EngineHigh
1.0 MPI timing chain and tensioner wear on early cars
- Typically appears
- 70,000+ miles
- What to inspect
- Listen for a rattle on cold start-up
- Typical repair
- Timing chain, tensioner & guides · £900–£2,400
Is the 2012–2023 Volkswagen Up reliable?
Scored from 8 documented faults · reviewed by the VehicleFaults Research Team
Quick answer
5.7/ 10
MixedOn our documented-fault scoring the Volkswagen Up rates 5.7 out of 10 · mixed. We hold 8 known faults for it and 1 are rated high severity, so the risk is real but contained. The weak points cluster around engine, transmission and electrical. A well-serviced example with evidence for the big-ticket items is usually a safe buy; the score describes the model, not the specific car in front of you.
Verdict · Negotiate · budget for the known faults
What the score is built from
- Critical
- 0
- High
- 1
- Medium
- 5
- Low
- 2
Weak points cluster around engine, transmission, electrical, body.
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Check this carThe faults that decide it
TransmissionMedium
ASG automated manual jerky shifting
- Typically appears
- Any
- What to inspect
- Drive in traffic and judge whether a buyer would accept it
- Typical repair
- Routine repair · £180–£700
BodyMedium
Tailgate and rear panel corrosion on older examples
- Typically appears
- Age-related
- What to inspect
- Inspect the tailgate seam and rear arches
- Typical repair
- Body & corrosion repair · £250–£1,800
Transmission / ControlsMedium
Clicking noise when depressing the clutch pedal or judder when pulling away.
- Typically appears
- 30,000-50,000 miles
- What to inspect
- With the engine off, depress the clutch pedal fully by hand and listen for a distinct click from the pedal box. Start the engine and test the bite point for judder.
- Typical repair
- Clutch & dual-mass flywheel · £700–£1,600
Interior / BodyMedium
Damp carpets in the front passenger footwell and a musty cabin smell.
- Typically appears
- 4-6 years
- What to inspect
- Press firmly into the passenger side front carpet beneath the glovebox to check for dampness. Shine a torch into the scuttle panel beneath the windscreen wipers to check for leaf debris blocking the drains.
- Typical repair
- Infotainment repair or software fix · £120–£1,200
Costs are indicative UK independent-garage bands for budgeting and negotiation · never a quote.
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