The Volkswagen Up, in High Up spec, is very appealing, but its not the most practical small car despite extra doors

What is it?

The Volkswagen Up has wide appeal, and not just from the cost-conscious end of the market. Yes, you can get a base-spec Up for less the £7,995, but the kudos of the VW badge means buyers who wouldn't necessarily fancy such a small car are attracted.

That enviably leads to a desire for lots of equipment. So we arrive at the High Up Bluemotion Technology with five doors. It is one of the most expensive Ups available, but comes with plenty of big car kit, including standard-fit sat-nav and heated seats – as well as Bluetooth audio streaming and ESP. 

What's it like?

The £11,240 High Up is further justification for Volkswagen charging full-sized supermini cash for a car a size smaller. Because it’s a car that has undoubtedly brought new levels of technological richness – luxury, even – to the city car class. It’s also a city car available with five doors.

Although it’s very well packaged, the VW is short and particularly low of roofline. If you’re taller than 6ft 2in and sitting behind someone of the same size, you’ll find kneeroom and headroom tight. Space for shoulders, elbows and feet is good, though. 

The decent size of the rear door aperture makes it easy to lean in over a child seat. The rear windows don’t slide down, but can be opened a few degrees at the rear edge – adult occupants might consider that restrictive, but parents may prefer it.

Should I buy one?

Truth is, if you’re regularly going to carry older teenagers or adults in the back, a Hyundai i10 would serve you better than an Up. Overall, though, it’s not enough to tip the scales against the VW. The Up remains one of our favourite small cars.

Volkswagen High Up 1.0 Bluemotion Technology 5dr

Price £11,240; 0-62mph 13.2sec; Top speed 106mph; Economy 67.3mpg; CO2 98g/km; Kerb weight 957kg; Engine 3 cyls, 999cc, petrol; Power 74bhp at 6200rpm; Torque 70lb ft at 3000-4300rpm; Gearbox 5-spd manual

 

Matt Saunders

Matt Saunders Autocar
Title: Road test editor

As Autocar’s chief car tester and reviewer, it’s Matt’s job to ensure the quality, objectivity, relevance and rigour of the entirety of Autocar’s reviews output, as well contributing a great many detailed road tests, group tests and drive reviews himself.

Matt has been an Autocar staffer since the autumn of 2003, and has been lucky enough to work alongside some of the magazine’s best-known writers and contributors over that time. He served as staff writer, features editor, assistant editor and digital editor, before joining the road test desk in 2011.

Since then he’s driven, measured, lap-timed, figured, and reported on cars as varied as the Bugatti Veyron, Rolls-Royce PhantomTesla RoadsterAriel Hipercar, Tata Nano, McLaren SennaRenault Twizy and Toyota Mirai. Among his wider personal highlights of the job have been covering Sebastien Loeb’s record-breaking run at Pikes Peak in 2013; doing 190mph on derestricted German autobahn in a Brabus Rocket; and driving McLaren’s legendary ‘XP5’ F1 prototype. His own car is a trusty Mazda CX-5.

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BriMarsh 1 September 2012

WhatCar? love the Up!

But then again, they would. Read into that what you will.

harf 29 August 2012

Any chance of Fuc|< Up or P!ss Up special editions?

Sorry.

pauld101 28 August 2012

Another unreliable Volkswagen?

So, have they managed to fix all the VW unreliability issues that dog VW group products, yet, like parking brakes, coil packs and valve guides?  In my regular trips up and down the M6, I now see mostly broken down VWs on the hard shoulder - this morning it was a Golf with clouds of steam coming out from under the bonnet.  Uhoh, I hope it was steam....

Lee23404 30 August 2012

pauld101 wrote: So, have

pauld101 wrote:

So, have they managed to fix all the VW unreliability issues that dog VW group products, yet, like parking brakes, coil packs and valve guides?  In my regular trips up and down the M6, I now see mostly broken down VWs on the hard shoulder - this morning it was a Golf with clouds of steam coming out from under the bonnet.  Uhoh, I hope it was steam....

It always makes me laugh when I see somebody post nonsense like this. I do over 30k miles a year, mainly on motorways and I cannot say that I've seen a lot of any particular make on the hard shoulder.

Most cars I see on the hard shoulder have punctures and are probably stranded there courtesy of a shredded tyre and lack of spare wheel.