What is it?
Here we have the cheapest Volkswagen you can buy today. That also makes the Volkswagen Up 1.0 the most literal representation of a volkswagen – or people’s car – there is and therefore one of the most important models for the Wolfsburg company to get right.
When the Up first went on sale in the UK eight years ago, you could buy one for £7995. After a facelift in 2016 and now a mild update for the 2020 model year, introducing full WLTP compliance and a modest increase to the amount of standard safety kit, you can’t get one for less than £12,440. Or £12,840 if you want the inherently more practical five-door model, which seems a no-brainer.
You can’t save money by settling for a Skoda or Seat badge on your boxy little Bratislava-built city car any more, either – unless it’s an expensive electric one.
Inflation is partly to blame for that eye-catching price increase, of course, but of more relevance is the fact that today’s entry-level model (one shorn of a trim level name, having previously been known as the Take Up) is better equipped than it was back then.
New additions to the standard spec sheet include lane-keeping assistance, front and rear curtain airbags and a neatly designed smartphone cradle atop the dashboard to deal with your infotainment. After all, why add significantly to the price of a car by adding a touchscreen system when almost everyone will want to use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay anyway?
That’s in addition to the air conditioning, electric front windows (the rear pair still only pop out a few degrees) and alloy wheels – in this case, a particularly attractive 15in set (pricier models get 16in or, on the sporty Volkswagen Up GTI, 17in rims).
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Getting too gadget laden?
I rented a very basic Up! on Shetland a year or so ago. Great car, wonderfully basic: no aircon (unnecessary up there!) and none of the mass of electronic gubbins that it appears we are being forced to pay for on the new one. And when you stopped to admire the views it didn't matter if you forgot to open the front windows before switching off the engine - they were manual. Brilliant! It was quiet, rode well and felt well made (no rattles). Excuse the cliche but it really felt like all the car you really should ever need.
Inflation?
Surely it's the drop in the value of the GBP rather than low inflation thats increased the price?
Insurance?
I notice that the Up, Hyundai i10 and Citroen C1 are now all virtually the same price. But the Volkswagen is listed as being in insurance Group 2E compared with the other two as group 7E. The difference might be crucial for a young buyer - but it's good to see that small car buyers still have some choice!