The VW UP Gti - What do we all think?

Jamesyboyjim

Jamesyboyjim

Jamesyboyjim

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As per title! I've been looking at reviews online of these and I think they're great! :D 113bhp in a tiny car that weighs around 900kg is going to feel quite nippy. I think the price is what makes this car great, only around 13k new.

People have pointed out you only get drum brakes on the back and you cant turn traction control off like a 'true' gti but I still think for the money you get a great little car and the reviews have generally been positive. For me personally who only ever has the missus in the car and who parks in a tiny garage this sort of thing is ideal.

I think people will either laugh and turn their nose up, or think its a good car for the money. What do you all think?
 
1) Buy secondhand Renaultsport Twingo
2) ???
3) Profit

But it has a VW GTi badge, so it's obviously actually fantastic and will draw Mk1 GTi comparisons etc second coming of christ blah blah blah

(I think that summarises my views on the matter)
 
I'd go with a Twingo or a Suzuki Swift sport purely to get away from the tartan seats! :eek:

But seriously (although i really do hate the tartan seats) they look like a good fun, affordable car. Drum brakes also work really well for handbrake turns compared to rear disks so i wouldn't see that as a down point for road driving, it might worry me if you did a few track days in it though.
 
Having driven a standard one a while ago, I had great fun - it handled like a go kart and whilst not fast, it felt entertaining and involving to drive, the only thing I have even driven that was similar being a classic mini.

Having quite a bit more power, I think the GTI would be pretty entertaining and about the right amount of performance, that can still be used on a day-to-day basis (unlike the license losing amounts e.g. a Golf R,RS3,A45 AMG have these days)
 
As a massive VW fan, I'd rather vomit in a pint glass and drink it again than experience an UP! but then I absolutely hate tiny cars.

A friend of mine just picked up a mk6 polo Gti in mint condition for £6k, much better choice for something smallish and nippy.
 
Looks pretty similar to the more blingy normal Ups. It will probably be huge fun to drive though, and I'd consider one if I was looking for a car of that size. Hopefully it spawns a whole sector of tiny warm hatches. A "hot" aygo would look pretty good!
 
I'd love one! if they're cheap on lease I can see these being fairy popular, I can totally see my self in one. Small, fun and good looking - personal thing of course. But twingo etc just look a bit dull.
 
If it was me I'd spend the cash on a low mileage 4-5 year MK6 golf GTi. It'll be a much better car.

Or if your want a small fun car in a similar vein why not go old school and get a Lupo GTi? They look way cooler and are likely to be more entertaining than the up.

I still think the Up GTi looks cool though :cool:
 
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I drove a standard UP for a week and the novelty of its size wore off quite quick, so although it would be a laugh in GTI form, I think I would opt for the Polo GTI instead which is 200BHP and a bit bigger (probably same size as a MK3-4 Golf by now?). The UP GTI is also closer to £14k than 13k and 1080KG not 900KG btw.
 
Isn't the Suzuki Swift Sport the one to beat at this price point? It's much bigger than an Up! as well.

My problem with the Up and Aygo/C1/108 is that they are properly, properly crap. Built to an extremely low budget, with rear glass hatches, etc.
Even though this is a GTI, it's still an Up with the same crummy Up interior.
 
Not massively impressed, the 90PS UP TSI has more than 113PS with a simple re-map, and its cheaper...

135PS~ would have been nice.
 
Having owned a 107 for 2 years I quite like the small cars and can appreciate them, the vw up while being square does look pretty cool and looks very good in a sporty trim, like the Skoda citygo.

I saw the up gti on YouTube months ago, Looks cool, imagine it to be pretty swift on the road given the size of the car, big wheels, but typical of vw, If I needed just a cheap city run about of a new priced purchase, I’d certainly entertain the idea of this up
 
Might have found the replacement for my Fabia vRS Mk1... Then again, I've got a thing for small hot hatches.

Wonder if they're doing scrappage deals.... ;)
 
MagicBoy said:
Might have found the replacement for my Fabia vRS Mk1... Then again, I've got a thing for small hot hatches.

Wonder if they're doing scrappage deals.... ;)
Click to expand...


What you need is your vrs engine in the up, 130hp, 229/lbs/ft in a much smaller car will be fun and that’s just the standard figures ha
 
Your Fabia VRS is 160HP with a re-map, 200HP+ with a small amount of mods.

I expect the little 3 pot UP will be more fun though. :D
 
The Fabia is still standard, I've managed 12 years resisting the urge to chip it.

The Up! is way lighter ... the Fabia is 1300kg. The big lump of pig iron up front doesn't make for the most inspired handling. Skoda say no Mk3 vRS, so I'll have to find something else thats fast enough, fun and costs pennies to run. I'll miss the PD torque though when it inevitably goes. She's getting on a bit now...
 
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