Volkswagen Up GTI Review - Prices, Specs And 0-60 Time | | Evo

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Externally, the Up plays the tried and tested VW GTI game of mixing just the right amounts of visual aggression and classy understated appeal. The utilitarian one box shape (you can choose from three- and five-door styles) is subtly enhanced by the addition of a rear spoiler that’s claimed to reduce lift, side skirts and a deeper front bumper complete with extra cooling vents and gloss black inserts. There’s also a smattering of GTI badges, some Golf Clubsport style black stripes down the flanks and, of course, the trademark red-piping for the grille. The sporty new look is set off with unique 17-inch alloys (called ‘Oswald’, which is a slightly better name than the Polo GTI’s ‘Milton Keynes’ design) that cover red painted brake calipers.

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Inside it’s all fairly familiar GTI fare, with the Up’s solid and functional interior given a racy overhaul courtesy of some checked trim for the seats, a flat-bottomed three-spoke steering wheel with red stitching and an eye-catching metallic red finish for the dashboard. And as with the exterior, you also get to play the game of ‘spot the multiple GTI logos’.

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> Read our review of the VW Golf GTI

Technical highlights

The Up’s compact engine bay means there’s no room for a four-cylinder engine under the bonnet, so engineers were forced to use the standard car’s 1-litre three-cylinder. Essentially the same unit that’s used in the entry-level Golf, the turbocharged triple produces an adequate 113bhp at 5000rpm with 147lb ft of torque available between 2000 and 3500rpm. Crucially, given the current climate, it features VW’s petrol particulate filter, which helps the Up meet the latest Euro 6 emissions regulations.