Volkswagen has given the Up a mid-life facelift, with a new look and some techno updates.

Somehow, the company has resisted the temptation to rename it the Spruce Up in the process.

Similarly, were VW not more mature than us, they’d surely have invented a name like Charge Up or Power Up for the model we’re driving here. That’s because it has an engine that’s new to the range – and it’s turbocharged.

It’s the 1.0 TSI and it puts out 89bhp and 118lb ft. Not the 113bhp this engine is capable of (as used elsewhere in VW’s extended range), but while this isn’t a tarmac tearaway it certainly is an Up with more zest to go with its funkier looks.

More zest and, for sure, more grunt. What’s most noticeable is the depth from which the engine pulls – top torque arrives at 1500rpm, and it pulls hard from down there with little more than a terse mutter before the power comes in and it starts to rev smoothly and happily. It’s hard to believe we’re really saying this about a 1.0-litre engine, but short-shifting is the order of the day – basically, to get the best from it you drive it like a big old diesel.

If you do want to rev it, though, the gearbox is a very nice thing to use. So is the steering wheel, even if it’s still short on feel – which is at you’d expect, because the system it’s operating is unchanged from the previous model. So too is the suspension, so it’s still crisp and precise in corners and nicely settled on the road. That doesn’t apply if you go for the optional 17” wheels, though, which wreck its ride for no benefit of any real significance.

So, the engine is new and it looks a bit different. We also mentioned techno updates, and they come in the shape of a new dock which puts your phone in charge of various functions. There’s a model with a highly uprated stereo, too.

As before, the Up is available in 3-door and 5-door form, and the 1.0-litre engine remains available in non-turbo form with a choice of outputs. It’s the same but just a little different, and that’s fine – because this was already one of the best city cars.

And now it’s even better. So whether it’s a Spruce Up or a Power Up, most of all it’s a Thumbs Up.

Volkswagen Up Beats 1.0 TSI

On sale July

Price £13,000 (est)

Engine 3 cyls, 999cc, turbo, petrol

Power 89bhp

Torque 118Ib ft at 1500-3500rpm

Gearbox 5-spd manual

Kerb weight na

Top speed 115mph

0-62mph 9.9sec

Economy 64.2mpg (combined)

CO2/tax band 101g/km, 17%