Volkswagen up! GTI (2017-2023) - Reliability and safety
The up! GTI should be reliable, but it lacks the latest safety equipment
Just so you know, this is an older review of the 2017-2023 Volkswagen up! GTI. If you are interested in information about a used Volkswagen up!, or news about the latest Volkswagen models, please follow the links provided.
The standard VW up! didn’t feature in our 2020 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, but Volkswagen finished a disappointing 19th out of 30 manufacturers. That said, reliability shouldn’t be an issue, with the 1.0-litre petrol engine seeing plenty of action in a range of cars, while the up! has been on sale for nearly a decade.
Euro NCAP downgraded the car’s safety rating when it was re-tested in 2019, with the up! dropping from five to three stars. While scores of 81% and 83% for adult and child occupant protection are impressive for a city car, scores of 46% for vulnerable road users protection and 55% for safety assist technology are less encouraging.
Standard safety equipment includes driver and passenger airbags, curtain airbags, front seat side impact airbags, ISOFIX points in the rear, hill hold assist and electronic stability control.
Warranty
The up! GTI is covered by a standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which is average for this class of car. Extended warranties are available from around £135 a year.
Servicing
Volkswagen offers a choice of two different service plans. A Fixed Service Plan is recommended if you drive fewer than 10,000 miles a year, while a Flexible Service Plan is designed for long-distance and motorway drivers covering up to 20,000 miles annually.
