Space utilisation in the car is exceptionally good, because of its wheelbase – one of the longest in the segment – together with a compact engine mounted well forward and a new running gear design. The driver, front passenger and rear passengers are travelling in a small car, but it is by no means cramped. The newly developed modular seats – which serve as the basis for a wide range of seat variants for specific up! versions – offer very good driving comfort. The front seats of the up! are 15 per cent lighter in weight than comparable concepts. The head restraints for the driver and front passenger are firmly attached to the seats – in the style of sports car seats. The advantage is that, regardless of a person's stature, they always give a proper fit. In the rear, fixed head restraints are less desirable, because they would detract from an optimal rear view for the driver; that is why they are equipped with conventional height adjustment.
Ergonomics and comfort like in the higher vehicle classes
As is typical of Volkswagen, the up! team under the leadership of Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg (member of the Board of Management for Technical Development) placed great emphasis on good ergonomics. "The up!," says Hackenberg, "really is perceptibly more comfortable, because its occupants do not sit too low, and it offers ample leg support and knee room. Detailed refinements characterise the entire interior. Compared to the Lupo, for example, we positioned the steering column and steering wheel higher, but we designed the angle to the driver to be somewhat more horizontal. This has clearly improved the car's ergonomics."
Small space wonder
The car's interior dimensions support these remarks by Dr. Hackenberg; headroom in front is an impressive 993 mm, and 947 mm in the rear. The seats are positioned at a good height both front and back; for the driver and front passenger, the so-called H-point – the vertex where the seat and seatback meet that is relevant here – is at a height of 306 mm; in the rear the H-point is at 378 mm. This somewhat higher seating position for rear passengers affords them a better view over the shoulders of the driver and front passenger.
Utilising every millimetre
The up! is practical, through and through, in part due to its numerous storage compartments. Along with a large storage bin in the centre console and the glove box, there are storage surfaces and bottle holders (up to 1.0 litre bottles) in the two doors, three cupholders in the rear (two-door vehicle) and two bag hooks and a variable cargo floor in the boot (from the move up!). Two examples of attention to detail: the glove compartment is equipped with a holder for pens and pencils, a notepad and coins; there is also a compartment for eyeglasses; a coat hook was integrated in the B-pillar in such a way that it is visible through the window from outside, and so it can be found optimally – the typical search for this hook is a thing of the past in the up!.
Well-organised instruments
In terms of instruments and user interfaces, there are three central elements: the instrument cluster in front of the driver, the switch module in the middle of the vehicle with radio-CD and climate control and the detachable information, entertainment and navigation unit maps+more (radio-CD system, air conditioning system and maps+more are optional features). The instrument cluster consists of one or three (from move up!) analogue instruments and one digital display. In the move up! and high up!, for example, the largest of the three round analogue instruments is the speedometer in the centre with the integrated digital multifunction display that is an optional feature here. The multifunction display also displays information relating to City Emergency Braking and operational information of the Stop/Start system. To the left of the speedometer there is the tachometer, and to its right is the fuel gauge.
Intuitive controls
Controls for the ventilation or air conditioning system, radio-CD system, hazard indicator lights, seat heating and rear window defrost, as well as the switch for deactivating the Stop/Start system, are all located in the central dashboard module between the driver and front passenger. The entire unit is located up high – so that it is easy to see and use – and it is painted in a sophisticated glossy black. An interesting observation about the networking of systems: every up! is fitted with its ‘own' individual wiring harness. This ‘electrical system' is pre-configured for the features of each individual up! car, and it is fed into production in a just-in-time process. The advantage: unnecessary cabling is not installed, which reduces costs and weight.
Clean colours
Essentially, the up! interior has a very clean and well-organised layout. In addition, the new Volkswagen offers fun styling and a level of quality that will enhance the market segment. Especially high-end is the dash pad, the design panel in front of the driver and front passenger. Depending on the equipment line, the dash pad is either styled in grained beige or painted black or it is in body colour. While the upper section of the dashboard is always in ‘anthracite', buyers of the move up! and high up! can order the lower dashboard section in the alternate light colour ‘beige'. In this case, the centre console, door inserts and side trim panels in the rear are also in ‘beige'.
Large bootspace in the small up!
At 251 litres, the boot offers one of the largest cargo capacities in the segment. And when the seatback of the rear bench is completely folded down, the up! can handle 951 litres of cargo. In this case, a nearly flat cargo surface is created. Since the front passenger's seatback can be folded down, large sports equipment or pieces of furniture with a length of up to 2.0 metres can be transported in the up!. The boot itself is upholstered with carpet, and so is the cargo area cover, which opens wide and can be quickly removed if necessary. A variable cargo floor that can be adjusted to two different levels is available as an option in the up!. At the upper position, when the rear seat bench is folded down (in just seconds), the upper cargo floor position creates a nearly level cargo surface, and small objects can also be stowed beneath the cargo floor in this position. The lower cargo floor position is used if especially large and bulky objects need to be stowed in the boot. All of these details show that inside, the up! is a giant among small cars.
Notes:
TDI, TSI, DSG and Twincharger are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG or other companies of the Volkswagen Group in Germany and other countries.
Features and technical data apply to models offered in Germany. They may differ in other countries.