vw up versus fiat 500

[sawman]

We have had a 500 for about 3 years, considering updating it to a vw up. I note that the up now only comes with 2 engine choices a 59bhp one and the 115 gti version. we would be looking at the lower output one.

the 500 has a mighty 69 bho and whilst for the most part its ok, I am worried that on long runs the deficit might be an issue

anyone have experience of these 2 cars as a comparison?

[Petrolsmasher]

can i ask why youd go for the lower output one?

[sawman]

Mainly because my newish driver daughter will be using it a fair bit and her younger brother will be learning in it next year

[stevemcs]

What do you like about the 500 ? the UP is a better car in everyway except character. - It lacks it

[ZX10R NIN]

sawman said:

Mainly because my newish driver daughter will be using it a fair bit and her younger brother will be learning in it next year

With that being the case I'd say stick with the 500 if it's going to be subjected to two new drivers.

[ChrisH72]

I've heard that the Up! Is a good car to drive despite the lack of power. Are you sure they no longer offer the 90bhp TSI? That was the pick until recently.

If you're not a badge snob I'd also look at the Kia Picanto. You get a lot of kit for the money and the 1.2 is very good, nippy even. Or the Hyundai i10. There's a brand new i10 out which looks expensive but I reckon there's some good deals going on the outgoing model.

[CX53]

Didn't know they offered a 1.0 TSI until just now. I bet that could be quite good fun, especially if it remaps well.

I had a standard 1.0 NA one as a courtesy car and they feel and drive like a bigger car and are surprisingly good on long journeys and the motorway.

[300sl-24]

My daughter passed two years ago and has an UP! white series 2012. It had 12k miles when we bought it and has 18k on it now. It's a great little car. She did not want a Fiat 500 as it is a "princesses" car here in native Essex, every young girl has one bought on PCP or by daddy.

I have used the UP! many times and it drives well using the gears and changing at the correct time gets it moving nicely.

Her one has air con, heated seats, glass electric sunroof, sat nav, rear parking sensors and special 16" alloys. Nothing has broken and it has always started on the button.

I cannot tell you if it drives any better or worse than the Fiat 500 because I not driven one. As above the Skoda and Seat variations are cheaper but that VW badge generally swings it for the younger generation.

[sawman]

ZX10R NIN said:

sawman said:

Mainly because my newish driver daughter will be using it a fair bit and her younger brother will be learning in it next year

With that being the case I'd say stick with the 500 if it's going to be subjected to two new drivers.

I hear what you are saying - I had hoped to get the boy through driving lessons with this car, as its a nice little driver, but the uni schedule seems to have changed and it looks like daughter may need a car at uni next year, as she will have placements all over the place in east anglia to complete - she is at uni 250 miles away,
I am not sure the 500 is utterly reliable - it is now out of warranty but over the last 3 years while I have been mainly driving it, it has had had warranty work on all 4 corners suspension, gear linkage fell apart leaving me with 3rd gear only and the DRLs have had to be re-seated - it did however pass its first MOT! . I bought a dealer pre owned one, as none of the 500's I looked at that were 4/5 years old had a full complement of features that worked properly.

[sawman]

ChrisH72 said:

I've heard that the Up! Is a good car to drive despite the lack of power. Are you sure they no longer offer the 90bhp TSI? That was the pick until recently.

If you're not a badge snob I'd also look at the Kia Picanto. You get a lot of kit for the money and the 1.2 is very good, nippy even. Or the Hyundai i10. There's a brand new i10 out which looks expensive but I reckon there's some good deals going on the outgoing model.

vw website says only 59 or 115. There are a few used ones about with 90, or poss 75 i think. I quite like to look of the picanto - plato enjoyed driving it on 5th gear

[sawman]

300sl-24 said:

My daughter passed two years ago and has an UP! white series 2012. It had 12k miles when we bought it and has 18k on it now. It's a great little car. She did not want a Fiat 500 as it is a "princesses" car here in native Essex, every young girl has one bought on PCP or by daddy.

I have used the UP! many times and it drives well using the gears and changing at the correct time gets it moving nicely.

Her one has air con, heated seats, glass electric sunroof, sat nav, rear parking sensors and special 16" alloys. Nothing has broken and it has always started on the button.

