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Chic supermini promises class-leading luxury and sportiness, but is it now past its prime?

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The second-generation Audi A1 promised to introduce hitherto unseen levels of luxuriousness and sportiness to the supermini class when it was launched in 2019, in spite of its more mundane, Volkswagen-based origins and underpinnings.

Audi has a long history with gentrified superminis like this. What started with the Audi 50 in 1974, followed by the innovative but expensive A2, then the first-generation A1 in 2010, has now become the brand's showcase for technology and quality at the bottom rung of the fiscal ladder.

Indeed, this car vows to continue the trend started by its forebears, promising to set new benchmarks for perceived quality, powertrain refinement and general desirability via a completely overhauled interior, striking exterior design touches from more rarefied Audi models, a range of efficiency-focused turbocharged engines and a competitive starting price.

Audi hopes this will be enough to fend off talented - and, in many cases, much newer - competition from the likes of the Mini Cooper C, Fiat 500, Skoda Fabia and Renault Clio.

How, then, does it fare in the autumn of its production run, and, even in this ever-shrinking class, has it overstayed its welcome?

Audi A1 range at a glance

Audi offers the A1 in a choice of three trim levels: Sport, S Line and Black Edition. S Line and Black Edition cars introduce differing cosmetic tweaks over Sport cars, including larger alloy wheels, various special badges dotted around inside and out, redesigned bumpers and, in the case of the Black Edition, darkened trim pieces. 

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The entry-level 25 TFSI car has a 1.0-litre turbo petrol triple with 69bhp, which is mated to either a five-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed dual-clutch (DSG) automatic.

One level up from this is the 30 TFSI, which features the same engine tuned to 114bhp and comes with either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch auto.

The top-rung 35 TFSI, meanwhile, gets a 1.5-litre turbo petrol four, which can be had only with the seven-speed DSG.

The A1 sits on passive suspension, which is both lowered and stiffened if you choose S Line trim. It has a torsion-beam rear, just like every other car on the Volkswagen Group's MQB-A0 platform; none offers four-wheel drive.

The 1.5 TSI Evo is the only engine in the range that can deactivate two of its cylinders to save fuel.

DESIGN & STYLING

Audi A1 side static

The styling of this second-generation A1 is considerably more aggressive across the range, and especially when you upgrade to S Line trim.

At a lower level, the car goes without the sill and ‘implied’ lateral air intake garnishing, and thus - in our view - has a slightly less contrived overall appearance. With its air intakes that are as large as they are fake, combined with sharp, angular creases, we feel it tries too hard to pack visual aggression into its styling.

In light of the fact that fewer than one in five examples of the last A1 were sold as three-doors, Audi offers only a five-door Sportback bodystyle now. This, coupled with its slightly boxy profile, makes it pretty practical, especially for rear passengers.

Construction is conventional by class standards, with steel body panels fixed onto a steel monocoque chassis and engines mounting transversely in the front and driving the front axle.

This A1 grew by just over 50mm in overall length compared with its predecessor, making it just over 4.0m in length, 1.7m in width and 1.4m in height. Overall, it's longer than many of its rivals, including the Mini, but predictably around the same size as the Volkswagen Polo.

INTERIOR

Audi A1 interior driver seat

While Audi has made an effort to differentiate the A1’s cabin from that of its Polo and Seat Ibiza cousins by employing a slightly more tasteful palette of trim materials and switchgear, that relationship hasn’t been entirely masked. Sure, it might exude more in the way of immediate opulence on first acquaintance, but closer inspection reveals several surfaces and finishes that make it feel like the budget option. Coarse, sometimes flimsy feeling plastics that reek of cost-cutting make its Volkswagen Group DNA readily identifiable.

That being said, platform-sharing means an element of sameness is inevitable, and you get more visual interest with every box you tick on the spec sheet - as is the way with a German machine.

Top-specification cars, with their aluminium trim inlays, ambient lighting and leather seats, make a more convincing play of its upmarket aspirations than the lower-rung models do.

All variants of the A1 come with a 10.25in digital instrument cluster, as well as an 8.8in infotainment touchscreen that incorporates basic infotainment features such as Bluetooth, DAB radio, voice control and USB connectivity. Strangely, sat-nav isn't fitted as standard, but this issue is negated by the standard inclusion of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

The optional Technology Pack grants you a larger 10.1in touchscreen, wireless phone charging and an embedded sim card for 4G internet access. It’s integrated cleanly into the surrounding dash structure and, framed by attractive gloss black plastic, lends the smallest hints of Audi big-car technological sophistication.

Graphically speaking, both the infotainment screen and the Virtual Cockpit are very impressive indeed, operating smoothly and without much in the way of lag. In terms of ergonomics, the touchscreen is simple to interact with when stationary, but the loss of the rotary controller used to operate earlier versions of Audi’s infotainment software means on-the-move adjustments are a bit trickier, because you have to prod a specific point on a touchscreen.

