I love Clarkson's ego. For all his buffoonery he remains an ace motoring journalist.

With many thanks to Chris T Gill from the VW forum who has solved the mystery for us:-

 

"This Sunday's programme (16th February) is the one featuring the Volkswagen up!  The following is taken from the Radio Times - "This time the presenters set out to show they’re not only interested in the top end of the market by taking a trip to Chernobyl in three cheap superminis, the VW up!, the Ford Fiesta and for James May (“Good news!”) it’s the Dacia Sandero – Britain’s cheapest car.""

With many thanks to Chris T Gill from the VW forum who has solved the mystery for us:-

 

"This Sunday's programme (16th February) is the one featuring the Volkswagen up!  The following is taken from the Radio Times - "This time the presenters set out to show they’re not only interested in the top end of the market by taking a trip to Chernobyl in three cheap superminis, the VW up!, the Ford Fiesta and for James May (“Good news!”) it’s the Dacia Sandero – Britain’s cheapest car.""

 

I had a look at last weeks programme, I don't normally but just to find out if anything had changed. It lasted up until Hammond came sliding down the aisle of a supermarket with the car on it's side. It shouldn't have even been on the road before that point as he had supposedly rolled it earlier in the programme.

Anyway I will record the episode with the VW Up feature and do a FF to the bits I want to watch. ......Cue the TG lovers or haters.

I'm not sure the Up!(or Citygo) competes with the Fiesta or Sandero on size at least so it will be interesting.

Just watched the programme. I'm not sure we learned anything about any of the cars. I did laugh a couple of times (James Blunt section) but I think the earlier shows were more fun than the current series seems to be.

Didn't know the Dacia was a 3 pot engine. Proves the Festa was worse on fuel though.

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I don't think it was a fair comparison.

I know they were comparing engines, and not size, but the fiesta has a turbo on it and double the horses of the UP!

When I get out of my Citigo into my wifes fiesta, its like getting into an octavia after a fabia, the difference is really noticeable.

The UP! Should only really be up against the KA...

But, yes I know it was all about the engines.

Still, it gave a pretty good account of itself anyway, despite no actual real testing against the others

Yes I gleaned quite a bit from that comparison.....Not!

Ye but the Fiesta was £17k!! I don't think so! The Dacia was too basic so it's the Up/Citigo that wins for me!

watching it now, even the orangotan Clarkson didn't look uncomfortable in the up, so if he can fit, why do we have so many people if it is comfortable for tall people?

Ye but the Fiesta was £17k!! I don't think so! The Dacia was too basic so it's the Up/Citigo that wins for me!

I watched it for the hope of them telling more on the Dacia, I'm interested. It looked like they chose the middle of the range Dacia, the top of the range is actually well equipped with such things as built in sat nav/bluetooth, air con, cruise control, alloys etc and all that comes in at less than the top spec Citigo. On all acounts it drives pretty decent too and an option of a diesel engine.

Edited 18 February, 201412 yr by MickA

why do we have so many people asking if it is comfortable for tall people?

I'm just 6ft 2ins but found no shortage of headroom

why do we have so many people if it is comfortable for tall people?

because it LOOKS tiny

6'4" and dont even put the seat back to the last rachet...

A 6'3" friend of mine described the interior of my Citigo as "well roomy".

Edited 19 February, 201412 yr by Prog

All I gleaned from the Top Gear "report" is that I hate Hammond just that little bit more.

 

Damo's said it all really. Either put the Up! against a Ka, or the Fiesta against the Polo, but don't mix the message, even if it was supposedly about engine "size" - it should have been "output"

 

Clarkson had it bang on when he described never taking your foot off the pedal or having to think about braking points etc - you can certainly twang the Citigo/Up! through bends quicker than he was though...

All I gleaned from the Top Gear "report" is that I hate Hammond just that little bit more.

 

Damo's said it all really. Either put the Up! against a Ka, or the Fiesta against the Polo, but don't mix the message, even if it was supposedly about engine "size" - it should have been "output"

 

Clarkson had it bang on when he described never taking your foot off the pedal or having to think about braking points etc - you can certainly twang the Citigo/Up! through bends quicker than he was though...

This is true. I had an Up! last week and the throttle was welded to the board from the house to work. Steering very vague though.

You got to know how to drive them to get the best performance. They certainly don't hang around. It's not all foot hard to the floor.

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That's because they are in Clarkson World and not the real world?

The up/citigo/mii will all help you lose your license round town if you try hard enough! Lol

. Steering very vague though.

The citigo and the sport in particular must have a different set up. The steering is very sharp and precise, it drives more like a late 90s ford than a wallowy vag motor. The smaller vag cars like the polo, fabia and Ibiza are horrible to drive by comparison, they understeer are wallowy and have vague steering. Even evo rate how the citigo sport drives.

It isnt a fast car but who cares? I've dropped about 200 horses over my last few cars and I've not missed them.

Was thinking the same...

Vague steering!?!

Never heard that said about the Citigo before

My takeaway from the program was that the Citigo WILL fit into the narrow concrete corridors of that ex-cold war nuclear attack submarine bunker.

So it will probably cope with the narrow concrete Tesco and Asda car parks as well

Was thinking the same...

Vague steering!?!

Never heard that said about the Citigo before

Did anyone read my post? I was driving an Up!

It felt to me the same as the standard Citigo I drove engine wise. Handling I don't remember much about the CitiGo as it was about 6 months ago. I think the Up! is crap especially for the money and if anyone pays that for a supposed cheap runabout they need their head examined. £10k for one with metallic paint is bonkers! The steering from top dead centre to initial turn in did feel vague. I can put up with light steering as my parents Swift is like that but I only knew to take some corners at certain speeds because the Fabia does it regularly. My vRS's steering is weightier and more direct but isn't the best I've ever used either but is still miles better than an Up! though and I know exactly where the wheels are.

So what are the actual technical differences between a standard CitiGo and the Sport?

Did anyone read my post? I was driving an Up!

It felt to me the same as the standard Citigo

You've just answered that yourself

You think they feel both the same...

Just never heard anyone pull up the steering on these cars before

The sport does have stiffer and lowered suspension, but I can't imagine there's any other differences other than that?

Evo rate it

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/289684/skoda_citigo_sport_review_and_pictures.html

I'm sure there's a few ex fabia vrs owners with sports now too and they seem to have no complaints.