Volkswagen hatches a family-friendly five-door Up
Hot on the heels of its victory at the What Car? Car of the Year 2012 awards, the diminutive Volkswagen Up is once again in the news, as the new family-friendly five-door variant is unveiled. The 2.42-metre wheelbase stays the same, as does the efficient three-cylinder engine. The main noticeable difference when compared to the three-door (with the exception of two rather obvious additional doors), is the rear profile styling. The Up’s unique upward rear window kink has given way to a downward styling line, reminiscent of that on the three-door Škoda Citigo and SEAT Mii. Prices for the five-door Up will be announced nearer the on-sale date of summer 2012. The full Volkswagen UK press release follows.
Practicality goes Up with baby Volkswagen’s five door version
Getting into Volkswagen’s award-winning Up city car is now easier than ever, with the introduction of the new five-door model. Pictured here for the first time, the five-door Up has many of the same virtues as its three-door sibling: a 2.42m long wheelbase that makes for impressive interior space, a capacious 251-litre boot, an efficient three-cylinder engine, new-to-the-class safety features and an innovative infotainment system.
Rear passengers in the five-door Up benefit from exactly the same cabin space as those in the recently-launched three-door, with 947mm of headroom (versus 993mm in the front) and 789mm of legroom. The rear seat base is set slightly higher than that in the front, at 378mm (versus 306mm) giving rear passengers a clearer view of the road ahead.
As well as front and side airbags, ABS with Hydraulic Brake Assist, Isofix child seat preparation in the rear and standard ESP (on all but the entry level Take Up model), the Up can be ordered with an optional City Emergency Braking system. This uses sensors to scan the space ahead of the vehicle, applying the brakes automatically if it detects that the car is about to hit an object in front, and costs from just £225. The Up has received a five-star rating and the Advanced Award from Euro NCAP, the European New Car Assessment Programme. It is the first vehicle in this class to receive these awards.
The Up has already received top honours at the prestigious What Car? awards, where it was named Car of the Year for 2012, and has also been named Top Gear magazine’s Small Car of the Year. First UK deliveries of the five-door Up are expected to start in the second half of the year; prices are yet to be confirmed. The three-door Up is available to order now, with prices starting at £7,995 (RRP ‘on the road’). The first models of the city car will arrive in showrooms in March 2012.
