Audi A1

Audi A1 Sportback 1.6 TDI S-line (2014) CAR 

This is the Audi A1 Sportback, a five-door version of the Audi A1 supermini. In summer 2014, BMW will produce a five-door Mini hatchback for the first time: perfect timing, then, to familiarise ourselves with Audi’s key rival.
Though we’ve driven and largely liked the A1 before, the spec of this test car raises some interesting questions. Should you spend £560 extra to bag a five-door A1? Is the £1545 premium for S-line trim (and the stiffened suspension) a fools’ errand? And is this diminutive 1.6 TDI version, with a paltry pony count (but the A1’s lowest running costs) a hidden gem of a powertrain? Read on for the CAR review.

Sounds Like Expensive Audi A1

There’s no such thing as a cheap Audi A1, but our Sportback test car really takes the cheese. The basic price for a 1.6-litre TDI S-line kicks off at a hefty £18,210, but once loaded up with a contrast-colour roof (exclusive to five-door A1s), xenon lights, every interior package possible and goodies like climate control and heated front seats, our example topped £24k. Yikes.
Then again, the A1 exudes quality. Underneath, this is largely a VW Polo in a designer suit, but the A1’s contact points and cabin materials are of such a superlative standard that it knocks every other supermini – and other mainstream cars from two classes above – into a cocked hat for perceived quality. Knurled metal knobs, a near-perfect perforated leather-clad steering wheel, and the soft-touch fascia are irritatingly seductive.

 Statistics

How much?	£18,560
On sale in the UK:	Now
Engine:	1598cc 16v in-line four-cyl turbodiesel, 103bhp @ 4400rpm, 184lb ft @ 1500-2500rpm
Transmission:	Five-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Performance:	10.7sec 0-62mph, 118mph, 74.3mpg, 99g/km CO2
How heavy / made of?	1140kg/steel
How big (length/width/height in mm)?