TG mag's Pocket Rocket of the Year: the VW Up GTI

It’s that time of year again. No, not Christmas, but TG Awards season – when we crown our favourite cars from the year just passed.

This year accolades went to the Honda Civic Type R, Bugatti Chiron, McLaren 720S, Ford GT and Skoda Kodiaq among others. And this thing – the small, very red and quite excellent Volkswagen Up GTI.

Spiritually it’s probably the closest VW’s gotten to replicating the charm of the MK1 Golf GTI – and that’s high praise indeed. In that abstract concept that is “the real world”, the pair are more or less as fast as each other. Not very – but that’s besides the point.

Watch the video up top to see the Up – which isn’t even on sale yet – meet the car that spawned it for a happy trundle around the Buckinghamshire countryside. Joy.

And, for the full debrief on Top Gear magazine's cars of 2017, pick up a copy of our shiny new awards issue, via the handy links below.

Order your copy online right now via this link

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Full list: Top Gear magazine's best cars of 2017