Portable infotainment system is confusingOption packs can add significantly to the priceTake up! model is poorly equipped
Volkswagen began its designs for the up! with a clean sheet of paper, giving them the freedom to make it quite unique. It’s slightly longer than most of its city car competition and has large 15 or 16-inch wheels, pushed right out to each corner. Volkswagen claims it looked to the world of product design for inspiration, instead of other Volkswagen or competitor cars. Its glass rear hatchback is a nod to iconic TV design, while according to VW, its chamfered side window frames give a feeling of strength and precision. The nose is based on a human face, with large headlights and a grille framing the numberplate.
Our rating: 4
There’s a feeling of space and quality inside the up! which sends it right to the top of the city car class for lasting appeal. The dashboard is particularly well-trimmed with attractive materials and a simple but clear basic hi-fi. However, the Maps and More infotainment system which docks to the dashboard is far too fiddly, with numerous options and a screen hard to read in strong sunlight. Depending on which trim level you choose, it’s possible to change the ambience significantly too. We drove a Move up! with a fashionable off-white dash, then an up! White and up Black! with high-gloss white and black interior trim. The up White! Is most overtly trendy, while the up! Black has a mature and premium feel. Volkswagen describes the up! as being like an espresso – with all VW’s attributes squeezed into a smaller package – and it’s the interior where this is most evident, thanks to its lack of compromise over bigger cars in its range.
Our rating: 5
The no-compromise approach includes practicality, with the up! featuring the biggest boot in the class at 251 litres. The Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 107 and Citroen C1 have 139-litres, while the MINI Hatch has 160 litres and the Fiat 500 has 185 litres. The outgoing Volkswagen Fox – which the up! replaces – had a 260 litre boot. Fold the rear seats down and 951 litres is available. It’s easy to get a good driving position, despite the steering wheel only moving for height, thanks to the wide range of seat adjustment on offer. Front passengers get lots of legroom, and it’s possible for one adult to sit behind another. What really makes the up! practical on the road is its tight turning circle and 3.5 metre length, making it easy to negotiate city traffic and park. Visibility around the car is good, but parking sensors are available with the optional Sensor pack.
Our rating: 5
The big-car feeling is undoubtedly present in this category too, thanks to an impressive level of comfort. Small and light cars (the up! weighs around 930kg) often have a bouncy ride leaving its occupants feeling ruffled over rough roads. Not so the up!, which soaked up badly pitted roads and cobbled streets better than any of its competitors would have managed. The steering is well-weighted and has a pleasing feel , with only hard cornering or sudden direction changes provoke body roll.
Our rating:4
Volkswagen has developed an all-new 1-litre, three-cylinder engine for the up! with two power outputs of 59 or 74bhp. We drove the lower-powered car first, which is exceptionally smooth and quiet for this type of engine and car. It emits a pleasant sound and is more than capable of brisk acceleration at lower speeds. It does need to be driven quite hard though – something its willing nature encourages – and this could impact its real-world economy. The 74bhp model didn’t display a significant performance advantage on the city streets most up! owners will call home. Surprisingly, even heading out on faster roads, this remained the case. Both models are adequately powerful, but will start to struggle in fifth gear on long and steep motorway climbs. Acceleration from 0-62mph takes 14.4 and 13.2 seconds for the 59 and 74bhp models, but it actually feels much more spritely than these figures suggest.
Our rating: 4
With just a 1-litre petrol engine, up! running costs are unsurprisingly low. Average fuel economy ranges from 60.1mpg in the special edition White and Black, to 62.8mpg in the Take up! and Move up! with emissions from 105 to 108g/km of CO2. There will also be a Move up! BlueMotion Technology model with an average consumption of 67.2mpg and emissions of 97g/km of CO2. Insurance will be very low too, thanks to a group rating of 1 for the Take up!, Move up! and Move up! BlueMotion Technology and group 2 for the High up!.
