Test drive Volkswagen Cross Up: Little giant

With its increased ground clearance, larger wheel size and fresh looks, the Cross Up is a very interesting addition to Volkswagen's smallest range. First impressions.

Little Up can definitely be called a coup for Volkswagen - the city model not only sells well, but also repeatedly outperformed almost all of its main opponents in large-scale comparison tests conducted by various authoritative specialized media, including car engine and sports. Only recently Up for the first time in such a comparison had to give up the championship, lagging behind the newcomer by a few points. Hyundai i10. The reasons why the Up is considered one of the best small models created in recent years is because, although it is the smallest representative in the Volkswagen product range, it does not change the brand's tradition of offering the most complete balance of qualities of its products. However, given the car's market success, we can't ignore another key factor - the impressive variety of versions that starts with rich equipment and customization options and goes even to specific modifications, for example, reminiscent of the Cross Up miniature SUV and even the all-electric E-Up variant. .

Bigger wheels, more stable behavior

On the outside, the Cross Up draws attention with its special design of 16-inch wheels, increased ground clearance, modified bumpers and roof rails. In addition to the redesigned design, the Cross Up takes some purely practical benefits from these changes – a 15 millimeter increase in ground clearance makes it easier to navigate rough patches, climb curbs and other such “pleasant” moments of everyday life and much more. Larger wheels, in one sense, provide even more stable handling compared to other models in the Up family.

And because of the road behavior - on the road, the Cross Up behaves much more mature than its modest external dimensions suggest. On the one hand, this is due to the relatively long wheelbase (the wheels are located literally at the corners of the body), and on the other hand, it is extremely successful in terms of design and chassis adjustment. Thanks to precise steering, the Cross Up shoots extremely nimbly in city traffic, but the feeling of confidence does not leave it even on relatively long trips on mountain roads or highways, which is certainly not the most common activity for a typical urban model. . Driving comfort and soundproofing performance are also presented at an unexpectedly high level.

Impressive economy

The drive is entrusted to a 75 horsepower three-cylinder petrol engine, whose character is hardly sporty, but instead it develops its power evenly and provides, if not optimal, then at least satisfactory dynamic characteristics of the Cross Up weighing just under a ton. The small engine's strength lies not so much in its temperament as in its surprisingly weak appetite for fuel. Even after prolonged off-road driving on the highway in combination with classic city traffic, the average consumption is only about five liters per hundred kilometers, and under optimal conditions and a little effort on the driver's side, it drops to about four percent.

Conclusion

Like other variants of the model, Cross Up is an extremely mature product, which in many respects far exceeds the usual scale for its class. The car is economical, agile and practical, and also wins sympathy for its high level of safety and unexpectedly good driving comfort.

Text: Bozhan Boshnakov