Is a Volkswagen Up! a good first car?
Yes, with one real caveat: the ordinary 1.0 petrol Up! is one of the cheapest first cars to insure and run, but it also has the lowest Euro NCAP score of any model on this site: 3 stars, with pedestrian protection especially low at 46%. That is worth weighing directly against the running-cost savings, not just assuming a VW badge means top-tier safety.
The numbers*
| Insurance group | Group 1 to 17, depending on engine and trim. Ordinary 1.0 petrol versions mostly sit in group 1 to 5. |
|---|---|
| Typical used price | £5,500 to £10,100 on the used market (most trims and years) |
| Road tax | £20 to £200 a year depending on registration date, since the 2017 VED reform changed how it's calculated. Most post-2017 Up!s pay the current flat rate, around £190 to £200. |
| Fuel economy | 51 to 67 mpg combined on the low-group 1.0 petrol engine (official, combined cycle), most commonly in the high-50s to mid-60s |
| Euro NCAP rating | 3 stars (Euro NCAP), the lowest of any model covered on this site; adult protection 81-89%, child protection 80-83%, pedestrian protection only 46% on both tested generations |
Ins grp 1 Volkswagen Up! Move Up!
- Standard
- £1,253/yr
- Telematics
- £909/yr
Standard monthly £104/mo
Ins grp 2 Volkswagen Up! High Up!
- Standard
- £1,290/yr
- Telematics
- £915/yr
Standard monthly £108/mo
Labels go by monthly insurance: Manageable up to £150, Getting pricey £151 to £200, Danger zone over £200.
Why parents like it
Running costs are hard to beat: some of the lowest insurance groups and best fuel economy of any model here, and parts/servicing are straightforward through any VW-familiar garage. Set against that: the 3-star Euro NCAP rating is genuinely lower than the 4-5 stars typical of the other cars on this site, and worth a direct look rather than assuming VW build quality implies top safety scores.
Why new drivers like it
It's small, light and genuinely easy to park and manoeuvre, with surprisingly good visibility for a city car, and it's cheap enough to run that fuel and tax rarely come up as a worry.
The catch
Group 1 and group 2 show a small real rise (£1,253 to £1,290 a year), but that's about as far as the ordinary petrol range goes cost-wise: a real group-3 quote came in cheaper than both, not more expensive. The genuinely quick GTI version (group 17) is a completely different car for insurance purposes, so get an exact quote before considering one.
Which version to look for
Look for the 1.0 petrol in Move Up, High Up or Take Up trim (60-75PS), commonly 2013 to 2019 registration: it's the cheapest and most common version on the used market, group 1 to 5. The GTI version (group 17) is a genuinely quick, different car for insurance purposes, so don't assume it costs anything close to the ordinary range.
* Sources: First Car Scout vehicle listing and insurance-group data (August 2026).