The 2016 Geneva Motor Show->ke228 is shaping up to be one of Volkswagen’->ke94s most important auto shows. As the German automaker tries to recover from the worst scandal to hit the auto industry in recent years, it’s stepping up with a handful of important models that will all play a part in stirring up what it calls the “New Volkswagen.” One of these models is the T-Cross Breeze, a preview version of an entry-level crossover->ke288 that will sit below the Tiguan->ke1817 in the company’s SUV->ke145 lineup.

The concept will arrive in Geneva with a drop-top configuration á la the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet and the Range Rover Evoque Convertible. It’s a bold move to package the T-Cross like this, but make no mistake, whatever model comes out of the concept->ke169 will be packaged in a more traditional matter. A drop-top could be in the cards, but it’s too early to tell if VW is prepared to take that route, interesting as it sounds.

For now, treat the T-Cross Breeze like any other concept, albeit one that could potentially have a more important role in the future. Volkswagen made it clear that the T-Cross Breeze serves as a “teaser” for its first compact SUV and more importantly, the first hint of a new design language that would usher in a new era for the company.

Continue after the jump to read the full review.

Exterior

First, let’s start with the measurements. The T-Cross Breeze measures 162.7 inches long, 70.8 inches wide, and 61.5 inches high when the roof is in proper position. The 101-inch wheelbase suggests short body overhangs, thus resulting in the sporty proportions of the concept.

Visually, there are a number of similarities between the T-Cross and the T-Roc Concept that Volkswagen introduced at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. The wide radiator grille and narrow headlights are close to identical. The front bumper of the T-Cross is more refined and the foglight are square in the T-Cross as opposed to being round on the T-Roc. The former does have LED rings around its foglight whereas the latter doesn’t. The T-Cross also has an aluminum underbody protection in the front.

To the side, the concept’s profile is largely dominated by pair of character lines, including one that runs straight from the front wheel arches, through the door handles, and all the way to the taillights. Aluminum side sills and a set of 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels are the other distinctive features of this side of the T-Cross. The rear end is pretty straightforward. It’s got a wide trunk lid with its own set of integrated LED taillights. The same aluminum underbody protection can also be found here.

From a cosmetic standpoint, the T-Cross Breeze largely features a unique Summer Green Metallic paint finish. A Deep Teal shade was used on certain parts of the car to create a nice contrast while the soft top, black roof adds the final touch to what looks like an interesting take on VW’s future entry-level CUV.

Interior

The interior is always the wild card in any concept because it’s the one part of the car that designers can go crazy on without having to answer to today’s technological limitations. To Volkswagen’s credit, it resisted from going full “Jetsons” on the cabin of the T-Cross. There are some elements like the 300-watt Beats Audio sound system with a subwoofer integrated in the center console that has a place in today’s VW models. The four sports seats look sportier than anything we’ve seen out of Volkswagen, but they too aren’t too futuristic to dismiss being applied into the new wave of models the German automaker plans to release in the next few years. Speaking of the seats, VW says that they come with the same knit-type material used by the likes of Nike and Adidas on some of their sneakers. How’s that for cross-industry adaptation?

On the flip side, the designer’s decision to adopt an Active Info Display for its digital instrument cluster evokes similarities to what it did with the BUDD-e Concept that made its debut at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show in January. The interactive HMI is being touted as an integral part of next-gen VW models, and the version on the T-Cross is a little more subdued than the one found on the BUDD-e. It still has that same two-screen layout but it’s not as ostentatious as the BUDD-e’s version. This could suggest that this is the version that’s closer to the production version that VW plans to release soon.

The absence of buttons also plays into the company’s goal to build vehicles that rely exclusively on a new control interface that will be gesture-controlled. The T-Cross acts as the guinea pig of sorts in this regard because it still has a few switches in it, including the control stalk, power windows, and controls for the roof. Soon enough, VW hopes to completely make its cabins buttons-free so the T-Cross carries that role of introducing that important shift.

Other important technologies are also being introduced in the T-Cross Breeze. Arguably the most useful and functional of these techs is the predictive driving profile selector. This feature allows the car read the topography of its given route while working in concert with the navigation system. Depending on what it finds, it can automatically make technical changes to the car’s engine, damping, or steering.

Drivetrain

The T-Cross Breeze Concept has a powertrain that’s neither hybrid nor electric. Instead, it’s powered by the smallest of small engines: a turbocharged 1.0-liter inline three-cylinder that produces 109 horsepower and 129 pound-feet of torque. All that power is sent through a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission that turns the two front wheels.

Don’t expect it to set any speed records anytime soon considering its output only allows it to sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 10.3 seconds. Top speed is at 117 mph, which is actually pretty surprising. According to Volkswagen, the crossover concept would be able to carry a fuel efficiency rating of 47 mpg.

Conclusion

From what it looks and sounds like, the Volkswagen T-Cross Breeze is one of the more important concepts VW has released in recent years. That says a lot for what could conceivably be a preview for one of the most affordable production models Volkswagen will have in its massive lineup. But the T-Cross is important for a number of reasons. First, the company said that it will lay the ground work for a newly developed SUV model series. Second, the model will, for all intents and purposes, try to cover both the compact car and crossover segments. It’s hybrid in a different sense. Last and most importantly, it’s being touted as one of the first hints of a new Volkswagen brand that presumably wants to start a new chapter in its history as it tries to move on from one of its most turbulent times. For better or worse, all of that is on the shoulders of the T-Cross. No pressure, right?