Verdict
The Volkswagen up! is a hugely polished city car with a reasonable boot and refined 1-litre engine. Its funky style and attractive prices are sure to secure it a large, loyal following.

Expert rating: 3.9

Pros
• Build quality
• Smooth, economical engine
• Cheap to buy and run

Cons
• Portable infotainment system confuses
• Some option packs costly
• Take up! model is basic

1. Exterior: 4/5
The up! is slightly longer than most of its rivals and has large wheels, pushed right out to each corner. Inspiration came from the world of product design so the glass tailgate is a nod to iconic TV design, while the chamfered side window frames give a feeling of strength and precision. The nose is based on a human face, with large headlights and a grille framing the numberplate.

2. Interior: 5/5
There's a feeling of space and quality inside which sends the up! to the top of the city car class. The dashboard is particularly well-trimmed but the Maps and More infotainment system which docks to the dashboard is far too fiddly, with numerous options and an unclear screen in strong sunlight. The trim level change the ambience significantly too. The Move up! has an off-white dash, while the up! White and up Black! have high-gloss white or black interior trim.

3. Practicality: 5/5
The no-compromise approach includes practicality, with the up! featuring the biggest boot in the class at 251 litres; fold the rear seats down and 951 litres is available. It's easy to get a good driving position, despite the steering wheel only moving for height, thanks to the wide range of seat adjustment on offer. Front passengers get lots of legroom, and it's possible for one adult to sit behind another. What really makes the up! practical on the road is its tight turning circle and 3.5-metre length, making it easy to negotiate city traffic and park. Visibility around the car is good, but parking sensors are available with the optional Sensor pack.

4. Ride and handling: 4/5
The big-car feeling is present here too, thanks to an impressive level of comfort. The up!, soaks up poor surfaces better than any rival. The steering is well-weighted and has a pleasing feel, with only hard cornering or sudden direction changes provoking body roll.

5. Performance: 3/5
An all-new 1-litre, three-cylinder engine offers 59 or 74bhp. The lower-powered car is exceptionally smooth and quiet, emitting a pleasant sound and is more than capable of brisk acceleration at lower speeds. It needs to be driven quite hard though, which is likely to impact its economy. The 74bhp model isn't significantly quicker and while both models are adequately powerful, both start to struggle in fifth gear on long and steep motorway climbs. Acceleration from 0-62mph takes 14.4 or 13.2 seconds, but things feels more spritely than these figures suggest.

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6. Running costs: 3/5
Average fuel economy ranges from 60.1mpg in the special edition White and Black, to 62.8mpg in the Take up! and Move up! with emissions from 105 to 108g/km of CO2. The Move up! BlueMotion Technology averages 67.2mpg with CO2 emissions of 97g/km. Insurance and servicing are expected to be highly cost effective too, thanks to low insurance ratings and fixed-price servicing packages.

7. Safety: 3/5
The up! has front and side airbags plus anti-lock brakes and daytime running lights, but ESP isn't standard. The optional Driver's assistance pack includes ESP though, plus passenger airbag deactivation and City Emergency Braking, which can apply the brakes automatically if an imminent collision is detected at speeds below 18mph.

8. Reliability: 4/5
As with any all-new model, it's impossible to say how reliable the up! will prove. However, a quality feel permeates the whole car and its engineering is typically Volkswagen - solid and dependable.

9. Equipment: 3/5
The Take up! is very basic with a CD player/radio, body-coloured bumpers and 14-inch steel wheels. The Move up! adds remote central locking, air-con, electric front windows, easy-entry seats, height-adjustable driver's seat, variable-height load floor and 60:40 split/fold rear seats. The High up! adds heated front seats, heated and adjustable door mirrors, Maps & More infotainment device, choice of dashboard colour, front fog lights and 15-inch alloy wheels. Numerous option packs are offered though.

10. Why buy? 5/5
The Volkswagen up! might be a small car, but it leaves a big impression on you. Perhaps its best trick is managing to feel so grown-up and safe at motorway speeds, making this a city car you won't want to leave behind for longer trips.