closing tag is in template navbar
timefactors watches



TZ-UK Fundraiser
Results 1 to 28 of 28

Thread: Anyone drive a VW UP

  1. #1
    Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    3,785

    Anyone drive a VW UP

    Thinking of changing my wife's car - we need a small car for parking in really tight spaces - even on the UP parking sensors would be good

    the 89bhp UP looks good

    - not the GTi as those rubber bands for tyres look just ridiculous and must affect the ride quality

    anyone drive one - what are they like - parking spaces are at a premium in the street where we live - and I don't fancy the Fiat

  2. #2
    Grand Master Andyg's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Wiltshire
    Posts
    24,924
    Not an UP, but we bought my son a Skoda Citigo SE-L and its great.

    75bhp, Sat Nav, media player, Reversing Senors, AC, electric Windows/mirrors, cruise control, alloys, etc.

    i brimed it when we bought it (early April), drove from Farnborough to Salisbury, given my son multiple lessons in preparation for his test and we still have nearly half a tank left.
    Best of all zero tax

    Very very impressive bit of kit.

    Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
    Friedrich Nietzsche


  3. #3

    Yep

    Good city car - nippy too - seems “slim” - my mates girlfriend has one - pretty cool really as basic yet still quality

  4. #4
    Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    London
    Posts
    1,500
    Interested in this as well as I've been thinking about getting one for my mother although she would want the automatic. The problem being the reviews of the auto box version aren't good saying it's jerky in operation. Has anyone driven one? It's actually difficult to find one to test drive and the salesmen even try and steer away from it. Also is there likely to be a new UP? Since the current one has been around for some time now. Apologies to the OP for the slight thread hijack.

  5. #5
    Also got the Citigo for the lad as his first car. Exceptionally roomy, comfortable and ridiculously easy to drive; so it's difficult to justify *needing* anything else. I can easily get 70mpg from it, the lad can get 35...

    His is the 60 bhp version. It's exactly the same as the 75bhp version except for the map - the more powerful version only benefiting above about 5000rpm so makes no difference in most daily driving, especially around town.

    Only shortcomings I'd highlight are the poor radio on the early ones and as mentioned above, the woeful auto box. The manual is super slick though and the clutch nice and light.

    I think they are absolutely brilliant little cars.

    Unfortunately they are likely to be phased out and there is no replacement for the Up!/Mii/Citigo as VAG aren't making money on them. I *think* the e-Up! will remain but I'm not particularly impressed with that :-(

    https://www.drivingelectric.com/volkswagen/up

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by mactrack View Post
    Interested in this as well as I've been thinking about getting one for my mother although she would want the automatic. The problem being the reviews of the auto box version aren't good saying it's jerky in operation. Has anyone driven one? It's actually difficult to find one to test drive and the salesmen even try and steer away from it. Also is there likely to be a new UP? Since the current one has been around for some time now. Apologies to the OP for the slight thread hijack.


    My step mum has the auto, I'd read the reviews slating it and saying it was slow. In reality its fine, perhaps not the smoothest change in the world and not the fastest but perfectly adequate. She did have updated software on the gearbox this year (its a 13 plate) which cost a few hundred, I couldn't work out what it actually did as she was a bit vague but thats literally al she has spent on it bar servicing.



    My misses had a test drive in the manual skoda citigo, really impressive we'd have bought it but despite being a demo it was covered in dings, god knows what they'd done with it.

  7. #7
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Scotland
    Posts
    823
    GTI here...changed the tyres not long after I got the car and it’s the best mod I’ve done. Peanuts to run, rare and more fun Han my old Golf R. Love it.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by mactrack View Post
    Interested in this as well as I've been thinking about getting one for my mother although she would want the automatic. The problem being the reviews of the auto box version aren't good saying it's jerky in operation.
    It's a strange car in some respects. The auto box and I didn't get along at all well, I'd use the manual gear selection in preference whenever driving on hills/country lanes as most of the time the auto wouldn't choose what I considered to be the correct gear. Instead of calling it 'jerky' I'd say under a light throttle in auto it was fine and smooth, but under medium to spirited acceleration there would be quite a lag between changing up through the gears.

    OTOH, it was a car that somehow would catch me out on motorways insofar as I would be doing what felt like 70ish but was actually going much faster, so much so I thought the speedo was inaccurate until I double-checked on the GPS. Fuel economy averaged out at 55 mpg and there was little loss on resale after 24 months ownership ('16 model).

    R
    Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.

  9. #9
    Craftsman maxwellwd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    557
    I recently bought a brand new Seat Mii which is the same car. I also used to have a citigo about five years ago. Cracking little car, so nice to drive and actually very roomy inside. More room inside the Mii than my Mini Cooper S R56

    I like the Mii as only seen a few about and a bit rarer, got a cracking deal on it as it is being phased out.