I cannot tell you if it drives any better or worse than the Fiat 500 because I not driven one. As above the Skoda and Seat variations are cheaper but that VW badge generally swings it for the younger generation.

good to know about reliability, it seems likely that she will be taking this to uni, at the other end of the country so I wont be on hand to mend it if there is a problem - which is one of the thoughts about moving the fiat on at this stage

[300sl-24]

sawman said:

good to know about reliability, it seems likely that she will be taking this to uni, at the other end of the country so I wont be on hand to mend it if there is a problem - which is one of the thoughts about moving the fiat on at this stage

Insurance on the Up! is group one for the basic car, my daughter's is group 2 I think being a special edition but still cheap for a new driver

[stevemcs]

sawman said:

I hear what you are saying - I had hoped to get the boy through driving lessons with this car, as its a nice little driver, but the uni schedule seems to have changed and it looks like daughter may need a car at uni next year, as she will have placements all over the place in east anglia to complete - she is at uni 250 miles away,
I am not sure the 500 is utterly reliable - it is now out of warranty but over the last 3 years while I have been mainly driving it, it has had had warranty work on all 4 corners suspension, gear linkage fell apart leaving me with 3rd gear only and the DRLs have had to be re-seated - it did however pass its first MOT! . I bought a dealer pre owned one, as none of the 500's I looked at that were 4/5 years old had a full complement of features that worked properly.

They eat drl bulbs and fiat designed it in such a way that they try and cut your fingers off when replacing them.

I presume you have had the lower arms at the front and the rear shock absorber and bumpstops at the rear, you only have the exhaust left to go

[ajprice]

More people space and boot space in the Up. The Up has been available with a 75bhp version of the NA engine and a 90bhp version of the turbo before the GTi was released. There is also the Skoda Citigo and Seat Mii if you want a 90% the same car with different badges, bumpers, lights, trim etc. I had a Citigo 60bhp and it was fine in town, motorway overtaking is a bit of an effort though . I haven't driven a 500 because I don't quite fit.

[sawman]

stevemcs said:

They eat drl bulbs and fiat designed it in such a way that they try and cut your fingers off when replacing them.

I presume you have had the lower arms at the front and the rear shock absorber and bumpstops at the rear, you only have the exhaust left to go

haven't lost any door handles yet.....

[Ransoman]

I would recommend the 500 purely because the 1.2 8v FIRE engine and the 5 speed gearboxes are bulletproof and can take a lot of new driver abuse. The only thing that ever really goes wrong on a 500 is the strut top mounts, droplinks and door handles. All cheap parts and easy to replace.

VW groups reliability is a myth so definitely don't get one because you feel it will be more reliable.

Just to throw a bit more variety into the choices, how about a Toyota Aygo?

[ZX10R NIN]

sawman said:

I hear what you are saying - I had hoped to get the boy through driving lessons with this car, as its a nice little driver, but the uni schedule seems to have changed and it looks like daughter may need a car at uni next year, as she will have placements all over the place in east anglia to complete - she is at uni 250 miles away,
I am not sure the 500 is utterly reliable - it is now out of warranty but over the last 3 years while I have been mainly driving it, it has had had warranty work on all 4 corners suspension, gear linkage fell apart leaving me with 3rd gear only and the DRLs have had to be re-seated - it did however pass its first MOT! . I bought a dealer pre owned one, as none of the 500's I looked at that were 4/5 years old had a full complement of features that worked properly.

In that case I'd be looking for a nicely spec'd Kia Picanto in 1.0T form:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Or 1.2 84bhp

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

[sawman]

ZX10R NIN said:

In that case I'd be looking for a nicely spec'd Kia Picanto in 1.0T form:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Or 1.2 84bhp

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

I like the look of those, i’ll see if theres any local

[clockworks]

I replaced my 16 plate Citigo with a Picanto GT-Line S Turbo late last year.

The Citigo was a pretty good car to drive, but very basic and a touch under-powered. The Picanto is at least as good as a "driver's" car, and the amount of kit puts many bigger cars to shame in "S" trim - it's a big step up from the standard GT-Line. 7 year warranty is a bonus.

While it's not exactly a hot hatch, it's fast enough to have some fun. Fuel economy is reasonable too - I'm getting a true (brim to brim) 53mpg over the 2k miles that I've done so far.

[PistonAFC]

Have a look at how well they do in a 1/4 front impact on these go-karts too.

I was looking at the IHS 1/4 front crash test on a Mitsubishi Mirage not long ago and was shocked. EuroNCAP don't do 1/4 impacts so not really reflective of real world conditions.

Minimum car I would get is Fiesta size nowadays for my children