[AMV8]

Bit of a back story. My first car ever was a Lupo gti which I really loved. I’ve since had many cars inc C63, M4, Macan turbo, etc etc.
My wife and I currently share her 2015 aygo which is a great little car. She’s owned it from new..

Recently I’ve been considering something a bit more fun but cheap to run and insure etc. We have no use for 2 cars so an UP gti makes sense.
I’ve never driven one but reviews seem fair and they seem like a good over all package.
My main concern is ride comfort.. out little aygo ride v well and is great for town. Obv the gti will ride harder due to the large 17 “ wheels but how bad is the ride? Also how is build quality inside? Also one of our main deal breakers is a car with no rear camera, which many don’t seem to have. Can one be retrofitted?

 

[freemansteve]

FWIW, look at a more Grown-Up!-looking Citigo, even with just 75PS in SE-L spec, to get some good features, and post facelift. Or a Seat Mii.... Both are a bit less "Korean Tonka Toy" in appearance, not that it's a big deal.

A tad less cash than buying into the VW badge. Just the same really, specs varying, but made on the same production line, and with a more forgiving ride than the Up GTi. Obviously less grunt, but mostly the same driving fun, and cheaper to own...

Honestly, having driven an Aygo/C1, even the 75PS Citigo knocks it into a cocked hat and it will still be around long after the Aygo (not really a proper Toyota!) has become problematic - although Aygo/C1 is made in the Czech Repulic so will likely be better than being made in France.

If not a GTi, or if the "Austin versus Morris badge" is paramount, then the TSi models are well-liked - a tad less grunt than a GTi, but nicer ride, and more (turbo) uuumph than the Citigo or Mii...

 

[911ts3]

The wife had 2 x old shape Aygo's and loved both of them. When the new model came out in 2013/4 ? We went for as test drive and didn't like the quality too much, so went for a 75bhp High Up. It was night & day better quality, and we're now on our fifth. I have a Gti and the wife a Tsi.
Is the Gti worth it ? Every last penny.
I paid just over £14000 new in June 2019 for a five door white / black roof with cruise & park pack. I've done 15000 miles since and loved every minute.
Yes it has some flaws like the tyres, but drop the pressures to something sensible, and the ride & grip improves..
I'm 66, and have a 40 year competition history, and also have 2 toy cars to play with, but the Gti makes me smile almost as much as my '68 Lotus Elan.....
The ride isn't as good as in the wife's Tsi (which is only a gnat's chuff slower), but the sound it makes and the torque from the little motor is addictive.

 

[AMV8]

The UP TSI does seem like a good compromise. Is it just a detuned version of the gti engine? How is road noise at 70-80mph?
To be fair our aygo has done us well but fancy something quicker with a nicer cabin..

My mums old 2011 aygo was on 200k miles and going strong when we sold it..

 

[911ts3]

The Tsi is almost the same engine with supposedly 90 bhp. Most people seem to think they are more like 105-ish. Rolling road tests seemed to prove that's true after they first came out.
Quieter than the GTi at motorway speeds, mainly because they don't have the Soundaktor, .Less frenetic as they only have a 5 speed box. Almost as quiet as my last A4 Avant. They also have wheel arch guards which the series 1's didn't, which helps the road noise level. A great cruiser. We've done lots of trips to the South Coast , and into France, and always use the Tsi for those.

 

[AMV8]

The high up tsi seems to be quite rare as well. Upon further research I’ve found they’re around 100kg lighter than the GTI too.
Can a rear camera be retro fitted?

 

[Tommus]

Bit of a back story. My first car ever was a Lupo gti which I really loved. I’ve since had many cars inc C63, M4, Macan turbo, etc etc.
My wife and I currently share her 2015 aygo which is a great little car. She’s owned it from new..

Recently I’ve been considering something a bit more fun but cheap to run and insure etc. We have no use for 2 cars so an UP gti makes sense.
I’ve never driven one but reviews seem fair and they seem like a good over all package.
My main concern is ride comfort.. out little aygo ride v well and is great for town. Obv the gti will ride harder due to the large 17 “ wheels but how bad is the ride? Also how is build quality inside? Also one of our main deal breakers is a car with no rear camera, which many don’t seem to have. Can one be retrofitted?