Our rating: 4
The up! comes fitted with front and side airbags as well as anti-lock brakes and daytime running lights. Unfortunately, electronic stability programme (ESP) isn’t fitted on the Take up! model, unless you choose the optional Driver’s Assistance Pack, which includes ESP, passenger airbag deactivation and City Emergency Braking, which can apply the brakes automatically if an imminent collision is detected at speeds below 18mph. ESP is fitted as standard to the rest of the up! range. The up! has been awarded a five-star Euro NCAP crash rating, making it one of the safest cars in its class.
Our rating: 3
As with any all-new model, it’s impossible to say how reliable the up! will prove. However, a quality feel permeates the whole car and its engineering is typically Volkswagen – solid and dependable.
Our rating: 4
The Take up! is very minimally equipped with a CD player/radio, body-coloured bumpers and 14-inch steel wheels. The Move up! is likely to appeal to more private buyers, thanks to a considerable increase in the number of creature comforts like remote central locking, air-con, electric front windows, easy-entry seats, height-adjustable driver’s seat, variable-height load floor and 60:40 split/fold rear seats. The High up! adds heated front seats, leather steering wheel, gear lever and steering wheel, heated and adjustable door mirrors, Maps & More infotainment device, choice of dashboard colour, front fog lights and 15-inch alloy wheels. Option packs include a Sensor pack (parking sensors, cruise control, trip computer), Driver’s assistance pack, Comfort pack (remote central locking, electric front windows, height adjustable driver’s seat), Winter pack (front fog lights, heated front seats, electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors), Chrome pack (chrome door mirror caps and side strips), Sports pack (16-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension and tinted rear glass), Sound pack (four additional speakers) and Leather-look pack (leather-look seats, steering wheel, gear lever and handbrake plus carpet mats.
Our rating: 3
The Volkswagen up! might be a small car, but it leaves a big impression on you. Perhaps its best trick is managing to feel so grown-up and safe at motorway speeds, making this a city car you won’t want to leave behind for longer trips.
Our rating: 5
Volkswagen began its designs for the up! with a clean sheet of paper, giving them the freedom to make it quite unique. It’s slightly longer than most of its city car competition and has large 15 or 16-inch wheels, pushed right out to each corner. Volkswagen claims it looked to the world of product design for inspiration, instead of other Volkswagen or competitor cars. Its glass rear hatchback is a nod to iconic TV design, while according to VW, its chamfered side window frames give a feeling of strength and precision. The nose is based on a human face, with large headlights and a grille framing the numberplate.
Our rating: 4
There’s a feeling of space and quality inside the up! which sends it right to the top of the city car class for lasting appeal. The dashboard is particularly well-trimmed with attractive materials and a simple but clear basic hi-fi. However, the Maps and More infotainment system which docks to the dashboard is far too fiddly, with numerous options and a screen hard to read in strong sunlight. Depending on which trim level you choose, it’s possible to change the ambience significantly too. We drove a Move up! with a fashionable off-white dash, then an up! White and up Black! with high-gloss white and black interior trim. The up White! Is most overtly trendy, while the up! Black has a mature and premium feel. Volkswagen describes the up! as being like an espresso – with all VW’s attributes squeezed into a smaller package – and it’s the interior where this is most evident, thanks to its lack of compromise over bigger cars in its range.
Our rating: 5
The no-compromise approach includes practicality, with the up! featuring the biggest boot in the class at 251 litres. The Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 107 and Citroen C1 have 139-litres, while the MINI Hatch has 160 litres and the Fiat 500 has 185 litres. The outgoing Volkswagen Fox – which the up! replaces – had a 260 litre boot. Fold the rear seats down and 951 litres is available. It’s easy to get a good driving position, despite the steering wheel only moving for height, thanks to the wide range of seat adjustment on offer. Front passengers get lots of legroom, and it’s possible for one adult to sit behind another. What really makes the up! practical on the road is its tight turning circle and 3.5 metre length, making it easy to negotiate city traffic and park. Visibility around the car is good, but parking sensors are available with the optional Sensor pack.
