The wind-swept, scrub-lined B-roads that meander their respective ways through Hampshire’s New Forest aren’t really what you’d think of as the typical stomping ground for a group of posh superminis.
More often than not, cars of this ilk find homes within the confines of the urban sprawl; places where a sharp design and the latest in glossy, cutting-edge tech can best assert their influence over the typically younger and more well-heeled audience to which they tend to appeal.
It comes as little surprise, then, that the small gathering of ponies lurking at the far end of the gravel car park we’ve commandeered as a base for today’s triple test don’t seem particularly phased by our presence on this grey, blustery morning. But that’s fine; after all, they’re not the ones tasked with deciding which of the three very red cars around which we’re currently huddled represents the most convincing take on a plush, circa-£20,000 supermini.
The first of our three doesn’t need much in the way of introduction. Ever since its launch under BMW guardianship the best part of two decades ago, the ‘new’ Mini (you can still, just, get away with calling it that) has enjoyed a fairly uninterrupted run as top dog in this decidedly chic corner of the market. Not only has it continuously proved popular among the more dedicated followers of fashion, but it has also made a name for itself as an entertaining and engaging little steer.
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Velvet Munchkin
Mpg
MrJ
The word is ‘fazed’ not
The word is ‘fazed’ not ‘phased.’ Spellcheck, aye?!
FMS
MrJ wrote:
Mistakes happen, not by any stretch, the worst and by the tone of your post, you in any case understood the meaning of this spelling...aye?!.
xxxx
FMS - pot calling kettle black
Ignore FMS, he has the lowest tone of all the posters on this forumn and thinks of himself as some kind of Autocar 'God' like editor.
typos1 - Just can’t respect opinion
Jonathan Lingham
Phased...like a traffic light?
I share your love of pedantry.
abkq
These are 'high-spec' rather
These are 'high-spec' rather than 'posh' superminis. The two terms are not interchangeable. 'High-spec' is easy to do, simply add more kit and use more expensive materials. 'Posh' is harder, the Princess Vanden Plas, like a miniature limo (the imposing grille, the cabin ambiance), was an eccentric masterpiece. DS tries to bring back distinctive & contemporary poshness to Citroen, but so far its results are very variable.
si73
Whilst I accept sitting in
Whilst I accept sitting in them gives a better appreciation of their ambience but going by the pictures I prefer the fiestas interior and dash design to the overly fussy mini and bland cold audi, just my opinion, and with its excellent drive and if I did not worry about residuals, of these three it's the fiesta that I'd have.
catnip
Noticeable by its absence
Every time a previous model A1 was tested, the word "quality" always crept up when talking about its interior. Here we get "cool", "sophisticated", but the Q word is skilfully avoided. The MINI interior is an acqired taste, the Fiesta one seems fine to me.
Thekrankis
If Audi could find a chassis designer...
... as good as their interior designer they could make some real killer cars.
Instead they persist on making nicely put together boring dullards....
spqr
That cannot ever happen
Audi is not an independent car maker like BMW or Mercedes-Benz. It cannot design it’s own chassis. Audi is only ab,e to use the underpinnings of a Volkswagen Auto Group Car. Here the A1 is really a VW Polo/SEAT Ibiza/Skoda Fabia. These are cars built to a price and the mere fact that Audi has been able to make the A1 as apparently quiet and refined as it seems from the review to be is a bit of an achievement. Whether that achievement is worth almost double the cost of a virtually mechanically identical Skoda is up to the buyer. The infotainment system and higher grade trimmings inside help but even so it is overpriced for a Skoda/VW/SEAT super mini.
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