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VW Up!
Sept 17, 2018 12:15:30 GMT
Post by Tim on Sept 17, 2018 12:15:30 GMT
I had the, er, pleasure of a short drive in one of these at the weekend. I can't remember much about the inside to be honest apart from it being unusually light and airy - no doubt an impression helped by having arrived in the 370. Also the gearlever was oddly short and required me to almost bend down to reach it.
On the road it was easy and light to drive, I didn't have a chance to throw it round any corners but I remember from driving a Skoda Citigo a few years ago that they're reasonably responsive, allowing for them being a small city car.
The biggest impression that has stuck with me was the absolute lack of open road performance. From a standing start it wasn't too tragic as long as you used all the revs and throttle travel but once past 2nd gear it accumulated speed steadily. I though it would be light enough to overcome the lack of power (66BHP I believe) but not so. Part of my short route was on the Perth bypass/A9 where there's a 50mph section going up a long hill. It's a standard slope for a motorway/dc but at the end of the 50 limit I ended up having to change down to 3rd to actually gain speed. I can only imagine that a main road overtake would require a lot of planning and plenty of space.
The engine has a strange feeling of needing to get over a 'lump' to actually get any revs on when you're, say, pulling out of a junction. Consequently you end up giving it a bootfull and slipping the clutch like an old granny!
At the end of the drive - approx 20 minutes, including some time in a slow moving queue - I had the early stages of backache as well.
In summary then not something I'd rush to have a drive of again. |
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VW Up!
Sept 17, 2018 12:40:33 GMT
Post by ChrisM on Sept 17, 2018 12:40:33 GMT
^
I've not driven an Up (or should that be Up!?) but I've sat in a few in showrooms over the past few years and I really see little to get excited about. Really unsure why motoring hacks heap so much praise on it
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VW Up!
Sept 17, 2018 12:57:34 GMT
Post by Tim on Sept 17, 2018 12:57:34 GMT
I have a suspsicion the VW badge is the reason for that, I've rarely seen the SEAT and Skoda versions mentioned.
I'd be intrigued to try a GTI version but then you're at a whole different price level.
The 3 pot clearly has a very heavy flywheel which slightly dents the thrashability of the basic engine.
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VW Up!
Sept 17, 2018 12:59:09 GMT
Post by Tim on Sept 17, 2018 12:59:09 GMT
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VW Up!
Sept 17, 2018 13:05:35 GMT
Post by Martin on Sept 17, 2018 13:05:35 GMT
My parents have the higher power version with all the options (17”wheels, panoramic roof, heated seats, Sat Nav etc.) and really like it. It’s just used for local journeys which helps mask the performance shortfall and they get the benefit of easy parking, really cheap running costs and it’s easy to keep clean.
They’ve had it 3 years and it replaced one exactly the same which was written off when a car smashed into the back of it when my dad was stationary at the lights. It did an impressive job, my Dad was amazed when he could easily open the door and how much protection there was in the passenger compartment for such a short car.
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VW Up!
Sept 17, 2018 20:19:03 GMT
Post by Andy C on Sept 17, 2018 20:19:03 GMT
I want a red GTi, 3 door, black roof. ....badly.
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VW Up!
Sept 18, 2018 12:02:09 GMT
Post by PetrolEd on Sept 18, 2018 12:02:09 GMT
I know its wrong to compare new and used but I couldn't get over the argument that a 1 year old Fiesta ST would be superior to a new Up Gti in every way.
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VW Up!
Sept 18, 2018 13:31:07 GMT
Post by Tim on Sept 18, 2018 13:31:07 GMT
I haven't driven either but the Fiester has an extra 70odd BHP, is a bigger car and presumably has more kit (certainly as standard compared with a VW  so if you could get one with a few thousand miles on it for the same price it probably would be superior in every way with the exception of the badge on the nose. Also the Ford will have done a load of depreciating already whereas the Up is at the begininng of that curve/cliff so in its year 2 it may retain more value than a brand new Up. Is the Fiesta chassis any more sophisticated than the Up? |
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VW Up!
Sept 18, 2018 13:45:16 GMT
Post by Martin on Sept 18, 2018 13:45:16 GMT
Do people really see the VW badge as superior? I don’t see it any differently to Ford (as that’s the example used).....although the product is often superior!  The demand is really strong on the Up GTI, so it will hold its money reasonably well. I’m surprised at how much early models are, circa £4K for a 5 year old basic one with average miles which was probably £8k new. |
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VW Up!