  10. #10
    Journeyman rigster2's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Location
    Keelby, UK
    Posts
    60
    Had a groove up from new for 5 years. Ive only put fuel in it, no other costs. Great little car. Superb for in town and parking.


    Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

  11. #11
    I did look into buying one. One thing that did put me off was the engine uses a cam belt rather than chain, and the interval for this expensive (in relation to the car’s price) belt change was low.

  12. #12
    Craftsman WhopperSenior's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Herts UK
    Posts
    391
    The mother in law has an UP GTI and loves it. I took it out for a drive and was very impressed. It's got a decent sized cabin and plenty of headroom (I'm 6'5" tall). Super easy to drive around town with great steering and a light clutch. The ride wasn't bad considering the tyres. Bear in mind the boot is about as close to useless as you could imagine. There's more boot space in an MX5.

    In all a good run around as long as you don't need to carry much with you. I expect they're cheap to run. Probably not at it's best on the motorway, but I'm sure it would be fine.

  13. #13
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    West Midlands
    Posts
    582
    Offering something else, have you considered an aygo? My mum needed a new car and after checking out the Up, 500 etc we decided on the Aygo. It’s great for what it does and the car even has a reverse camera fitted at standard on this trim level.
    Toyota did 0% interest deals at the start of the year, i’d recommend checking one out atleast

  14. #14
    Master steptoe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Putney
    Posts
    1,867
    I bought a new UP last august, well not new but pre-registred with 20 miles on the clock. I went in to buy a GTi but the long 9 month waiting list put the kiboysh on that.

    They had a pre-reg in stock with absolutely every extra fitted, aircon, bluetooth, cruise, parking sensors, heated seats, panoramic roof, alloy sports wheels etc etc, they took my Volvo in p/x and did me a great deal.

    Wished i'd bought a small car a long time ago. Park almost anywhere in central London without any problems, handles like a Go kart and so much fun to drive... did a 400 mile day round trip last October using the UP instead of my Range Rover just to see what it's like on long journeys, wasn't a problem at all.

    Mine is a manual, bluemotion stop/start model but very very nippy around town.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by MTM84 View Post
    GTI here...changed the tyres not long after I got the car and it’s the best mod I’ve done. Peanuts to run, rare and more fun Han my old Golf R. Love it.

    I have an Up GTi too. I haven't changed the tyres. You can but it's not mandatory. I'm on 6,000 miles.

    It's an amazing car in GTi guise, and they've stopped the production run now. It's comfortable, and the low profile tyres don't ruin it, but don't expect it to ride like a 320d. I have Cruise and Parking sensors as an option, but the GTi had heated seats, stop-start, electric windows, phoneholder, leather steering wheel etc all as standard. Lower models won't

    My other car is a 911, and the UP! is just as much fun, in a different way.

    Go and test drive some mid level UPs at the dealer, they had a board in my dealer yesterday saying 0% finance too !! You can't order a GTi any more, but there are plenty on ebay and Autotrader, just don't buy a demonstrator without knowing it. Every demonstrator is going to have been rinsed to the red line from cold. You know they will.

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by steptoe View Post
    I went in to buy a GTi but the long 9 month waiting list put the kiboysh on that.

    .
    Waited 8 months for mine.

    Now: the stock is all to be sold. when it's gone, it's gone: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/cars/volkswagen/up/up-gti

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by WhopperSenior View Post
    Bear in mind the boot is about as close to useless as you could imagine. There's more boot space in an MX5.
    There is a boot and a sub boot below it.

    They are quite big, you can put a big holdall or cabin bag in the sub boot, and 3 or 4 shopping bags in the bit above, maybe you didn't see the second bit?

    but, granted, it's a city micro car, so Audi estate it ain't :)

  18. #18
    Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    3,785
    so VW have stopped making the UP GTi?

    have they stopped making the UP altogether, or are they continuing with the smaller engined cars?

    Has the model been updated, I notice that even on new unregistered hi spec cars there are two difference steering wheels, one with audio etc., controls and one without out

    Have Skoda and Seat also stopped making their version of the car?

    There are still plenty of new cars advertised and quite a few "demo" low mileage models around?
    Last edited by BillN; 18th May 2019 at 12:00.

  19. #19
    Grand Master thieuster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    GMT+1
    Posts
    11,749
    Blog Entries
    8
    Different steering wheels depend on the trim level. Ending the Up here would be big news on automotive websites since it’s the most popular car sold here! No chance of killing this quietly.

    GTI has been troublesome from the beginning: emission laws are not (were not) in sync with the car’s engine.

