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Volkswagen Up! GTI Review: Just Right or Not Enough?

At about 1.4 tons, the Golf GTI is undeniably a completely different animal to the original that came out more than 20 years ago. Thankfully, Volkswagen has revitalized the hot hatch segment with the Up! GTI, a master class when it comes to giving you just enough.
Volkswagen Up! GTI Review: Just Right or Not Enough? 10 photos
Photo: YouTube screenshot
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Almost no manufacturers do this nowadays - small, cheap yet fun cars. Citroen, Peugeot, Ford and many other companies used to offer them. But besides the Twingo GT/smart Brabus, the Up! GTI has literally no rivals.

Why don't more companies do this when they all have access to small turbo engines is beyond us! So, what does a modern-day version of the 1976 GTI feel like to drive?

The Up! GTI is nothing like a track-ready 300 horsepower Golf R with track tires. With its fizzy 3-cylinder engine, it doesn't take itself all that seriously. It rolls more into the corners while offering the kind of performance you can have fun with on the road.

The changes made to the engine are noticeable. Power has gone up from 90 to 115 HP with a similar torque bump. Thanks to that, the 0-100km/h time is 8.8 seconds compared to 9.9 in the Up! TSI. It makes a cool noise too. Perhaps its biggest fault is that that this engine configuration isn't as eager to rev as something like an old Lupo GTI.

There's plenty of little upgrades going on here. For example, new dampers, lower, stiffer springs, a beefed up rear axle, and a whole new steering knuckle created around the bigger brakes. Despite all this, the ride is pretty much as good as in a normal Up!. GTI badges, bigger wheels, and a trunk spoiler add to its character.

Inside, there's tartan seats and a premium-looking steering wheel. Unfortunately, the Up! GTI doesn't have an infotainment system to speak of.

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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