Volkswagen e-Up! (2023 Review)
Written by Justin Delaney, an Independent Reviewer, Journalist, and Motor expert.
It’s hard to believe the Volkswagen e-Up! was first introduced way back in 2013 as an all-electric city car. It has undergone some minor updates and improvements since its initial release in terms of styling and interior enhancements but the biggest change was the new Lithium-ion battery, which has grown in capacity from 18.7 to 32 kWh. Thanks to an average energy consumption of around 12.9 kWh/100 km, the revamped VW e-Up! can achieve a range of up to 253 kilometers from a single charge. This is Volkswagen’s answer to electric city life motoring which in theory work very well providing you have access to a charger at night or at work during the day time.
Features
When you open the driver’s door to the little Volkswagen e-Up!, you notice it has a modern and minimalist interior design. It features a simple but functional dashboard with a small screen display for entertainment and climate control settings. With a free new app for iOS and Android, your smartphone sits into the docking station and transforms the e-Up! into a networked car in only a matter of moments. The radio system features six quality loudspeakers, which can turn this little cabin into a mobile boom box. There are no more complicated displays, menus to scroll through etc, it’s very much just plug & play.
The seats are comfortable providing decent support and the materials used in the interior are of good quality with the nice addition of a leather steering wheel. The cabin is surprisingly spacious for a small car, providing enough room for four adults. The e-Up! comes with a range of packages as standard, such as the comfort package, assistant package and winter pack. You can expect assistants that include a rain sensor, a heated front windscreen and heated front seats to keep you toastie on cold days. Smart assistants such as the “Rear View” reversing camera are also available to help you.
Buyers can pick between seven different colours all available with the Style trim level here in Ireland which includes a black roof and matching black exterior mirrors, tinted rear and side window together with the 15-inch “Blade” alloy wheels. You can further enhance the Style trim by adding other personalised choices such as 16-inch “Upsilon” alloy wheels. Overall we believe the Volkswagen e-Up is a stylish and efficient electric car perfect for urban driving.
Power
The electric motor used in the Volkswagen e-Up! has a power output of 82 horsepower and a torque of 210 Nm. The Volkswagen e-Up! has an official WLTP range of up to 253 km on a single charge. The e-Up! doesn’t have to be charged as soon as you plug it in, thanks to the time-delayed charging option. What’s the good in that? Depending on electricity rates, you can top up more efficiently, for instance, you can charge at night and take advantage of lower prices. Simply enter your desired departure time under the e-manager in the maps + more app or the We Connect app, press the charging mode button in the middle console and plug the vehicle in to the wallbox. Then, at the pre-programmed time your car will take and charge and subsequently be ready to drive.
Safety
As expected the e-Up! is equipped with various safety features such as lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian and cyclist monitoring along with a rearview camera. It also has a reinforced safety cage and airbags for the driver and passengers. When tested a couple of years back the e-Up received a 4-star safety rating from Euro NCAP.
Costs
Pricing for the e-Up! kicks off at €27,813 and there are various finance options available. Take for example a deposit / part exchange of €8,343.71 followed by 36 monthly payments of €309. The APR sits at 9.9% leaving you with an optional final payment of €12,908.60. The total cost of credit would be €4,713.31. APR is available on selected new models only. No minimum deposit requirement and you can find out more by contacting your local Volkswagen dealer.
Summary
The Volkswagen e-Up! is a city car, designed primarily for urban driving, and offers agile handling and a convenient and practical interior space. The car has a small footprint, making it easy to manoeuvre in tight spaces with an excellent turning circle. It is also well equipped with features you would expect on vehicles of a higher price point. The e-Up! is a great choice for those looking for an eco-friendly and cost-effective vehicle for their urban commutes. During our weeklong test-drive doing a combination of both city and motorway driving we felt the e-Up! was one of the first electric vehicles we have ever driven to achieve the claimed range. This no doubt was helped by the nice mild summer conditions but it was a very impressive little EV to live with. Right now there are not many electric vehicles at this price point. You might get into an entry level MG4 EV but there are little options from the major brands sub €30k. Our advice is to go see if the e-Up! fits your needs by taking a test drive. For further information please also check out our full video review on the link below.
For
Simplicity
Build quality
Drive
Against
Not a lot really.
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To watch our YouTube video review on the e-Up! please click here.
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