Buyacar Buying Guide: Volkswagen Up GTI
Performance motoring comes little more affordable than with this feisty supermini
AGTI-BADGED VERSION OF THE UP ALWAYS seemed like a no-brainer – so much so that Volkswagen even hinted at such a thing way back in 2011 when the Up made its motor show debut in Frankfurt. It took until 2018 for a production version to arrive, but better late than never, right?
The Up was an entertaining little sprite in standard form, and it only got better by strapping a turbocharger to the 1-litre three-cylinder engine, tying down the chassis a little and daubing the appropriate GTI visual cues over its boxy shape.
The result didn’t set any new standards for feedback or chassis balance, but what the 113bhp Up GTI did offer, in an era of increasing performance, expense and sheer size, was uncomplicated driving fun. Throwing the GTI through a series of turns brings back that joy of doing the same with your very first car, with acceleration and grip you can actually exploit at sensible speeds. The three-pot’s growl puts you in the right mood too, and while the simple seats aren’t the most supportive, the straightforward cabin design lets you get on with actually driving. Infotainment? Stick your smartphone in the dashboard cradle and you’re ready to go.
Best of all, the Up GTI came in at around £14,000 new. This didn’t just make it affordable back in 2018, but also makes it spectacularly tempting on the used market too. How does a cash price of £11,295 sound, for a 2018 model through Buyacar with only 23,500 miles? Perhaps even more enticing is the monthly price of £175, with a £300 Buyacar contribution and an APR from 7.9 per cent.
There are three- and five-door versions to choose from, and ownership should be relatively painless too. The quickest Up is hardly any thirstier than the slowest ones, so 50-plus mpg should be a regular occurrence and similar on-paper stats also keep the tax figure low. The 195/40 R17 tyres won’t cost a fortune to replace when you eventually get through a set, and newer examples should still have a year or so remaining on the three-year/60,000-mile warranty. Few evo heroes are so painless to run.
Visit buyacar.co.uk to find the latest offers on the VW Up GTI. Figures correct at time of going to press.