Car Enthusiast - click here to access the home page


 



First Drive: Volkswagen up! Image by United Pictures.

First Drive: Volkswagen up!
New up! delivers full-sized VW experience in a small package. Keen pricing, smart packaging and high quality combine.

   



<< earlier review     later review >>

Reviews homepage -> Volkswagen reviews

| First Drive | Rome, Italy | Volkswagen up! |

Overall rating: 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5

The cars might be small but the city car marketplace is huge. Volkswagen is aiming to take a sizable portion of it with the new up! - a high quality, cleverly packaged and smartly styled car. Its toughest competition will come from within, as SEAT and Skoda will produce their own variants.

Key Facts

Model tested: Volkswagen Move up! BlueMotion Technology
Pricing: £9,330
Engine: 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol
Transmission: five-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Body style: three-door hatchback
Rivals: Kia Picanto, Toyota Aygo, Citroen C1
CO2 emissions: 97g/km*
Combined economy: 67.2mpg*
Top speed: 100mph
0-62mph: 14.5 seconds
Power: 59bhp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 70lb.ft at 3,000 - 5,000rpm
* figures tbc

In the Metal: 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5

One of the stars of the Frankfurt Motor Show when it was unveiled as a rear-engined, rear-wheel drive concept in 2007, the translation to production reality has seen little dilution of the up!'s appeal. It's a neat, not overly cutesy design, which is pleasingly chunky and cleverly packaged. The drivetrain is more conventional than the concept's though, with the engine up front driving the front wheels - otherwise the production car is largely faithful to the show model.

Wheels positioned at the extremities mean plenty of space inside. The interior is where the up! really scores against its city car rivals. High quality materials mix with unfussy, intelligent styling in an extremely airy cabin. Comfortable seats, a smart, affordable navigation/telephone/music interface and neat instrumentation create a pleasing driving environment.

Driving it: 4 4 4 4 4

You can have your up! powered by a choice of 59- or 74bhp three-cylinder petrol engines, mated to a five-speed gearbox., This BlueMotion Technology model uses the lesser output unit. It's no poor relation to the higher output version though, as there is very little difference in performance on the road. Refinement is high, the uneven three-cylinder thrum only apparent at higher revs. Overall, the up! isolates engine, wind and road noise very convincingly indeed. That only adds to the high quality feel inside, the up! not having the built-to-cost feel of many of its rivals.

The steering is light and devoid of feel, but parking is a cinch and visibility is excellent thanks to lots of glass and a large rear-view mirror. The suspension is compliant, the up! remaining comfortable on rougher city roads - though the optional sport suspension lessens comfort and brings little additional sharpness.

The engine does need revs, as, despite some 90% of its maximum torque being delivered from 2,000rpm, there's not masses of it in the first place. On the move it's pleasingly eager though, and the 14.5-second 0-62mph time doesn't do justice to the 1.0-litre's performance on the road. Economy is the winner, this BlueMotion Technology model returning 67.2mpg on the combined cycle. Emissions are a tax-dodging 97g/km thanks to a quick start-stop system, energy recovery when braking and low rolling resistance tyres.

What you get for your Money: 4 4 4 4 4

Simple trim levels come reasonably equipped, the Move up! BlueMotion Technology featuring air conditioning, electric front windows, remote central locking, driver's seat height adjustment and body colouring on the door handles and mirrors. Add the inexpensive, easy to use Maps & More with its neat navigation and Bluetooth telephone connection (among other infotainment functions) for £275 and the Move up!'s specification wants for little. All except for ESP (Electronic Stability Programme), though VW is still considering adding it as standard across the range when the up! is introduced.

Worth Noting

Like its Citroen C1/Peugeot 107/Toyota Aygo competition the up! will be available across a number of brands wearing differing badges via Skoda and SEAT. Called the Citigo and Mii respectively, both are certain to offer even greater value than the Volkswagen and will differ only slightly visually inside and out.

Summary

The up! might not offer the rear-engined ingenuity of its original concept, but Volkswagen has packaged the production car very well and retained its neat style. Driving well, delivering decent refinement and an interior that's of a quality unusual at this price point the up!'s an appealing contender in the city car marketplace. Just be sure to check out its Skoda and SEAT alter egos for even greater value if you can live without the VW badge.


Kyle Fortune - 19 Oct 2011



  www.volkswagen.co.uk    - Volkswagen road tests
- Volkswagen news
- up! images

2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.

2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.



2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.
 

2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.
 

2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.
 

2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.
 

2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.
 

2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.
 

2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.
 

2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.
 

2012 VW up! Image by United Pictures.
 






 

Internal links:   | Home | Privacy | Contact us | Archives | Old motor show reports | Follow Car Enthusiast on Twitter | Copyright 1999-2024 ©