Motoring journalist, Tony Yates, recently tested the Volkswagen Take UP! 1.0 litre 60PS – 5 door.

The VW UP! is a great little car for doing the school run and for all those times when you need to nip into town to do a little retail therapy. Or, if you’re like me, then you will be the local taxi into town because its the only family vehicle that’s really capable of fitting inside those tight city centre parking spaces.

Power and Efficiency:

The version I had on test was a 5 door Take UP! which was fitted with a 3 cylinder 999cc 60PS petrol engine, and is still one of the best units I have come across in my opinion. Yes, I know pretty much every manufacturer now has a 3 cylinder engine available in their range, but I still think the VW unit is the better one by a mile.

Out on the open road I managed to achieve 60mpg as long as I didn’t drive it like I stole it. Of course, I could tell you that the UP! will max out at 101mph, but to be honest, it wasn’t built for speed, so you are probably not that interested. But, if you do fancy a race from 0-62, then expect to be waiting around for about 14.4sec for that to happen.

So, with its 999cc engine, you’d expect it to be slow right? Well, actually it nips around the city in a rush and it doesn’t really feel underpowered at all truth be told. Plus I recently had to take my children on a weekend camping trip to Ross-on-Wye meaning it was full to bursting with all our camping gear, but still – the little UP! just kept on going.

On the Road:

The little UP! is a scream – it’s easy to drive and feels brilliant for such a small car. I own a Fiat 500 and I have to say that the little UP! Is as good as the little Fiat – if not that little bit better out on the road, because it’s less ‘bouncy’. Remember though, this is not a hot hatch; it’s an eco-warrior that was designed to save you money as well as being stylish. As for the handling, I decided I would give it four out of five stars because it’s as good as the competition when the road gets nice and twisty.

Design and Technology:

The interior is a little on the bland side - but its functional, and I like the body coloured dash panel and the centre speedo which gives it a better feel on the inside. Although the seats do feel a little deckchair like, then again, they do hold you firm and that’s the main thing here.

There’s also an array of kit inside such as; DAB radio, electric front windows, 3.1” monochrome screen, SD card reader, halogen clear headlights, LED daytime running lights, power assisted steering, remote central locking, height adjustable three-spoke steering wheel. This list may look a little basic, but remember this was only the Take-UP! specification. If you want to go all out, then I suggest you take a look at the new UP! GTi version, which costs less than 14k (3 door version).

When it comes to safety features, the UP! comes equipped with; ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), driver’s and front passenger’s airbags, side head/thorax airbag system for front passengers, ESC (Electronic Stability Control) including Hill Hold function.

To Sum Up:

There is no doubt in my mind that VW UP! will live with you for a very long time and you will instantly replace it with another when the time is right. To be honest it’s like your secret little friend that will make you feel happy every time you turn the key.

Price from: £9,725.