The Volkswagen Up GTI is tremendous fun – forget the Golf, this is the GTI I’d buy

The GTI name is synonymous with hot hatchbacks, but the breed as a whole has been getting bigger and heavier for decades – the latest Golf GTI weighs more than 1,400kg and is 60cm longer and 20cm wider than the 1970s original. That’s where the Volkswagen Up GTI came in.

Back in 2017, it was seen as the antidote to huge, heavy and ultra-powerful hot hatchbacks. It had a virtually identical footprint to the Mk1 Golf GTI, and produces pretty much the same power. Sure, it was taller and heavier, and markedly more modern, but its modest engine output and lack of complicated driving aids meant it placed the focus squarely on old-school fun rather than outright pace.

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Recently I got the chance to head back in time a few years and sample the Up GTI. Does it still hold up?

Visually, yes. The Up hatchback was always super-stylish thanks to its nice squat proportions and minimalist styling, and with a GTI makeover consisting of 17-inch alloy wheels, a lowered ride height, and some signature red highlights, it looks the absolute business.

The inside looks fab too, thanks to tartan seats (another classic GTI feature) and a black and red colour palette. The Up’s dashboard – loaded with physical switchgear and with just a smartphone holder instead of a giant touchscreen – has held up really well. It’s stylish yet functional, and just so easy to use. It’s even quite roomy by city car standards.

Under the skin, the Up GTI follows a typical city car template with its 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive, but there are some notable upgrades. For starters, the engine is turbocharged so it produces 115hp – quite a lot in a little car like this, and within 5hp of the original Golf GTI’s output. It means 0-62mph in a respectable 8.8 seconds.

There’s also a six-speed gearbox with a much more precise action than the slightly baggy five-speed that the regular Up gets.

Start up the, er, Up, and you can’t help but giggle. Fake engine noise is usually something I dislike, but the Up’s is so ridiculous – it’s not trying to be taken seriously, and so it gets a pass.

Driving normally, the Up GTI is as easy as any city car to get to grips with. The low-down power of the turbocharged engine and the lightweight controls make it a doddle at low speeds, even if the stiff suspension means you feel the bumps a lot.

Once you get onto the open roads, it’s a hoot. There’s loads of grip, and though the engine doesn’t make you chase the redline it’s got plenty of performance in the lower gears so tight bends are good fun.

You notice the limitations when the road gets wider and the corners faster. The steering is light and accurate, but doesn’t give you much feedback, and it gets a bit breathless at higher speeds.

That’s the thing I enjoy most, though. The Up GTI isn’t trying to be the ultimate performance car – it’s trying to be a laugh. It’s a friendly car that any sort of driver can have fun in, not just hardened petrolheads – which is definitely the case with the latest crop of mega-powerful hot hatchbacks.

The oldest Up GTIs are nine years old now, but they haven’t half held their value, a common thread to all the best Volkswagen GTI cars. Budget £10,000 minimum if you’d like one, rising past £15,000 for later, low-mileage cars. I found this 2020 Up GTI for sale on Carwow for £12,699, with 37,000 miles.

Alternatives? You could consider a Ford Fiesta ST – more of a full-fat hot hatchback, but very reasonably priced. A 2017 model with low mileage will run you between £6,000 – £8,000.

For something a bit cheaper, you can pick up a super-fun Suzuki Swift Sport. It’s not as plush inside but it’s lightweight and great to drive.

Or if you want a newer car you could opt for the sensible-but-peppy Kia Picanto GT-Line S. With 99hp it’s down on power compared to the other cars here, but it’s a great, efficient daily driver that’s still in its warranty period.

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