Volkswagen Up gets facelift 22 | 02 | 2016
VOLKSWAGEN HAS REVEALED its facelifted Up city car ahead of its official unveiling at next month's Geneva Motor Show. The newcomer will go on-sale in Scottish dealerships in the summer (see more photographs of 2016 VW Up).
The primary improvements to the entry-level VW include a new 89bhp turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine; revised interior trims; more contemporary smartphone connectivity options; an extended range of customisation options; plus an updated exterior design and wider range of colours.
After five years, the exterior of the Up gets a more robust, mature look which VW hopes will see it compete more successfully against the likes of the Fiat 500, Smart ForFour and Hyundai i10.
Dominating the 2016 exterior lines is the new front bumper which integrates cornering lights, larger air ducts and with optional fog lamps. The 2016 Up also benefits from new-look headlamps with LED daytime driving lights, plus there's new rear light lens graphics, larger wing mirrors with integrated indicator repeater lamps, and a reprofiled rear bumper with a more defined lip underneath its near-to-vertical glass tailgate.
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As with the first-gen Up, the newcomer will again be available in both three- and five-door body styles. But there's now a choice of 13 body colours, nine exterior decals, 10 new dashpad designs, three roof colours, three design packs, two colour packs and two basic colours for the interior trim (“Titanium Black” and “Ceramique”), coloured alloy wheels and individualised-colour ambient light available for the top-of-the-range models.
Inside the new Up, the cabin remains largely unaltered. However the 2016 version now has the option of of a multi-function steering wheel and Volkswagen’s Pure Air Climatronic automatic air conditioning system for the first time.
And VW has also added the option of USB and Bluetooth smartphone connectivity, as well as on-board computer functions via a Volkswagen app.
Under the bonnet, the new Up gets VW's new turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, first seen in the Golf BlueMotion TSI. In the city car, the power unit delivers 89bhp and 118lb/ft of torque at 1500rpm and, mated to a manual gearbox, it propel the lightest three-door Up from 0-62mph in 10.0sec and a maximum speed of 115mph. VW says it will return 64mpg at the pumps and emit 102g/km CO2.
The new engine will complement the existing naturally aspirated 1.0-litre three cylinder engine, found in the pre-facelift model, and which produced 74bhp and 70lb/ft at 3000rpm. It's best figures were 13.2sec and 106mph.
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Jim McGill