The VW Up scored 67%, more than the Ford Ka at 60% and well
below the Fiat 500 at 73%, the Suzuki Splash at 74% and the Ford Fiesta at 82%. The VW Up
lags because it has "cramped rear seats, and a boot that's city car
sized". And the "thrummy 1.0 engine is barely up to the task of out of
town driving".
I don't think we should take the Which reviews
seriously. I've been doing a daily 30 mile each way commute on dual
carriageways and motorways and I've never noticed a lack of engine
oomph. And space in the back is surprisingly good, and I speak as
someone who regularly travelled in a range of small cars when we all
went to a pub at lunchtime on Fridays.
According to Honest John:
"Space in the rear is good, with room for six-foot passengers."
"The 251-litre boot is also significantly larger than is typical in this class. ".
"Performance isn't overly impressive - the 60PS model takes 14.4 seconds
to reach 62mph while the 75PS model takes 13.2 seconds - but the Up
never feels as though it's lacking in any way, particularly in town,
which is where it'ss most at home."
According to Andrew English in the Daily Telegraph:
"Inside, the first thing you don't notice is how the Up's cabin will
accommodate four adults with ease, along with their luggage in the narrow
but deep, 251-litre boot."
"The is a game unit which loves to rev and gives respectable round-town
performance despite its 59bhp. On the open road, progress is refined and
quiet, despite almost 4,000rpm on the clock at 70mph."
boot is city car sized?
Hmmm, it's a city car, so thats a real shock!
also -it's far bigger and better shaped than the 500 he rated as higher.
Rear seats are cramped?
Clearly he didn't then sit in the rear of a 500 either!
Thrummy engine?
I thought it being thrummy was part of the 3 cylinders appeal?
In any case, he must've been so keen to get back to the 500 he neglected to notice that too has a 3 cylinder engine.
I can only speak from test driving both cars and doing some research before coming to the inevitable conclusion that whilst I preferred the looks of the 500 initially it was absolutely no match to the UP when driving & comparing features and price.
I think we have to bear in mind that a review is someone else's opinion first and foremost and not everyone will come to a new review with an open or constructive mind, perhaps this reviewer had a different shape than all the others and so the rear and boot looked smaller in comparison, perhaps they just liked the other cars better and were trying to justify this somehow, they could of course merely wanted to distance themselves from the majority of the motoring press who would have given the UP 90% or better and thought in doing so they were more independent?
I've never paid much attention to Which. They used to give some bizarre hi-fi combinations when I used to be interested in that. I agree that they tend to go against the flow just to seem more independent.
Used to subscribe to which but now, there is so much info available for tech-savy consumers they have become dinosaurs...too slow and to set in their ways to be relevent...also, the cost of their subscription is outrageous.....Frankly I'll make my own mind up and did...hence I bought an UP!
I have had a fiat 500 for the last four years, my two sons say the back of up is far roomier and having driven it for three weeks now I can say it is a better drive no where near as much bounce as the 500! I'm loving this car
<div style="text-align: center;">Can you check this out please as my baby 'Take up!' is just ticking over at 3000 rpm at 70mph... and hits 80 mph around 3500 rpm !!! It will be up at 85mph around 4000rpm... changing the conclussion of that review radically
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">Did they leave it in 4th gear for the review or have they fitted tiny wheels ??
This is what I wrote on my first 350 miles review..
At 50mph the rev counter shows just 2000 rpm !!!!... 60mph is 2500 rpm with 70+ being hit at 3000 rpm.
From my recent test drives of the VW up! and Fiat the 500, I noticed they both have very long top gears, so much so that staying in 5th in 30mph zones can be difficult, especially on an incline. This is surely one of the reasons they are so economical.
Perhaps the Which reviewer forgot to change into top gear (or perhaps he's just talking out of his exhaust!)
On the other hand, thanks for your great review Stainless. I enjoyed reading it.
<div style="text-align: center;">Can you check this out please as my baby 'Take up!' is just ticking over at 3000 rpm at 70mph... and hits 80 mph around 3500 rpm !!! It will be up at 85mph around 4000rpm... changing the conclussion of that review radically
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">Did they leave it in 4th gear for the review or have they fitted tiny wheels ??
This is what I wrote on my first 350 miles review..
At 50mph the rev counter shows just 2000 rpm !!!!... 60mph is 2500 rpm with 70+ being hit at 3000 rpm.
I think we are both completely barking, because my TakeUp is exactly like yours. Shall we see if we can get a group discount at the local care home?
Which Car said "thrummy 1.0 engine is barely up to the task of out of
town driving".
I must be a complete nut job as when I am doing 50 mph on a main road and I need to overtake two or three cars ahead of me, I drop it into third and shoot past. I've taken it up to 100mph for a short burst just to see what it can do. I've been commuting 30 miles each way on dual carriageways and motorways for the last month or so, and it drives like a charm. I've never felt it cannot cope. It is far more fun than the diesel Polo I had, which was a nice car mind. Overall it is a gorgeous. little car. I think some of these reviewers must be used to driving big cars, and do not know how to handle a small car with a perky engine.
Something I've not mentioned, and few people seem to, is the excellent visibility and the nice big mirrors. I find it really easy to park this car. And the fact that it is only 3.5m long does help get into spaces even a Fiesta would avoid.
I like your review, it does describe well the driving experience. It really does drive like a big car on motorways, but with go cart like handling in the city. Why not add your review to the Honest John site? And What Car too.
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