Audi A1 review: We will all miss this brilliant little car and its executive tech and comfort
THIS is the smallest Audi. The A1. The posh little supermini.
Sadly, its days are numbered.
Bosses have let slip this is the last A1 as the firm focuses on bigger and more profitable models.
Same goes for the Q2, the baby crossover. Both will be killed off by 2025.
There will be little updates here and there to keep them fresh but no new models. Which makes me a little sad.
I like small cars and the A1 is the cheapest way to those four rings.
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We all know it’s a Volkswagen Polo rolled in Audi glitter but it’s got that badge. Like an iPhone SE. It’s not the 13 Pro Max. But it doesn’t matter, it’s still an Apple.
The car we tested here is the high-spec S Line trim — nice body kit, nice alloys, sport suspension — paired with the most powerful 150hp 1.5-litre turbo petrol and seven-speed S-tronic auto.
It’s a peach.
Hurry it and you’ve got a willing dance partner.
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Be sensible and it shuts off two cylinders under light load to save fuel and reduce CO2. My testing returned 41mpg.
This exact car costs £29,505. Which is expensive. The cheapest A1 — in Technik trim, with a 95hp 1-litre engine and five-speed manual — is a smidge under £21k.
Aim somewhere in between and you’re golden.
The 110hp 1-litre S Line with six-speed manual is £23k and the silky smooth S-tronic auto is £25k.
No matter which version you choose, Audi interiors are class. Solid. Sturdy. Smart. Well-built. Reassuring.
You are getting executive levels of tech and comfort in a small car — two screens, all sorts of driver assistance — combined with simple air con dials and a manual handbrake.
I admit it needs more insulation to quieten road noise — particularly noticeable when you’re on a telephone call — and there are some low-rent plastics, but this is an A1 remember, not a Q7.
It’s still an Audi. It’s still got four rings on the tiller. It’s still cool.
We’ll miss it when it’s gone.
Key facts:
AUDI A1 S LINE S TRONIC
Price: £29,505
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo petrol
Power: 150hp
0-62mph: 7.7 secs
Top speed: 135mph
Economy: 45mpg
CO2: 140g/km
Out: Now