Volkswagen Up gets auto ‘box

VW has added an automated manual gearbox across the Up! range which improves emissions and economy. Costs £595.

We’ve long espoused frugal petrol and diesel engined cars as the best way to get around congested cities; far more cost-effective than hybrid and EV options.

And one of the best of the little city cars to come along is the VW Up! (and its siblings, the SEAT Mii and Skoda Citigo), but perhaps one option buyers would have liked to make their city journeys bearable is an auto ‘box. VW has now solved that.

Volkswagen has added a five-speed automated manual gearbox to the list of options for both the 3-door and 5-door Up! and all it will add is £595 to the price.

The new ASG gearbox manages to improve official fuel consumption (and therefore emissions). It’s not a huge amount (the 59bhp 1.0 litre Up! improves from 62.8mpg to 64.2mpg) but it’s enough to matter and makes the commute much more bearable in to the bargain.

Photos of the 5-door VW Up!

VW hasn’t given us any performance figures for the Up! with the new auto box, but as an automated manual – it has two electromechanical actuators to shift gears instead of  a torque-converter and weighs just 30kg more than the manual – there should be no downside.

You can opt for the new ASG ‘box on both three and five door versions of the Move Up! or High Up! with order books now open and first customer cars due in October.