VW Up GTI
WE SAY: VW’S ENTRY-LEVEL GTI HAS LANDED. AND IT’S TEMPTINGLY PRICED
Is this the long-awaited production version of the Up GTI?
It is indeed, all 113bhp of it. More importantly, we now know prices too, and they start at just £13,750 (or £400 more if you want the kids to have their own doors).
Ooh, that sounds a tempting price.
That’s because it is. An Abarth 500 starts at £15,510, a base Mini Cooper is £17,340, even a 110bhp Renault Twingo GT is £14,250. And it’s not like the Up is poorly equipped, either. Six-speaker stereo, USB, aircon, Bluetooth, heated seats, DAB – it’s all standard. The Up is available to order now, first customers will have theirs by the end of February.
Will they be excited?
By the way it looks, absolutely. VW has got the visuals spoton. OK, it’s all predictable and fits in line with the Polo and Golf GTIs, but there’s not much wrong with red grille lipstick, tartan seats and side stripes. And the underpinnings show promise too. It sits 15mm lower on suspension that has beefier mounting points and revised springs and dampers. The steering and brakes come from the Polo, there’s a new 6spd gearbox and turbocharged 1.0-litre engine.
Is it the successor to the Lupo GTI?
In spirit yes, but not dynamic capability. It grips well, the brakes have some bite, there’s a lovely punch of torque in second and third gears and the 3cyl emits an appealing gruff warble. But it feels like a faster Up, not a proper sports model. The steering has little feel, the springing is soft and on bumpy roads the body springs about, getting out of sync with the surface.
What about in town?
Funny you should say that, because that’s exactly where I think VW is pitching it. To appeal to a new urban audience, to give them a taste of GTI, not the full experience. It’s better there, good at diving through gaps and around mini-roundabouts. And even if the handling isn’t the last word in tactility, the Up has a big-hearted vibe.
But it could have been more?
Yes, it could have been great. Instead, VW has engineered it to appeal to a wider audience. I hope it sells in huge numbers as a result. It deserves to.