Second Hand Volkswagen Up Window Motor

The Volkswagen Up has been sold in the UK in one main generation, launched in 2011 with a facelift around 2016, so there is broadly one body structure throughout — however, whether a pre-facelift motor crosses cleanly to a post-2016 car is something you should confirm with the breaker against your registration, as door internals can change at a facelift even when the body looks similar. What is certain is that you must match the side (NS for nearside/passenger, OS for offside/driver) and the door count, because the front doors on a 3-door Up differ from those on a 5-door Up and their window motors are not the same. Give the breaker your reg and they can verify the exact part.

Yes, this matters — the front door on a 3-door Up is a different shape and size to the front door on a 5-door Up, so the window regulator and motor assembly differ between the two body styles. Always tell the breaker whether you have a 3-door or 5-door, and specify which side (NS nearside/passenger or OS offside/driver) needs replacing. Mixing up the door count is one of the most common reasons a used window motor does not fit.

Trim level — whether that is Take Up, Move Up, High Up, or any other variant — does not change the window motor fitment, as the door shell and glass are the same across the range. What you do need to match is the generation (pre- or post-2016 facelift), the door count (3-door vs 5-door), and the side (NS or OS). You may find cosmetic differences inside the door card when fitting a motor from a different trim, but the motor itself is determined by the door and body structure, not the specification level.

A 2015 Up is pre-facelift and a 2017 Up is post-facelift (the facelift arrived around 2016), and while the overall body remained similar, changes at a facelift can affect door components including the regulator and motor. You should confirm directly with the breaker using both registrations before buying, as this is exactly the kind of boundary crossing where fitment cannot be guaranteed without checking the part numbers. The breaker will be able to cross-reference both vehicles and tell you definitively.

No — the engine has no bearing on window motor fitment whatsoever, so it does not matter whether your Up has a 1.0 petrol or any other variant. Fitment is determined entirely by the body generation, door count (3-door or 5-door), and the side required (NS nearside or OS offside). You can safely ignore engine size when searching for this part.

UK convention uses NS (nearside) for the passenger/left side and OS (offside) for the driver/right side — make sure you use these terms when contacting a breaker to avoid any confusion. Stand behind the car facing forward to orientate yourself: the left side as you drive is NS, the right is OS. Confirm with the breaker whether you need a front or rear door motor as well, since these are different parts.