although the manufacturer is refusing to be specific at the moment, this sibling to the Seat Arona is designed to exploit the growing demand for family-friendly compact SUV crossovers. That means it will prioritize the key areas of safety, usability and practicality that see vehicles of this type continuing to eat into the sales of the minivans that used to be the go-to vehicle for families on the go.

The T-Cross Breeze concept unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show last year was the inspiration for what will eventually become the production T-Cross, and it's just one of some 19 new SUV models Volkswagen has in the pipeline. Eventually, it plans for SUVs to make up at least 40 percent of the German brand's global sales.