That’s how expensive cheap driving is: second-hand double test Volkswagen Up vs. Citroen C1

“Everything has become more expensive,” many sigh when their debit card or smartphone passes the payment terminal at the supermarket or gas station or when the bill for energy or health insurance has just been debited. And even though incomes are rising a little, we have to keep a closer eye on our expenses. A new car has not become cheaper over the years and unfortunately the prices of used cars go along with this, as do those of maintenance, fuel and insurance. The asking prices of the C1 and the Up that we use for this test are in line with the market, even though you would think they are insanely high given the new prices in 2019. Traditionally, depreciation in this segment has been low and due to the scarcity of used cars and the sharply increased new prices, the residual value seems higher than ever. That devaluation can also go quite fast is evident from the price of a 2019 Audi E-tron with less than 70,000 on the clock. The used car in question costs €43,000, while the new price was €73,500. So he has written off two Upjes in four years.

The C1 and Up are no longer for sale new, which does not mean that there is no interest for little ones. On the contrary: this year and last year the Kia Picanto was the second best-selling car in the Netherlands. A new one of the middle equipment level and with metallic paint will cost you €20,040, of which no less than €3,090 bpm, while for a Niro plug-in hybrid that is only €468.

Up and C1: both sold 100,000 times

Just like the Up, the C1 is also part of a trio. Basically it is a Toyota Aygo, which also exists as a Peugeot 107. The trio was introduced in March 2005. The second generation, as Aygo and C1, will follow in 2014, from Peugeot as 108. Again with the three-cylinder 1.0-liter, but the C1 and 108 are also available with the PureTech 1.2 with 82 hp, also a three-cylinder engine. There is also a choice of a three- or five-door carriage. We drive a ‘Feel’, which is the second equipment level, with the option of a package that includes air conditioning. Besides the Up, the Citroën is clearly the cooler of the two. Its nose with the shared light units shows similarities with that of the C4 Picasso & Cactus and C3. Furthermore, everything seems to be built on modularity and cost savings. The front consists of one large piece of plastic with short fenders and the rear is made of the same cloth, with a glass tailgate. The wheelbase has been kept as large as possible and at 2.34 meters it almost corresponds to that of a first generation Volkswagen Golf.

That of the Up even exceeds that by three centimeters. The small Volkswagen dates from 2011 and has the Seat Mii and Skoda Citigo as relatives. All three are also available with electric drive and with a natural gas engine. It received a facelift at the beginning of 2016, followed in 2017 by the SUV-like Cross Up and not long after by the GTI with a 115 hp 1.0 TSI. The engine range also consists of the 1.0-liter with 60 or 75 hp and the TSI with 90 hp. Production stopped at the end of October 2023. In the Netherlands, sales totaled just under 99,000 units, for the C1 this is 100,000, for the 107 and 108 together 148,000 and the Aygo has already been registered 150,000 times. Strangely enough, the Seat Mii and Skoda Citigo were nowhere near as successful as the Up; 16,360 and 16,973 copies respectively found their way to a Dutch owner. 2010 and 2011 were top years for the trio Aygo, C1 and 107. Back then you didn’t pay BPM and MRB for cars like this. Naturally, the party didn’t last long.

The cheerful interior of the Citroën C1 Feel.

Rear seat C1 not for adults

Inside, the C1 tries to put a smile on your face with its cheerful upholstery. The chair with integrated headrest and stepless backrest adjustment is height adjustable and sits quite well. The dashboard offers everything you need, windows and mirrors can be operated electrically and it even has a multifunctional steering wheel. On the steering column we see Toyota’s well-known cruise control lever, but it only works as a speed limiter. The trio C1, Aygo and 108 are often incorrectly advertised with cruise control.

Even Citroën C1 buttons

As an adult, you don’t have much to do in the back seat, the legroom is simply too limited. The luggage compartment measures just under two hundred liters, with a rear seat backrest that can be folded into two parts. The parcel shelf that hinges up with the lid is useful, but the push button and the separate handle to open the lid are less useful.

Less than 200 liters of luggage space in the Citroën C1.

Volkswagen Up trunk is more spacious

In the Up we also see a fresh and light interior. The dashboard looks just a little more mature. It has an instrument cluster with classic, large and easy-to-read dials, a multifunctional steering wheel and the cruise control controls are in the turn signal lever. The seating position is better than in the C1 and the seat offers more support and firmness. It is hardly more spacious in the back than in the Citroën, that is clear. The trunk has just a few more liters of capacity, including an adjustable loading floor and padding on the back of the backrests. In both cars the rear seat has two headrests and two belts.

Also buttons in the steering wheel in the Volkswagen Up.

We also like the seating position and the seats of the Volkswagen Up better.

C1 is nice and agile in the city

The differences in motor skills are minor. The C1’s 1.0-liter has 69 hp, versus 60 for the Up. If we look at the torque, we see twice 95 Nm, but with the Volkswagen this is already available earlier. In everyday traffic you can keep up well with these three-cylinder engines. However, merging and overtaking on the highway and on highways mercilessly reveals the lack of power. From 100 to 130 km/h seems to take forever and in strong headwinds, the C1 in particular has difficulty maintaining that high pace. If that is really a requirement for you, look for a version with the 82 hp 1.2-liter and at Volkswagen for the Up with 1.0 TSI. If there are no highway rides scheduled between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., then you are well served with these motorcycles.

With 60 hp, the Volkswagen Up is smooth enough for daily traffic.

This second generation C1 drives a lot more comfortably than its predecessor and it is especially extremely agile in the city, but the engine is a little too loud. The Up feels like a larger car and has a better suspension tuning, even though it has quite stiff suspension. As a Bluemotion, it has a lowered chassis. The Up is quieter across the board and that makes it better suited for longer trips. Switching and clutching is light and simple in both cases and fortunately something like power steering is standard in this segment. When it comes to fuel consumption, we see unanimity: 1 in 18.9, which is good. Yet another discipline in which the A-segmenter excels: economy. You don’t even have to try hard to drive around 1 in 18 and if you are a born miser, then you go for at least 1 in 20.

You can also quickly reach 1 in 20 with the Citroën C1.

Fully equipped little ones

There was a time when you could buy a new Up or C1 for around €9,000, albeit with a three-door in uni-paint and crisis version. Our test cars are fairly complete versions. The C1 Feel is the middle equipment level; above that is the Shine. The Feel has, among other things, central locking, a steering wheel covered with steering wheel, piano lacquer accents here and there, a radio with Bluetooth and the door handles and mirror covers in body color. This C1 also has the Comfort Pack, including air conditioning and a tachometer. The Volkswagen is a High Up, which is the most complete in the program. It stands on alloy wheels, has two reading lights in the front, cruise control and City Emergency Brake, which can make an emergency stop if a cyclist or pedestrian crosses within a built-up area. In the middle of the dashboard is a kind of docking station for your smartphone, with a USB port behind it for charging. If you install the ‘Maps & More’ app, your phone becomes an extension of the system. You can then use it to display the on-board computer, as a media player and as a navigation system. In the C1 you can put your smartphone in an aftermarket holder and then get music and navigation directions from the speakers via Bluetooth. The fixed and variable costs of both cars are at the same level. Maintenance services do not cost the world, because tires and brake discs are not expensive, there is not much oil in such a small block and it is easy to tinker with.

For this occasion double test we used:

Citroën C1 Feel – 2019 – 18,700 km – €11,745
Volkswagen High Up – 2019 – 51,000 km – €11,450