Test Drive: VW Up mini-car is tempting, and not coming here

— -- Volkswagen's Up mini-compact is supposed to be the World Car of the Year, according to a panel of scribes who vote on such things.

But the world doesn't include the U.S.

VW says it has no plans to bring this nifty little car here. Maybe later, after it's redone for its next generation, and planners can bake-in considerations for U.S. emissions and safety regulations and tastes. The current car can't reasonably be modified thus.

Still, VW wants notice for the Up (VW prefers "up!" but that seems too affected), so it is lending it to U.S. auto writers.

"We love to tease," VW spokesman Corey Proffitt jokes, adding more seriously, "We want to continue to show the depth and breadth of Volkswagen product offerings worldwide. We're not just testing reaction to the Up's size, powertrain and design."

"With this car taking the World Car nod in New York earlier this year, we thought, what better than to keep one here for a while to put in front of the pundits to experience it on U.S. soil."

The test car was a top-level version, called High Up (too cute, folks; back it off a notch). It was a ball, and yielded about 37 mpg despite lots of wide-open throttle. It would be fun to see Up stalking the streets looking to pick off potential buyers of the similar-size Fiat 500 who favor a bit crisper execution than the Fiat delivers.

Wheel time in the Up did, though, highlight some botheration that comes with Euro-spec cars.

First the good stuff:

•Styling. Terrific. Straightforward in line, shape and proportion, like a scaled-down, sharper-edge VW Golf.

•Comfort. In such a mini-mobile? Yep. Back seat's especially roomy for the size. Two adults can sit in comfort. Front's accommodating, too.

•Premium interior. Trim, upholstery, design — all high-level. The test car was the top model, but even so, it was surprisingly nice for an economy car.

•Simple instruments, controls. Classic round analog gauges; no jazzing-up (and making confusing) what should be simple: operating and monitoring the car.

A favorite: aftermarket-style navigation system. The screen pops onto or off of a dashboard-mounted stalk, just like a Garmin or TomTom. Why's that better than built-in? Because it frees space to leave main controls where they belong, in the middle of the dashboard.

And because you can remove the navi screen and, if made to U.S. specs, convert it to a walking navi via a set of pedestrian maps.

And it's easier and safer to read when positioned atop the dashboard; you avert your eyes from the road less often and for less time. And, it is reasonable to assume you could replace it with the inevitable "new, improved" model in two seconds.

•Inviting dynamics. Engine loves to rev, a good thing as you must thrash the little three-cylinder, 75-horsepower, gas engine to keep up with quick traffic.

Up is a fine example of the auto-enthusiast's maxim: "It's more fun to drive an underpowered car hard than an overpowered car easy."

The gearing is low enough that you can ease along in stop-spurt traffic with little fear of killing the engine or jerking down the road like a stick-shift rookie.

Steering feels well-tuned, nicely weighted, properly centered. Brakes feel firm enough to engender confidence. Cornering is accomplished without much drama, which is how you want it. The drawbacks:

•Vulnerable weatherstripping. The rubber seals that keep out the rain and wind aren't flush with the sheet metal or tucked out of the way. The test car's was torn where two pieces met. That'll quickly lead to troubling noise.

•Lack of retained power: Many U.S. models leave the electricity on a little while after you shut off the engine, so you can finish listening to a song or news report, or can put up the windows you forget to close. Up doesn't have that.

•Bothersome engine tuning. The test car's engine didn't slow much between shifts, so it felt as if you forgot to take your foot off the gas.

And it was slow to rev when you wanted, such as when trying to downshift smoothly from high speed.

•Rigmarole controls. Driver's-side arm rest lacks switches for both sides' power windows. You have to lean over to close the passenger's.

Front passenger's seat takes a little more monkey motion than expected to unlatch and slide forward for back seat access.

Gripes aside, Up is fun to drive, fun to look at, roomy and agreeably classy inside. With more power it could be a very nice addition to the U.S. streetscape.

Nuts and bolts:

•What? European-market minicar that's attracted attention as possible U.S.-market model, though would need significant modification for U.S. regulations, tastes. Front-drive, four-passenger, two-door in three trim levels: Take Up, Move Up, High Up. VW's preferred style on the name is "up!"

•When? Maybe never, but fun to fantasize about a VW challenge to the Fiat 500.

•Why? VW has no U.S. subcompact and will need one to meet escalating U.S. mpg rules.

•How much? The euro-denominated pricing where it is sold translates to a range of about $13,100 to $17,100.

•How big? Roughly same length, width as Fiat 500, but about 300 pounds lighter on wheelbase 4.7-inches longer for more rear-seat space. It's 139.4 in. long, 64.6 in. wide, 58.6 in. tall on 95.3-in. wheelbase. Weighs 2,048 lbs. Rated to carry 961 lbs. of people, cargo, accessories.

•What makes it go? Test car had 1-liter, three-cylinder gasoline engine rated 75 horsepower at 6,200 rpm, 70 lbs-ft. at 3,000 rpm; five-speed manual transmission.

•How thirsty? European test cycle rates it 40 miles per gallon in the city, 59 mpg highway, 50 mpg combined. U.S. mpg ratings are typically 20% to 25% lower than Euro cycle ratings.

Test car trip computer showed 6.3 liters per 100 kilometers or 37.3 mpg (2.68 gallons per 100 miles). Burns premium (standard fuel in Europe), holds 9.2 gal.

•Overall: Fun, attractive, underpowered for U.S. conditions.