    Edit: on vw.nl, the GTI is advertised as a seperate model. No configurator for that one. Just one trim level etc
    Last edited by thieuster; 18th May 2019 at 12:20.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by BillN View Post
    so VW have stopped making the UP GTi?

    have they stopped making the UP altogether, or are they continuing with the smaller engined cars?

    Has the model been updated, I notice that even on new unregistered hi spec cars there are two difference steering wheels, one with audio etc., controls and one without out

    Have Skoda and Seat also stopped making their version of the car?

    There are still plenty of new cars advertised and quite a few "demo" low mileage models around?
    The VW factory in Bratislava has stopped making the GTI. The VW UK website no longer lists it. There is Take Up, Move Up and Up Beats only as new. Obviously there is stock in the supply chain to be sold. And all the GTi demonstrators, which are no longer relevant any more.
    I've heard that the Gen 2 Up from 2020 onwards will be electric only!
    All the up GTIs had multifunction steering wheel buttons.

  21. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by thieuster View Post
    Different steering wheels depend on the trim level. Ending the Up here would be big news on automotive websites since it’s the most popular car sold here! No chance of killing this quietly.

    GTI has been troublesome from the beginning: emission laws are not (were not) in sync with the car’s engine.

    Edit: on vw.nl, the GTI is advertised as a seperate model. No configurator for that one. Just one trim level etc
    Actually the GTI engine was WLTP compliant from the start and required no post-design changes.

    The factories had to stop to perform the new tests, which take longer etc, and models such as the Golf GTi disappeared, but the up GTI was always good.

    Apparently the up sells well, but not well enough to justify its almost good CO2 data. The new rules and markets need massive sales of 100mpg+ cars like EV and hybrid.

    The range is good, but not good enough for 2020-2027, and model ranges take 3yrs to germinate and a 7yr sales window

  22. #22
    Apprentice
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    Cheshire, UK
    Posts
    36
    We've had a few (60hp variants). I'm not a fan of the clutch in the manual but its better than the woeful auto box.

    It's pretty asthmatic on the motorway but if it's for city driving then it will be perfect.

    I'm a big guy but I drove a 500mile round trip a couple of weeks ago with minimal discomfort.

  23. #23
    Grand Master thieuster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    GMT+1
    Posts
    11,749
    Blog Entries
    8
    The 60hp can easily be tuned to 75hp with different software. Mine was taken care for 150 euro and a test run on the dyno to confirm the update (mine touching a whopping 77 hp!)

  24. #24
    Master Artistmike's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Devon, U.K.
    Posts
    1,806
    I've got a High Up! and it's an absolute delight to drive, nippy, turns on a sixpence and parks like a motorbike. Because there is only my wife and I at home using it we bought the three door version and I feel that made a lot of difference as getting in and out is so easy and the driving position so comfortable.

    I'd certainly recommend it, it's a lot of fun and uses petrol by the teaspoon...

  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by thieuster View Post
    The 60hp can easily be tuned to 75hp with different software. Mine was taken care for 150 euro and a test run on the dyno to confirm the update (mine touching a whopping 77 hp!)
    I was considering this as, as you point out, it's easily done with a remap as the engines are identical and the headline power increase for relatively small cost coes sound compelling.

    However... The 60bhp power is achieved by constraining the maximum throttle opening which limits the extent to which the engine can flow air and make power at the top end. The Superchips before/after graphs show it really well, as above 5,000 rpm the engine simply can't flow enough air to make any more power.



    Unlike turbo diesel remapping which gives an improvement all the way through the rev range, removing the restriction on the up engine simply allows it to breathe freely above 5000 rpm

    Because the best torque the motor makes, irrespective of it being the 60bhp or 75bhp variant, is between 3,000 and 4,500, we found we were typically changing gear between 4,000-4,5000 even when pushing to get a move on. The benefit of the 75bhp version/map would only be felt on the odd occasion when we were revving the car right to the red line.

    Considering the insurance implications of having a modified car (or the potential implications of not declaring a 25% power increase) when in reality we'd so rarely use that extra power, we decided not to bother.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  26. #26
    Grand Master Andyg's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Wiltshire
    Posts
    24,924
    When I was looking at various cars for my son I did speak to insurance companies about the differences in premiums between 75bhp and 60bhp and the answer was that there wasn't any.

    The only reason for me getting the 75bhp version was that living in the country, most road are unrestricted so a bit of extra poke is necessary.

    Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
    Friedrich Nietzsche


  27. #27
    Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    3,785
    are the 60bhp and 90bhp the same engines?

    are they both TSI?

  28. #28
    Quote Originally Posted by BillN View Post
    are the 60bhp and 90bhp the same engines?

    are they both TSI?
    No, the 90 is turbocharged, like the 115

    Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Do Not Sell My Personal Information