Our rating: 5
The big-car feeling is undoubtedly present in this category too, thanks to an impressive level of comfort. Small and light cars (the up! weighs around 930kg) often have a bouncy ride leaving its occupants feeling ruffled over rough roads. Not so the up!, which soaked up badly pitted roads and cobbled streets better than any of its competitors would have managed. The steering is well-weighted and has a pleasing feel , with only hard cornering or sudden direction changes provoke body roll.
Our rating:4
Volkswagen has developed an all-new 1-litre, three-cylinder engine for the up! with two power outputs of 59 or 74bhp. We drove the lower-powered car first, which is exceptionally smooth and quiet for this type of engine and car. It emits a pleasant sound and is more than capable of brisk acceleration at lower speeds. It does need to be driven quite hard though – something its willing nature encourages – and this could impact its real-world economy. The 74bhp model didn’t display a significant performance advantage on the city streets most up! owners will call home. Surprisingly, even heading out on faster roads, this remained the case. Both models are adequately powerful, but will start to struggle in fifth gear on long and steep motorway climbs. Acceleration from 0-62mph takes 14.4 and 13.2 seconds for the 59 and 74bhp models, but it actually feels much more spritely than these figures suggest.
Our rating: 4
With just a 1-litre petrol engine, up! running costs are unsurprisingly low. Average fuel economy ranges from 60.1mpg in the special edition White and Black, to 62.8mpg in the Take up! and Move up! with emissions from 105 to 108g/km of CO2. There will also be a Move up! BlueMotion Technology model with an average consumption of 67.2mpg and emissions of 97g/km of CO2. Insurance will be very low too, thanks to a group rating of 1 for the Take up!, Move up! and Move up! BlueMotion Technology and group 2 for the High up!.
Our rating: 4
The up! comes fitted with front and side airbags as well as anti-lock brakes and daytime running lights. Unfortunately, electronic stability programme (ESP) isn’t fitted on the Take up! model, unless you choose the optional Driver’s Assistance Pack, which includes ESP, passenger airbag deactivation and City Emergency Braking, which can apply the brakes automatically if an imminent collision is detected at speeds below 18mph. ESP is fitted as standard to the rest of the up! range. The up! has been awarded a five-star Euro NCAP crash rating, making it one of the safest cars in its class.
Our rating: 3
As with any all-new model, it’s impossible to say how reliable the up! will prove. However, a quality feel permeates the whole car and its engineering is typically Volkswagen – solid and dependable.
Our rating: 4
The Take up! is very minimally equipped with a CD player/radio, body-coloured bumpers and 14-inch steel wheels. The Move up! is likely to appeal to more private buyers, thanks to a considerable increase in the number of creature comforts like remote central locking, air-con, electric front windows, easy-entry seats, height-adjustable driver’s seat, variable-height load floor and 60:40 split/fold rear seats. The High up! adds heated front seats, leather steering wheel, gear lever and steering wheel, heated and adjustable door mirrors, Maps & More infotainment device, choice of dashboard colour, front fog lights and 15-inch alloy wheels. Option packs include a Sensor pack (parking sensors, cruise control, trip computer), Driver’s assistance pack, Comfort pack (remote central locking, electric front windows, height adjustable driver’s seat), Winter pack (front fog lights, heated front seats, electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors), Chrome pack (chrome door mirror caps and side strips), Sports pack (16-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension and tinted rear glass), Sound pack (four additional speakers) and Leather-look pack (leather-look seats, steering wheel, gear lever and handbrake plus carpet mats.
Our rating: 3
The Volkswagen up! might be a small car, but it leaves a big impression on you. Perhaps its best trick is managing to feel so grown-up and safe at motorway speeds, making this a city car you won’t want to leave behind for longer trips.
Our rating: 5