At the foot of the touchscreen sits - praise be - a row of physical dials for the heating and air conditioning. Beneath that are more buttons to change the driving modes and to turn off the traction control. There’s also a rotary knob to adjust the radio volume, and the steering wheel is littered with physical controls. Not only is the A1's reliance on buttons a welcome relief for drivers looking for ease of use, but they are extremely tactile to use and hold, too.

Despite this and the fact that the A1's interior generally looks smart, it fails to truly differentiate itself from its Volkswagen Group siblings and justify its elevated price. That it is around £3000 more expensive than the Ibiza and Skoda Fabia - both of which share engines with the A1 - isn’t easy to overlook.

However, of greater concern is the competition from Mini. It might be around £1000 more expensive, but its upmarket interior is one of a kind to look at and feel - and makes the Audi's look both outdated and cheap.

And while this is only a gripe, we would have expected to see a front armrest/storage cubby included as standard - especially given the cheaper Polo has one.

While you would be able to squeeze two adults into the A1's second row in relative comfort, its typical rear leg room figure of 640mm is some 50mm less than that of the Polo.

The A1’s 335-litre boot is also 20 litres smaller than the Polo’s, according to our measurements, although it does, at least, outdo the Mini’s 210-litre effort by a significant margin.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

Audi A1 front static

For something that takes stylistic cues from the great Audi Sport Quattro of 1985 (vents at the base of the bonnet), the A1's performance - even in 35 TFSI form - proves unremarkable and, at times, exasperating, which is a shame, given that this engine might have proved a sweet match for a supermini.

Make no mistake, the 1.5 TSI Evo engine pulls in impressively discreet fashion once the small turbocharger has fully woken up at 3000rpm and, beyond an unusually high biting point for the overly light clutch on manual cars, there’s little cause for complaint for those who live their lives at a slower pace. What's more, the seven-speed DSG auto gives the A1 'big-car' dynamics, with smooth shifts allowing for pretty consistent acceleration.

For the rest of us, however, and for the person paying for a premium hatchback with at least a little sporting ambition, there’s a frustrating lack of urgency, because the economy-minded gearing for the six-speed manual transmission is so long. Things are slightly improved with the DSG, despite it not being particularly decisive about when to change gear in the upper reaches of the rev range.

Power is delivered in linear but languid fashion no matter which gearbox you go for, and so to go anywhere quickly, you need to work the engine quite hard, shifting gears often and using generous and sustained throttle inputs. What's more, it sounds extremely unpleasant when you rev it out - almost as though it doesn't want you to explore the power band. 

Sadly, this engine simply doesn’t have the character to reward the effort required and so, for the most part, the 35 TFSI feels somewhat limp.

Those drawn to this lukewarm A1 by the promises made by its pugnacious looks should therefore check their expectations.

There used to be a 40 TFSI (available for four years between 2018 and 2022), which was much more sprightly on paper. With the same 197bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged engine found in the Volkswagen Polo GTI, 0-62mph was dispatched in a claimed 6.5sec, which is a respectable figure among its rival crop of quick hatchbacks.

The 1.0-litre engine in the 30 TFSI, meanwhile, operates with a distant but detectable three-cylinder thrum, but it makes useful torque at accessible crankspeeds that gives the A1 a very respectable turn of speed. It also revs willingly enough; it doesn’t get coarser as it’s called to really work; and it works through a manual gearbox with a precise feel.

RIDE & HANDLING

Audi A1 head on

The A1 represents a fairly typical handling effort from Audi, which is to say the chassis feels considerably more alert and composed than the equivalent Polo but lacks the verve and immediacy of the Mini.

However, it exhibits a better balance and stability than most cars with a wheelbase this short and, in tandem with damping that marshals the car’s mass more tightly than is perhaps necessary, that lays the ground for no-nonsense directional changes, even at high speeds.

To some extent, this quality makes up for the lacklustre powertrain because, once you’ve got the A1 going at a decent pace, there’s so much grip on offer that sustaining that pace rarely results in sweaty palms or much in the way of any drama at all.

The steering is lacking terribly in feel but its speed is well judged, particularly off-centre, and duly makes a Polo feel inert and a Mini too frenetic. The action is pleasingly accurate, although never in any danger of actually communicating to the driver what might be happening down at road level – which is a shame because, with a bit more honesty and weight in the driving controls, the A1 would be a peppy little driver’s car.

That’s because this chassis responds well to a bit of manhandling. Particularly if the car is fitted with lowered stiffened S Line sports suspension, it resists understeer determinedly and reacts to a well-timed lift of the throttle on the way into corners. The rear never feels particularly mobile because Audi doesn’t set its cars up to behave in that fashion, but there are satisfying hints of the right kind of movements and this means the A1 can involve its driver a little more than you might expect.

However, it’s obvious Audi knows its audience, and so while the A1 can lightly entertain its driver and goes without four-wheel drive, ultimately it still majors on stability and trustworthy dynamics. With such long gearing on manual versions, there’s also next to no chance of surpassing the traction limits of the front tyres. Those limits can more easily be surpassed with automatic cars, which have much shorter gearing. 