Oct 22, 2018 9:02:37 GMT
Post by Roadsterstu on Oct 22, 2018 9:02:37 GMT
Do people really see the VW badge as superior? I don’t see it any differently to Ford (as that’s the example used).....although the product is often superior! The demand is really strong on the Up GTI, so it will hold its money reasonably well. I’m surprised at how much early models are, circa £4K for a 5 year old basic one with average miles which was probably £8k new. Do they ever! From your perspective I can see that it isn't but, as with BMW and Audi, VW are well built, high quality, reliable, superior, "premium" - because they are German. The reality may not always be the case but the perception is certainly there. By the bucket load. My parents are liking their Citigo. I've not been in it yet, let alone driven it, but in 75bhp SE spec, with a couple of nice options, it seems pretty much OK for what it is. I was at least successful in diverting them away from the 60bhp engine. |
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VW Up!
Oct 22, 2018 9:21:12 GMT
Post by Martin on Oct 22, 2018 9:21:12 GMT
Do people really see the VW badge as superior? I don’t see it any differently to Ford (as that’s the example used).....although the product is often superior! The demand is really strong on the Up GTI, so it will hold its money reasonably well. I’m surprised at how much early models are, circa £4K for a 5 year old basic one with average miles which was probably £8k new. Do they ever! From your perspective I can see that it isn't but, as with BMW and Audi, VW are well built, high quality, reliable, superior, "premium" - because they are German. The reality may not always be the case but the perception is certainly there. By the bucket load. My parents are liking their Citigo. I've not been in it yet, let alone driven it, but in 75bhp SE spec, with a couple of nice options, it seems pretty much OK for what it is. I was at least successful in diverting them away from the 60bhp engine. In the case of the Golf, it does feel like a higher quality product than the ‘non premium’ competition and compared well to the S3/M140i that we looked at (Golf was better/nicer to drive), whether that lasts or it is reliable remains to be seen, as it’s only done 3,000 miles. |
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VW Up!
Oct 22, 2018 9:47:26 GMT
Post by Tim on Oct 22, 2018 9:47:26 GMT
I think there is a clear perception amongst a lot of people that German products are superior.
Given that a lot of the stuff fitted into cars comes from external, industry-wide, suppliers I thinkits unlikely that the bits you can't see are better but perhaps they are presented in a superior way.
In respect of cars the mags do sometimes comment on the poorer grade of plastics in the lower reaches of the cockpit but they don't so it all that often.
In addition they always wait until after a model is replaced to give their true opinion - the original A and ML Class Mercs spring to mind as the reviews said they were a much higher quality product than the slightly shonky, rough-riding originals. That wasn't something they ever said when those models were current.
Finally there's a letter in the most recent Autocar criticising the new Fiesta for having the infotainment screen sticking out of the dash which is unacceptable, to the correspondent, when compared to the quality, integrated screens of BMW & Merc.
Putting aside the fact that those 2 mentioned don't really compete in the Fiesta market the guy has clearly failed to look inside a current Merc or BMW to notice they too have the screen in a similar position.
I suppose my point is the guy clearly automatically assumes the German cars are simply better - design in this case.
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VW Up!
Oct 22, 2018 11:57:47 GMT
Post by Roadsterstu on Oct 22, 2018 11:57:47 GMT
I'm sure there are those who would just melt if they ever realised their A3 shared a significant amount of Seat or Skoda parts, too!
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VW Up!
Oct 22, 2018 12:45:17 GMT
Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2018 12:45:17 GMT
I am sure that there are just as many who are ignorant/just don't care about anything other than the badge. Witness the BMW research that found a large number of 1 series owners thought it was FWD (When it was definitely RWD).
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VW Up!
Oct 27, 2018 5:36:11 GMT
Post by humphreythepug on Oct 27, 2018 5:36:11 GMT
Do people really see the VW badge as superior? I don’t see it any differently to Ford (as that’s the example used).....although the product is often superior! They most certainly do. Being in the car game I happen across a fair amount of brand snobbery when it comes to VW, without fail 100% of the time, if someone comes in to look at a new Renault and amongst the other makes they are looking at includes VW, they will always have the VW, if VW isn't on their list; generally with us it's fighting against Peugeot or Ford (never Vauxhall), then you have half a chance, throw VW in there; us and the others have no chance. I remember last year a mother and daughter came in looking at the Twingo, they had also driven the up! and Mii; given that they had arrived in an Audi, albeit a good few years old, their "safe" appearance and they had already looked at the VW, I didn't think I'd get too far with the Twingo, this was confirmed when the mother told me that that they had discounted the Mii because and I quote "the up! was more spacious inside". On the test drive I was chatting about the Mii and up! being the same car, trying to catch them out, the mum agreed that they were the same, however she said that the up! definitely had more space inside, they bought an up! Had a husband and wife earlier on this year, he had a Cayenne, she had an old Scenic, she'd had Renault for decades and loved them, to his credit he admitted he was a car snob; he took my pisstaking well and he was a nice guy, he wanted her to get a VW purely for the badge but as it was her car, it was up to her what she bought; she bought a yellow Scenic. |
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VW Up!
