Volkswagen up! VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric problems
The Volkswagen up! used the VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric from 2013 to 2023 (e-up! 18,7 kWh and e-up! 36,8 kWh). 2 documented faults affect it; the most important is “damaged cells in the high-voltage battery (January 2021 recall)” (critical severity, occasional). Our verdict: “With caution”. Among the documented engines of the Volkswagen up!, the safest option is the 1.0 MPI.
Engine score on this car
7.0 out of 10Acceptable reliability
Only counting the faults that affect the versions and years of the up!. How we calculate it
Overall score for the Volkswagen up!
7.4 out of 10Acceptable reliability
Engines, gearbox, suspension, brakes, electronics and the rest of the car. See breakdown
Volkswagen e-up!, Škoda Citigo e iV and Seat Mii electric: motor síncrono de imanes permanentes and baterías de 18,7 and 36,8 kWh · Electrical
- Names
- e-up! 18,7 kWh · e-up! 36,8 kWh
- Faults that affect it
- 2 · 1 of high or critical severity
Verdict for the versions it uses
e-up! 18.7 kWh, up to 82 hp (2013-2019)2013–2019 · 82 hp
With cautionThese cars are over seven years old and have a small battery; check the battery's state of health (SoH). We have found no faults specific to this series, only limited information.[1]
e-up!, Citigo e iV and Mii electric 36.8 kWh, 83 hp (2019-2023)2019–2023 · 83 hp
With cautionCheck with the chassis number that the January 2021 recall (213 cars, modules from May and June 2020 according to Fiches-auto.fr) has been resolved if applicable; otherwise there are few documented faults.[4][5]
Faults that affect the up!
- Critical severityFrequency: OccasionalTraction batteryDamaged cells in the high-voltage battery (January 2021 recall)In January 2021, 213 e-up!, Citigo e iV and Mii electric cars were recalled worldwide (112 in Germany) because of damaged cells that could cause a short circuit and a risk of fire; the remedy was to replace the high-voltage battery.
- Low severityFrequency: RareElectronicsHigh-voltage battery discharged after a long period parkedGebrauchtwagenberater.de reports that some e-up! cars were found with a discharged high-voltage battery after long periods parked: a software fault allowed the 12 V battery to discharge, and the high-voltage battery then had to recharge it; it is corrected with an update.
All versions and faults of the VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric
What to check before buying a used Volkswagen up! VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric
Each point comes from a documented fault that affects this car. You can tick them off as you inspect it.
If it has the VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric (2013–2023)
Other engines and gearboxes of the Volkswagen up!
Score for each one with the faults that affect this car, from best to worst.
Faults of the Volkswagen up! outside the engine
Suspension, brakes, electronics and the rest of the car: they occur with any engine.
- Medium severityFrequency: CommonGearbox and clutchManual gearbox hard to engage (first and reverse) and clutch wearThe manual gearbox is the weak point that owners of this city car mention most: first gear and reverse are hard to select, especially when cold, with grinding, and some clutches wear out early. It is a pattern in testimonies, not a manufacturer campaign.
- Critical severityFrequency: RareAirbags and safetyTakata airbag inflator on 2011-2012 up!sVolkswagen recalled up!s built between 1 August 2011 and 7 June 2012 because the propellant of the Takata inflator can degrade with humidity and heat and break the casing when the airbag deploys, with a risk of injury from metal fragments.
- High severityFrequency: RareAirbags and safetyAirbag initiators and pretensioners with an out-of-specification mixVolkswagen recalled up! and e-up! models built between 8 July 2016 and 6 February 2017 because the chemical mix of the airbag and seatbelt pretensioner initiators was out of specification, and they might not deploy in a crash.
- Low severityFrequency: CommonGearbox and clutchMetallic knocking from the clutch and gearbox when releasing the pedalMany owners of the up! and its sister models notice a metallic knock when releasing the clutch, especially at idle, which the official dealer usually describes as normal. Gebrauchtwagenberater.de attributes it to the clutch slave cylinder and says it can only be eliminated by replacing the whole assembly.
- Medium severityFrequency: RareBodywork and interiorChild lock on the rear doors that switches off by itselfVolkswagen recalled up!s built between 25-11-2015 and 14-4-2016 because the mechanical child lock on the rear doors could have been damaged at the factory and switch off without notice, especially with strong vibrations.
Buying a Volkswagen up! VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric?
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The Volkswagen up! has 4 documented recalls and campaigns. See which ones and how to find out if they affect you
Frequently asked questions
Is the Volkswagen up! VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric reliable?
The Volkswagen up! used the VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric from 2013 to 2023 (e-up! 18,7 kWh and e-up! 36,8 kWh). 2 documented faults affect it; the most important is “damaged cells in the high-voltage battery (January 2021 recall)” (critical severity, occasional). Our verdict: “With caution”. Among the documented engines of the Volkswagen up!, the safest option is the 1.0 MPI.
What faults does the Volkswagen up! VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric have?
The documented ones that affect this car are: damaged cells in the high-voltage battery (January 2021 recall) (critical severity) and high-voltage battery discharged after a long period parked (low severity).
Which engine should you choose for the Volkswagen up!?
The safest option is the 1.0 MPI, with a «Buy» verdict.
Own a Volkswagen up! VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric? Tell us what faults you have had and at how many kilometres. Report your fault.
Sources
Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.
- Volkswagen e-up!: Probleme und SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · consulted 30 October 2026 · in German
- VW e-up! (Wikipedia, alemán)Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 30 October 2026 · in German
- Volkswagen e-Up! (Wikipedia, inglés)Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 30 October 2026
- Rückrufaktion bei VW E-Up, Seat Mii und Skoda Citigoauto motor und sport · Motoring press · published January 2021 · consulted 30 October 2026 · in German
- Fiabilité Volkswagen Up (2011-2023) : pannes et avis des propriétairesFiches-auto.fr · Reliability study · consulted 30 October 2026 · in French