Volkswagen up! review

Overview

The up! is a small city car rather than a miniature five-seat family hatchback. This review selects the facelift 1.0 60 PS Move up! five-door manual, using Volkswagen's November 2016 UK brochure to distinguish it from BlueMotion, turbocharged, GTI and electric versions. The rationale is compact dimensions, simple controls and manageable performance, not a rule that every young person wants the same car. The related Citigo and Mii, plus an Aygo or i10, remain worthwhile comparisons. Condition and an affordable personal insurance quote should decide between them; the Volkswagen badge is not sufficient reason to pay a substantial premium.

Exterior and interior

The facelift's neat body and upright cabin make good use of a small footprint, but this is a deliberately economical interior rather than a Polo's cabin at a lower price. Inspect painted door sections, seat fabric and frequently used switches with that positioning in mind. Five-door access is more convenient for rear passengers than the three-door arrangement, especially when installing child seats. Check all door locks, front windows and the tailgate release, and look for water marks beneath the boot floor. A bright colour or contrasting roof is personal preference, not evidence of a higher equipment level or superior mechanical condition.

Practicality

There are four seat belts, not five: this is a hard limit for the matcher and cannot be overcome by squeezing another passenger onto the rear bench. Volkswagen's brochure gives 251 litres of luggage capacity with the seats upright and 959 with them folded. That is useful for shopping or small luggage, but a large pushchair may require compromises. Take your actual equipment to a viewing and check that the split-folding arrangement works as expected. Adults should try the rear seating rather than judging from photographs. A five-door body makes access easier without turning the up! into a roomy long-distance family car.

Driving experience

Independent reviews describe a more mature-feeling small car than its dimensions suggest, but RoadMatch has not driven this particular derivative. Its strongest setting is town: a short body, modest width and light controls help with awkward parking and narrow streets. A motorway trip is possible, yet road noise, overtaking margins and performance with passengers deserve a realistic test. Use a hill as well as level roads, and check smooth steering, braking and gear selection. Do not confuse a naturally busy three-cylinder sound with a diagnosis, but investigate persistent rattling, uneven idle or vibration that changes sharply when the clutch is operated.

Performance

The non-BlueMotion 60 PS engine has 95 Nm of torque and a five-speed manual gearbox in the period UK specification. Volkswagen lists 14.4 seconds for 0–62 mph, so planning an overtake is more important than expecting a strong surge of acceleration. This naturally aspirated engine must not be confused with the 90 PS turbo version or the GTI. The manual is our starting recommendation; ASG adverts describe a different transmission and different performance figures. Check clutch engagement on a slope, smooth movement from a cold start and the ability to select reverse reliably. Power is limited, but a healthy example should still deliver it consistently.

Fuel economy

The 64.2 mpg combined figure comes from the older laboratory procedure documented in the November 2016 brochure. It is not a WLTP figure and should not be ranked directly against newer cars tested differently. BlueMotion has a separate figure, and later model years can have different certification. RoadMatch uses 55 mpg only as an ownership-budget assumption, not as a promised real-world average. Repeated cold starts, winter demisting and faster motorway travel can reduce economy. Check consumption over your usual journey pattern if possible, and remember that driving fewer miles may save more money than paying a large premium for a nominally more efficient version.

Reliability

A straightforward engine and manual transmission are attractive, but simplicity is not a guarantee that an older city car has been looked after. RoadMatch's 4.0 out of five ownership assessment carries moderate confidence and is not a calculated failure rate. Look for service invoices, check the exact maintenance requirements with Volkswagen and inspect from cold. Test the clutch, air conditioning, cooling system and electrical controls; also examine tyres, brakes and the exhaust for age-related spending. Honest John's owner reports are individual experiences, not a representative survey. Use them as inspection prompts alongside the government recall check and a registration-specific history review.

Safety

The up!'s safety history spans different test years and equipment, so an old favourable result should not be treated as equivalent to a modern car's assessment. The linked later Euro NCAP record must be read for its tested vehicle and applicability, rather than used to add equipment to a 2016 Move up!. RoadMatch does not republish protected rating tables. Confirm the actual car's airbags, stability control and any optional city-braking system from its build details. Check warning lamps on startup, seat belts and child-seat installation. A low insurance group says nothing about collision protection, and the car's size does not excuse worn tyres or poor accident repairs.

Technology and features

The facelift's smartphone holder and associated navigation arrangement are not Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Neither is listed as a guaranteed feature here, so a buyer who requires either should not receive this stock specification as an uncompromised match. Test your phone with the installed audio equipment and check that the holder, charging connection and Bluetooth functions are present and usable. Parking sensors, heated seats and cruise control are conditional options and need physical confirmation. An aftermarket touchscreen may solve a requirement, but inspect installation quality, microphone placement and operation before treating it as part of the purchase rather than a future project.

Running costs

The £4,500–£8,500 price range is RoadMatch's broad shopping allowance, not a statement of live sale prices. A budget of 8,000 miles at 55 mpg with petrol assumed at £1.50 per litre gives approximately £992 of fuel. Adding a £200 tax placeholder and £350–£750 for servicing, MOT and ordinary wear produces roughly £1,550–£1,950 annually, excluding insurance, finance, depreciation and major repairs. Actual tax depends on registration details, including the change in tax treatment around April 2017. The November 2016 brochure places this non-BlueMotion Move up! manual in advisory group 3E; later versions differ, and a young driver's premium still requires a personal quote.

Advantages and disadvantages