Skip advert
Advertisement

Volkswagen Up GTI (2017-2023) – design

The handsome Up is made even more desirable by a selection of typical-GTI design cues

Evo rating
  • An entertaining car to drive, even if it isn’t in the conventional hot hatch manner; high quality interior
  • Some of the interior’s quality should have gone into the chassis

One factor that makes the Up GTI so desirable is its tough and chunky looks. The basic Up, with its clean lines and short overhangs, is a very fine looking car and fits with the very sharp, subtle and elegant designs of other modern Volkswagens. Although, less understated are the VW badges on the Up that look 25 per cent too large, but that does give the impression the car is even smaller than it is.

Advertisement - Article continues below

As for the specific GTI elements – the big, diamond-cut wheels pushed right out to each corner, the red grille highlights, side stripes and its spoiler flicking off the trailing edge of the roof – they make it look like a proper performance car, no matter what its size.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Best look yet at new Jaguar GT – bold EV sheds disguise as comeback looms
Jaguar GT Type 00 front
News

Best look yet at new Jaguar GT – bold EV sheds disguise as comeback looms

Jaguar’s comeback GT continues testing with reduced disguise at the Nürburgring
22 Oct 2025
Meet the man who turned a Lotus Exige into a 270mph hypercar
John Hennessey
Features

Meet the man who turned a Lotus Exige into a 270mph hypercar

From tuning his Mitsubishi 3000GT to manufacturing the 1817bhp Venom F5, John Hennessey is the ultimate power broker
23 Oct 2025
New hardcore Porsche Panamera could make the BMW M5 redundant
Porsche Panamera Turbo GT – front
News

New hardcore Porsche Panamera could make the BMW M5 redundant

The Panamera has been a front-running supersaloon for nearly two decades, but it’s never had the sense of focus to match the best from AMG and BMW M. …
22 Oct 2025