The car doesn’t naturally oversteer, but isn’t averse to being backed into corners in the same manner as much more capable hot hatchbacks. Of course, you get a mere hint of dynamism and it isn’t much to work with, but this chassis still has life to it, which can’t be said of the steering.

There’s a price to pay for both the relatively incisive handling and the visual clout of a test car on larger alloy wheels as well as lowered sports suspension. That price is a ride conspicuously lacking the level of sophistication this car attempts to convey through its impressive digital displays and exterior design. The airy cabin itself is welcoming enough, with lavish seats in the front and decent forward visibility, but the car lacks the compliance to be consistently driven every day, both in town and out of it.

It isn’t as though we’re at the limits of what this MQB-A0 platform with rear torsion beam can deliver, either, because on its softer suspension, the Polo demonstrates a level of rolling refinement closer to what you would expect to find in the class above.

By comparison, at motorway speeds, the A1 is too keen to chew on the road surface, and with larger alloy wheels (and less sound-proofing than is necessary, we suspect), it’s too loud at cruising speeds to justify its premium positioning. It can at times deliver an impressive level of ‘togetherness’ and maturity at a cruise, but the glass-smooth road surfaces required are few and far between in Britain.

If you can live with the ride quality and overt tyre noise, the A1's interior is particularly soothing at night, when the lighting features come into their own.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

Audi A1 front three quarter

The A1 range starts at around £22,000 and ends as high as £29,000. Start checking a few options boxes and it’s possible to push that figure up well past the £30,000 mark. And no matter how you look at it, that’s a lot for a supermini – even one with as much visual presence as this one.

Still, at least you won’t spend too much time (or money) on petrol station forecourts, given the potential for topping 500 miles of range.

During our time with a 35 TFSI with the DSG auto, we averaged 55.1mpg. At a steady motorway cruise, this can reach as high as 60mpg, which means even the modest 40-litre tank stores enough fuel for 500 miles of range.

When fitted with a manual gearbox, the 25 TFSI and 30 TFSI engines officially manage up to 52.3mpg and 51.4mpg respectively, while in DSG form they both return up to 50.4mpg.

VERDICT

Audi A1 front three quarter static

When the original A1 joined the supermini gaggle in 2010, it set new benchmarks for perceived quality, powertrain refinement and all-round desirability. Today, in the autumn of its second iteration, the A1 continues to offer some desirability for those who find the Mini too whimsical and the Polo too staid. 

Climb into it and you will find a powertrain of impressive efficiency and refinement, as well as a responsive chassis with deep reserves of composure (if not much in the way of involvement) and some touches to its interior that are as luxurious as they are tech-rich.

What they won’t discover, however, is the degree of ride comfort that we would expect of the segment’s luxury player, at least if the car is fitted with optional Sport suspension. Such business undermines the A1’s credentials as both an easy-going city car and as something in which to cover longer distances with ease.

Some unacceptably cheap-feeling interior plastics and long gearing on manual versions that neuters the smooth-spinning engine are further frustrations that prevent this junior Audi from taking class honours.

So, if you want a small car that’s big on desirability, personality and verve, you’re better off with the Mini. But for the sake of distinctive looks, refined powertrains and a smattering of driving involvement, the A1 is still worthy of consideration next to the Fiat 500 and Renault Clio.

Jonathan Bryce

Jonathan Bryce
Title: Editorial Assistant

Jonathan is an editorial assistant working with Autocar. He has held this position since March 2024, having previously studied at the University of Glasgow before moving to London to become an editorial apprentice and pursue a career in motoring journalism. 

His role at work involves running Autocar's sister title Move Electric, which is most notably concerned with electric cars. His other roles include writing new and updating existing new car reviews, and appearing on Autocar's social media channels including Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

Matt Saunders

Matt Saunders Autocar
Title: Road test editor

As Autocar’s chief car tester and reviewer, it’s Matt’s job to ensure the quality, objectivity, relevance and rigour of the entirety of Autocar’s reviews output, as well contributing a great many detailed road tests, group tests and drive reviews himself.

Matt has been an Autocar staffer since the autumn of 2003, and has been lucky enough to work alongside some of the magazine’s best-known writers and contributors over that time. He served as staff writer, features editor, assistant editor and digital editor, before joining the road test desk in 2011.

Since then he’s driven, measured, lap-timed, figured, and reported on cars as varied as the Bugatti Veyron, Rolls-Royce PhantomTesla RoadsterAriel Hipercar, Tata Nano, McLaren SennaRenault Twizy and Toyota Mirai. Among his wider personal highlights of the job have been covering Sebastien Loeb’s record-breaking run at Pikes Peak in 2013; doing 190mph on derestricted German autobahn in a Brabus Rocket; and driving McLaren’s legendary ‘XP5’ F1 prototype. His own car is a trusty Mazda CX-5.