[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/hot-hatch-cars\/vw-up-gti-reviews\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/hot-hatch-cars\/vw-up-gti-reviews\/","headline":"VW Up GTI – what the critics think","name":"VW Up GTI – what the critics think","description":"Of all the performance labels in the automotive sphere, GTI is undoubtedly one of the most respected. Slap those three letters on any car and you\u2019ll immediately have the attention of any petrolhead and that rule isn\u2019t exclusive to Volkswagen; Peugeot have applied them with great effect to the 205 and 308 in the far and not so distant past. So when VW announced it was going to crank up the heat on its Up city car – the baby […]","datePublished":"2018-02-20","dateModified":"2018-12-05","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Volkswagen-up-GTI-feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Volkswagen-up-GTI-feature.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/hot-hatch-cars\/vw-up-gti-reviews\/","about":["HOT HATCH","Volkswagen"],"wordCount":530,"keywords":["car reviews","hot hatch","Up GTI","Volkswagen Up","Volkswagen Up! GTI","vw"],"articleBody":"Of all the performance labels in the automotive sphere, GTI is undoubtedly one of the most respected.Slap those three letters on any car and you\u2019ll immediately have the attention of any petrolhead and that rule isn\u2019t exclusive to Volkswagen; Peugeot have applied them with great effect to the 205 and 308 in the far and not so distant past.So when VW announced it was going to crank up the heat on its Up city car – the baby of the current VW range – it\u2019s suffice to say interest was rife.Now the mainstream motoring media has had its wicked way with the pocket-rocket, we\u2019ve taken a look at what they make of the Up, post GTI treatment\u2026\u2018Seriously competitive\u2019Auto Express awarded the Up GTI three-and-a-half stars out of five, which seemed a particularly average score considering all the nice things they had to say about it.The motoring weekly magazine hailed the Up GTI as \u201cwell priced, well made and well equipped\u201d for its \u00a313,750 asking price (\u00a314,120 if you want the five-door).While the 113bhp three-cylinder TSI engine was labelled a strong point (enabling a 8.8-second 0-62mph time), the brakes and chassis were deemed to be less so.However, AE concluded the car was \u201cseriously competitive\u201d when placed alongside the almost \u00a318k Fiat 500 Abarth and the slower, \u201cless good\u201d Renault Twingo GT.With a headline like \u2018pound for pound, the most fun you can have on four wheels\u2019, you\u2019d have reason to suspect that The Telegraph let VW write its four-star review.Tunnel troubleThe Telegraph\u2019s Ed Wiseman was keen to clarify that the Up GTI was definitely a \u2018warm hatch\u2019 rather than a hot hatch, if only due to not having a power output that started with a \u20183\u2019.Regardless, Ed believed the car\u2019s fun factor is more important than its pace and its \u2018tiny footprint and light steering\u2019 delivers a bootload of thrills.There\u2019s the tacky matter of artificial sound augmentation to discuss though, with a physical box mounted in the Up GTI\u2019s footwell that loosely amplifies the engine note.\u201cIt also makes it one of the few cars that don\u2019t sound better in a tunnel,\u201d writes Ed. \u201cTo the outside world, the Up GTI sounds a lot like a regular Up.\u201dCar Magazine didn\u2019t hold back, dishing out all five stars. They admitted that 113bhp doesn\u2019t sound very powerful, but like the Telegraph, its success lies with how it drives and they reckon \u201cit\u2019s an absolute hoot\u201d.\u201cIt\u2019s all about nippy fun and thrashing it for all of its worth – it just puts a huge smile on your face,\u201d they add.Top Gear gave it a reserved seven out of ten, saying the car was \u201cdesigned to give buyers a taste of what a GTI is, but not the full experience\u201d.SummarySo there you go, the general consensus is that the Up GTI is lots of fun, with verdicts ranging from quite positive to outright approval.One thing you\u2019re guaranteed with this car is a great time, so if you have \u00a314k to blow, the Up GTI would be a sound option."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Hot Hatch Cars","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/\/hot-hatch-cars\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"VW Up GTI – what the critics think","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/hot-hatch-cars\/vw-up-gti-reviews\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]