Oct 27, 2018 7:32:37 GMT
Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Oct 27, 2018 7:32:37 GMT
I think for most brand snobs VW is as low as they will go.
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VW Up!
Oct 27, 2018 13:13:41 GMT
Post by PG on Oct 27, 2018 13:13:41 GMT
I think for most brand snobs VW is as low as they will go. That's definitely how it is for some people - especially the older generation. I remember friends of my parents' justifying getting an early Passat estate over other choices as a way of saying "I'm very clever. I've got German quality engineering but I'm not silly enough to pay for BMW, Merc or Audi pricing and it's not boring like a Volvo". It was like an inverted form of badge snobbery really. Whereas go to Germany at that time and a Passat estate was seen a photocopier salesman's car. |
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VW Up!
Oct 31, 2018 14:28:59 GMT
Post by grampa on Oct 31, 2018 14:28:59 GMT
Do people really see the VW badge as superior? I don’t see it any differently to Ford (as that’s the example used).....although the product is often superior! They most certainly do. Being in the car game I happen across a fair amount of brand snobbery when it comes to VW, without fail 100% of the time, if someone comes in to look at a new Renault and amongst the other makes they are looking at includes VW 99.99999999% of the time - I looked at a Golf when I got my Megane 225 (albeit 14 years ago). Interestingly, my wife who has little to no brand awareness thought the interior of the Golf looked very cheap compared to the Megane. Even as a current VW owner - I see it no 'posher' than other mainstream makes, and the interior is OK but nothing to write home about and no more than the Vauxhall it replaced. |
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VW Up!
Oct 31, 2018 15:51:16 GMT
Post by PetrolEd on Oct 31, 2018 15:51:16 GMT
As someone who has had more then there fair share of Golf GTis I've deliberately gone to the blue collar side for my next car.
Nearly everyone I'm good friends with has a Golf.
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VW Up!
Nov 1, 2018 11:11:55 GMT
Post by racingteatray on Nov 1, 2018 11:11:55 GMT
I have to like the interior of a car if I am to buy it. That's historically been where most Fords fall down for me. Likewise most of the current Merc range.
The "blue collar" car I most recently went which unexpectedly impressed me with its interior design and finish was a Citroen C4.
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VW Up!
Nov 1, 2018 11:17:12 GMT
Post by Martin on Nov 1, 2018 11:17:12 GMT
As someone who has had more then there fair share of Golf GTis I've deliberately gone to the blue collar side for my next car. Nearly everyone I'm good friends with has a Golf. Be interesting to get your thoughts on it. I’ve read really mixed reviews, but didn’t try one. |
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VW Up!
Nov 2, 2018 22:30:03 GMT
via mobile
Post by PetrolEd on Nov 2, 2018 22:30:03 GMT
It’s not As focused, pardon the pun, as something like a Megane but I was after something that had decent ride quality and happy to compromise on the handling.
The interiors ok and more interesting than the Golf of a similar age but not of the same quality
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VW Up!
Nov 6, 2018 20:13:52 GMT
Post by Roadsterstu on Nov 6, 2018 20:13:52 GMT
It’s not As focused, pardon the pun, as something like a Megane but I was after something that had decent ride quality and happy to compromise on the handling. The interiors ok and more interesting than the Golf of a similar age but not of the same quality I can't imagine for a minute that the handling will be a compromise, Ed. I reckon you will love it. The interior may be a bit of a compromise but that will be overruled by that handling. Once the good tyres are on, pop up to see Dan Jackson for an alignment. I had a very brief passenger ride in my parents' Citigo for the first time, the other day. What impressed me was the feeling of solidity, build quality and a really good attempt at the ride quality of a much bigger car. Coupled with the leather trimmed wheel, DAB stereo, heated seats and climate control, it had all the bits a city car needs. On top of that, over mostly local trips (under 9 miles, some only 1 or 2 miles), it's turning in 52+ mpg. My folks love it. My dad loves the Superb more, naturally! |
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so if you could get one with a few thousand miles on it for the same price it probably would be superior in every way with the exception of the badge on the nose.
