After a short time off sale, Volkswagen’s smallest hot hatch is back in dealerships.
The Up GTI was taken off the market eight months ago but is now back and has been revised for 2020.
Unwilling to tinker with a winning formula, Volkswagen haven’t changed the car’s looks too much, though it debuts the latest VW badge, which will be deployed across the rest of the company’s range.
Under the car’s stubby bonnet lies a 1.0 litre, three cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with 115hp to draw on. Paired with a six-speed manual gearbox it’ll do 0-62mph in 8.8 seconds – hardly supercar baiting, but speedy for a little city car.
The GTI has 17in alloy wheels, GTI badging and VW’s Jacara checked cloth upholstery – a hallmark of the company’s hot hatches – as well as ambient lighting.
The bad news is that prices have increased by £1,000, with the three-door version now costing £15,895 and the five-door weighing in at £16,295.
New and more real-world accurate WLTP tests suggests you can expect 53.3mpg out of the Up GTI and CO2 emissions are 129g/km.
The rest of the Up range has also been fettled with. There’s a new version of the fully electric e-up (surely aimed at the Yorkshire market) which has a claimed range of 162 miles.
The entry level Up is now priced from £12,440 and comes with 15in alloys, a five-inch colour display screen with smartphone navigation interface and a DAB radio.
It also links up to your smartphone and allows it to be used as a navigation system. Customers get a choice of three- or five-door body shapes. Under the bonnet, however, there’s just one option: a 59 bhp 1.0 litre petrol engine.
There are also new special editions – Black and White editions get smart colour schemes and there’s a Beats version that has a 300W sound system – and a high spec R-Line grade that has lowered suspension, heated front seats and electric door mirrors.
jmckeown@thecourier.co.uk