I have had mine just over 3 weeks, if you go for the cruise and park pack it has a rear camera that you can view on the 5” screen. It’s quite a nice touch.
The ride quality is very firm, and the Suspension is noisy over bumps and rougher roads.
build quality is good although I have a rattle from the passenger side of the dash and the rear spoiler. I will take it in after Christmas for them to look at it. I can’t stand rattles in new cars, it really detracts from the enjoyment of the car. Had a tsi before for 3.5 years and didn’t have one rattle inside

 

[AMV8]

I’m more set on a TSI now. Do all ups come with DAB radio as standard?

 

[Tommus]

I’m more set on a TSI now. Do all ups come with DAB radio as standard?

I think all new ups come with dab but you can’t get the tsi engine anymore, you would have to buy used. My old tsi high up had dab

 

[AMV8]

Values should remain strong ish if they no longer make them. I can’t seem to find one with a rear camera. Has anyone retro fitted one? Are VW able to do this?

 

[RosscoPCole]

Up GTi - Worth it?
**** yes!

 

[freemansteve]

I can’t seem to find one with a rear camera. Has anyone retro fitted one? Are VW able to do this?

Given that many VAG products do have rear-view cameras, it is safe to assume that VW "can do it"!

I might well be wrong, but I haven't heard of an Up! (or other variant) having a rear camera as standard or as an option. It is a bargain-basement kind of car, so does it not have a big LCD video screen as part of the standard radio, and I doubt the obsolete Garmin thing did it....

Mine has the ultrasonic parking sensors which bleep and show you a range display on the radio display (such as it is), and it works excellently well. My previous car had a camera, and overlay "turning-line graphics", but half the time, the camera lens was dirty and it prevented seeing any useful detail on the video screen....

I'm sure it's not a major project to install a rear camera that uses WiFi, maybe in the spoiler, and use a phone or tablet to see behind, but it's probably not worth the bother, given the parking sensors are very good.

Anyway, surely not a reason to not buy a GTI, or any Up! for that matter....?

 

[AMV8]

My wife’s adamant on a rear camera. Since her current car has one. I’ve seen a nice silver TSI up for sale at VW, 12k miles, 2018, 1 owner. Priced at 9.5k. Approved used cars seem to benefit from 2 warranty, mot cover, services and road side assist. The TSI is a rare car

 

[freemansteve]

OK - some Up models are indeed fitted with cameras, I did not know that!

What radios do they have? I assume that radio must have a video-capable LCD panel.... Might be a nice upgrade for some owners....

 

[TEST DRIVER]

The UP GTI is a great car. I did have an Aygo automatic on my shopping list before i bought my UP GTI, but i only wanted the X Cite in Orange with the Black roof and there were none for sale at that time. Today there are at least six for sale in that spec on Autotrader a couple 20 reg with low mileage.

I am pleased i went for the UP GTI. I would have preferred the car to be offered in automatic, but it has cruise control which the Aygo does not have. The car looks good inside and out, has a lovely quiet engine, gets 50 MPG round town and has effortless power in any gear.

 

[911ts3]

Yes, rear view camera was an option, definitely on the Gti and High Up Tsi's at least, maybe others too.
The Tsi as at least as rare, maybe more rare, than a Gti.....

 

[AMV8]

Found a high up but the colour scheme is all wrong. Light interior inc dash etc. Red / white exterior. Shame cos the spec is great inc pan roof, camera, etc.
If anyone is selling Their high up drop me a pm. Must be low miles in a plain colour.

 

[Tommus]

Found a high up but the colour scheme is all wrong. Light interior inc dash etc. Red / white exterior. Shame cos the spec is great inc pan roof, camera, etc.
If anyone is selling Their high up drop me a pm. Must be low miles in a plain colour.

If you get any up brand new and opt for park and cruise pack it comes with the rear camera.
When I bought my tsi in 2017 and opted for cruise and park it didn’t come with the camera, that was an extra £160 at the time.
The tsi are rare, my dealer sold mine within 3 days of putting on the forecourt

 

[Border]

Found a high up but the colour scheme is all wrong. Light interior inc dash etc. Red / white exterior. Shame cos the spec is great inc pan roof, camera, etc.
If anyone is selling Their high up drop me a pm. Must be low miles in a plain colour.

Mine is in the for sale section of the forum.

 

[AMV8]

Is it worth paying the extra from a dealers for 2 years warranty, 2 years mot cover up to £750 and 2 year road side assist? It’s the lowest mileage car I can find at 12k miles / 2018. VW are after £9,300 for it.. seems pricey?
A deal breaker for me is the cream seats / dash etc. Much prefer the black seats and dash..