Australian New Car Buyer – June 2019

22 | AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDE

I

s the Audi A1 worth around
$10,000 more than its
Volkswagen Polo twin,
especially when Polo Mk6 is now
a generation ahead of the Audi,
with a newer, larger body?
The four-ringed marque’s
smallest four-door is never
going to win any value for
money awards — not when the
People’s Car version provides
essentially the same experience.
Yet there are a number of
reasons why the A1 shouldn’t be
so easily dismissed.
For starters, it shares
absolutely nothing that you can
actually see or touch with the
Polo. Indeed, as the still-fresh
styling suggests after almost
a decade on sale, the broad
shoulder stance, clean surfacing
and pleasing proportions make
the Audi a lasting piece of
industrial design.
As always, the interior is
a textbook study of classy
minimalism that has been aped by
more than a few rivals. The stand-
proud central screen, precision
switchgear, tactile touch points,
solid build quality and ultra-

clear dials highlight an on-brand

obsession to detail.

Front-seat cabin space is

perhaps better than the A1’s

diminutive length suggests due

to a wide range of cushion and

steering wheel adjustability,

backed by a thoughtfully

constructed driving position. The

(three-place) rear compartment

is fairly tight, unless the person

ahead is willing to compromise.

Boot space, too, is quite limited.

Five-door Sportback models

include the 1.0 TFSI from $27,600,

1.4 TFSI Sport from $29,500, the

$40,800 1.8 TFSI S line, and the

$50,400 S1 quattro. All are four-

cylinder turbopetrol powered.

One negative brand

characteristic is the fairly sparse

equipment roll call; while alloy

wheels, cruise control, rear

parking sensors, Bluetooth

connectivity and stop/start tech

are standard, sat-nav, a reverse

camera and fog lights cost extra

on the entry-level variant.

On the other hand, the latter’s

70kW/160Nm 1.0-litre three-

cylinder turbopetrol engine is an

absolute corker. Frugal yet fun,

it possesses a perky yet civilised

personality that is entirely

in keeping with this baby’s

upmarket aspirations. And

because there is less weight

over the nose, this A1’s steering

and handling has a verve, agility,

balance and suppleness that

really does give the Mini a run

for its money.

A seven-speed S-tronic dual-

clutch transmission ($1300)

brings this Audi’s automatic

starting point in at under $30,000.

Most buyers choose the ultra-

smooth 92kW/200Nm 1.4-litre

four-cylinder turbo, which benefi ts

from more kit (mainly automatic

air, sports seats, fog lights and

16-inch wheels) and also scores

Cylinder On Demand tech. It runs

on just two pots to conserve fuel

(and cut emissions) under light

throttle conditions. Clever.

This drivetrain combo, too,

is sweet and strong, providing

an unexpectedly energetic level

of performance with hardly

a fuel consumption penalty,

particularly when paired to the

delightful six-speed manual

gearbox in lieu of the at-times

laggy seven-speed S-tronic.

In fact, it makes the powerful

141kW/250Nm 1.8-litre S-tronic

version seem superfl uous —

particularly as the accompanying

larger wheel package and sports

suspension undermines both

the ride comfort and refi nement

on less-than-perfect roads.

Much better to stretch to the

170kW/370Nm S1 quattro,

whose lightning-quick pace and

formidable grip make it a truly

memorable thrill.

So while not every A1 variant

is equal, the tiniest Audi still

looks and drives like an Audi

should. For many buyers,

that’s obviously enough to

justify the circa $10,000

premium over a VW Polo.

The second generation A1,

which shares the new Polo

platform, is due in showrooms

by the end of 2019.

By Byron Mathioudakis

AUDI A1 FROM $27,600 S

THINGS WE LIKE

 Elegant and timeless design

 Frugal and feisty 1.0 TFSI

 Strong and refi ned 1.4 TFSI

 High-quality interior

 Engaging, agile handling

THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE

Firm ride on larger wheel and

tyre packages

It’s a VW Polo with a $10,000

surcharge

No reverse camera as standard

Lack of rear-seat space for adults

Limited cargo capacity

SPEX (1.0 TFSI S-tronic)

Made in Belgium

1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol/

six-speed dual-clutch auto/front-

wheel drive

70kW of power at 5000rpm/160Nm

of torque from 1500–3500rpm

0–100km/h in 11.1 seconds (claimed)

3.8L/100km highway; 5.4L/100km

city; 95 octane premium; CO 2

emissions are 102g/km

Warranty: Three years/unlimited

kilometres

Standard: Six airbags, stability

control, hill-start assist, rear

parking sensors, auto headlights,

rain-sensing wipers, Bluetooth

with audio streaming and voice

control, 6.5-inch infotainment

screen, 15-inch alloy wheels

Redbook future values: 3yr: 49%;

5yr: 35%

compare with ...

BMW 1 Series, Fiat 500, Mazda2,

Mini, Renault Clio, VW Polo

Safety

ANCAP

Green Vehicle Guide

Performance

Handling

Quality and reliability

Comfort and refi nement

Value for money

Overall

STARS