2018 Volkswagen UP GTI

‘It’s comparable to the [original] Golf Gti of the days of old,’ says owner Alan, who is very much a German performance car enthusiast. And he had the original Golf GTi back in the day too - so his opinion counts for something. (He also has a tasty black Mercedes E55 AMG wagon up for sale on here very shortly). ‘It feels the same and handles well - precise,’ he goes on, explaining about the Up that; ‘It’s by no means a super car - it’s more of a ‘warm hatch’ - its only 999cc. But because of that, you can really drive it - it’s such fun. And it’s economical.’ He talks of 60 to the gallon.

Alan spec’d the car with just about every optional extra - except for the sun roof, which, he says, often squeak. Notably, it’s had the cruise and park pack and seat height adjustment on both sides - not just the driver’s. Yes, we know any Japanese manufacturer would put it on both seats as standard, but this is a German car - and anyway, you’ve got it, so no need to grumble. And they’re heated too.

When a self-confessed mid to big-block (German) V8 fan gets quite excited about a little car, maybe it’s time to take a look.

One of the first things you notice about the Up is it’s small. Yes, I know that’s kind of obvious, but we live in an age where ‘small’ cars aren’t small any more. And the fact that it’s a two-door somehow emphasises its ‘just for you’ (not the whole family) character. It has a cheekiness (though quite suave in that Tungsten silver), while the big alloys give a little more menace/stance. Small cars can get knocked about in the cut and thrust of town motoring, but this example looks to be in very fine shape. The aforementioned silver paintwork looks as new - perhaps a slight surprise - two years can be a long time in the life of a performance hatchback. There are no polishing swirls in the lacquer and no key or claw marks around door handles. The nose is gravel rash-free.

The big piano black-like rear door and the darker glass make for a nice contrast to the paintwork, and reflect it’s nigh-on blemish-free condition.

The whole car appears clean at a very deep level, and lifting the boot or the hatch - or opening the doors - maintains that impression with clean cavities, supple air/heat ducting and untarnished hinges. It has been on the road two years and people do neglect those areas. Not this owner.

The GTi does have a little bit of brightwork - well; badges - and these are scratch-free with a good shine. You’d notice any blemishes on the VW snout badge - it’s big enough. There are four more big VW logos on the wheels, and these too look good, as do the alloys themselves, while the tyres appear to have a lot of life left in them - all backed up by the fact that winter tyres and spare alloys were on the car during the winter months. This also means these ones have seen no salt......!

MmMmmm - this is a nice cabin, and one that all you ‘back-in-the-day’ Golf GTI owners will feel quite at home in. I’m talking of course about the tartan seats. It might be a bit kitsch, but it’s very nicely executed and, in this car, very nicely preserved. Looking at the seats themselves, they remain firm and supportive (and remember, they have height controls on both sides). They’re heated too, and very comfy on long trips by all accounts. Above you, the headlining is clean and taut, while the carpets below and underneath preserve their deep black colour. They are very clean with no dust having been allowed to accumulate around the seat rails and runners.

All that black is nicely set off by the (immaculate) red stitching around the steering wheel and elsewhere. The almost metallic red of the dashboard inserts contrasts nicely too. Both it and the bright metal trim are in fine fettle, showing no scratches or chips. Nor do the console buttons or the gear stick top show any signs of wear.

Above the centre console, you’ll see there’s a clamp and a connection/charging cable for a smart phone. ‘It’s becomes part of the satnav,’ explains Alan. ‘You download the VW Up app - Maps and More.’

He also loves the the ambient LED lighting; ‘it creates a nice environment for night driving.’

Altogether a great driving space.

Everything here looks very solid. There are one or two other very tiny patches of surface rust, but all components look very sound. Also, looking up into the crevices under the floor pan, there is no rust or accumulated dirt. (We had the benefit of a ramp to inspect the underside). Glancing at the undersides of the doors, you can see that the paint there is in great condition, with no corrosion encroaching.

The exhaust is a bit dappled with surface corrosion ( modern OEM exhausts often are, surprisingly quite soon into a car’s life). The heat shielding around it is very clean, showing no signs of heat damage, discolouration, or excessive dirt becoming trapped there. There are under-trays protecting the underbelly of the car in several places, and these appear very sound, with no sign of collision damage or notable scuffs. That goes for all the underside and its attendant components. Suspension parts are all straight and the braking system clean. Brake cables look…well… new. Tyres are good.

The engine bay looks similarly tidy. The turbocharged, three-cylinder 999cc motor itself looks to be in very fine fettle. Block, head, intercooler and ancillaries all look spot on, if a little dusty (We had to criticise something).

There are certainly no signs of overheating, nor any kind of leaks, while cables and hoses have only just had time to get bedded in - so obviously no sign of perishing or cracking. Underbonnet soundproofing - yes, that’s good too. And the inner wings too are free of scrapes or any kind of oil/fluid stains.

Well, there isn’t a lot to say here; it’s had all its services - all two of them - and has had no teething troubles, recalls or developing niggles. It’s been very reliable - end of chat. And the good news for the next owner is that they will benefit from the third year of the three year/60,000 mile warranty.

There’s really nothing not to like here; good looks (in that minimal moderne way), very usable and entertaining performance, and it’s a really well-kept example. It’s also in paint and trim combination that will probably remain in demand.

Having seen the other cars in the owner’s garage - and their service records - it’s probably fair to say that this car will have been driven sympathetically and serviced/adjusted exactly when it has needed to be. It’s a ‘right car’ that wouldn’t be out of place on a main dealer forecourt. But you’re likely to snap it up here for less than what they would charge. We reckon it will sell for between £10,000 and £14,000. Go get yourself a bargain.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the owner in Leicester. To arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

This vehicle is not with us at The Market’s HQ near Abingdon, which means we have had to rely on the owner’s description of it, in conjunction with the photographs you see here, to compile the listing.

With this in mind, we would encourage potential bidders to contact the owner themselves and arrange to view the car in person, or to arrange a dedicated video call in which they can view the car virtually and ask questions.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Also, localised paint repairs are common with collectable and classic cars and if they have been professionally carried out then they may be impossible to detect, even if we see the car in person. So, unless we state otherwise, please assume that any vehicle could have had remedial bodywork at some point in its life.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.