The up! is ‘World Car of the Year 2012’

“This award shows once again that in the up! our designers and engineers have created a vehicle that has been thought through in minute detail. A vehicle that sets standards in its class for efficient use of space, safety, motoring fun and environmental compatibility,” remarks Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chariman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG.

Within just a short time of its launch last December, the up! was, for example, already topping the statistics for new vehicle registrations in Germany. At around the same time, consumer protection organisation Euro NCAP awarded the up! a top score of five points and also gave it an ‘Advanced Award’ for its city emergency braking system. The highly regarded iF Design Institute in turn gave Volkswagen’s smallest car the ‘iF design award in Gold’. Nor does it end there! The up! has to date also won the ‘2011 Goldene Lenkrad’ (Golden Steering Wheel) in Germany and three awards from British motoring magazine ‘What Car?’: ‘Car of the Year’, ‘City Car 2012’ and the ‘Safety Award’.

On a minimal footprint (3.54 m long) the up! provides maximum space for four people, plus extremely efficient drive technologies.

Written by Alan Zurvas

Alan Zurvas is the founder and editor of Gay Car Boys, Australia's leading LGBTQI+ automotive publication. Before launching GCB in 2008, Alan's automotive writing was published in SameSame.com.au and the Star Observer. With over 16 years of hands-on car reviewing experience, Alan brings an honest, irreverent voice to every review — championing value and innovation over brand loyalty.