Purchasing an Audi A1 is comparable to taking a cheap hotel room or renting the least priced home on a beautiful estate. The Audi A1 may be the smallest model available, but the emblem is just as powerful on this small hatchback as it is on an 80,000-pound SUV or a 125,000-pound supercar.
You want one for that reason. No other tiny car, with the obvious exception of the Mini Hatch, offers such a remarkable fusion of style, craftsmanship, technology, and image. The A1 is fundamentally the same as a Volkswagen Polo, but the Audi will attract much more attention whether you’re driving to work or going out to lunch.
The second generation of the Audi A1 was introduced in 2018, and it feels more established than the first. The regular version is now only available as a five-door Sportback, which furthers the impression that it is a more mature vehicle.
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What is the most affordable Audi model?
Even though the luxury automaker doesn’t sell nearly as many vehicles in the United States as its German competitors, Audi’s global design is instantly identifiable. Nevertheless, Audi continues to provide consumers a range of technologically advanced luxury vehicles as well as a few extremely fast and powerful performance vehicles, such as the R8 supercar and the RS 7 Performance hatchback. The brand will soon release numerous other electric SUVs, the E-Tron SUV being just the first.
The A3 car is the smallest and least priced vehicle that Audi offers. However, A3 customers will have a wide range of choices, which can swiftly drive up the car’s mid-$30,000 base price. The range for the previous generation includes the big-shouldered, five-cylinder RS 3 with 394 hp and the 288-hp S3 sedan.
Sportiest: Audi has a long history of high-performance vehicles, with origins in rally and endurance competition. The R8 supercar, TT RS, RS 5 coupe and Sportback, and legendary RS 7 are among the company’s current lineup of high-performance vehicles.
Best Fuel Economy: The Audi that uses the least amount of fuel has the best fuel economy. The latest battery-electric SUV from the manufacturer, called the E-Tron, has a combined EPA rating of 78 mpg-e. Additionally, the E-Tron has a 222-mile range before requiring recharging. The Q4 E-Tron should operate much more efficiently.
The 10-cylinder R8 has a base price of little under $150,000, making it the priciest vehicle.
As soon as a car is released, we want to test and rank as many of them as we can. We’ll rank new models as we periodically update our rankings and we might even change the scores for some models. Vehicles with insufficient testing data, however, are not scored.
Audi A1 or Ford Fiesta: which is superior?
AEB, lane-keep assistance, LED lighting, air conditioning, cruise control, and connectivity with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also included in the standard equipment.
Driving
It probably won’t come as a surprise to find that the A1 Citycarver handles virtually just like the standard A1. It’s not exactly the same, though; the ride is a little softer because to the additional height, making the Citycarver slightly more enjoyable to drive because it has more suspension travel to absorb bumps. But only marginally, since it continues to flit around town and won’t calm down until you pick up speed.
In all forms, the Fiesta rides more smoothly than the Audi and is more enjoyable. The Fiesta Active is also softer than the standard supermini version.
The A1 features accurate handling, good grip, and a reliable gearchange, but the Fiesta has the edge in this situation thanks to its exciting chassis and quick steering.
The A1’s engine is punchier, smoother, and more refined than the Audi’s engine, which has less power but a lower kerbweight (1,140 kg), resulting in adequate performance. This was demonstrated in our in-gear tests, when the Audi held its own against its more potent competitor. While it beat the Fiesta’s timing of 4.2 seconds to move from 30 to 50 mph in third gear, it lagged the Ford’s time of 6.0 seconds in fourth gear by 0.5 seconds.
Is the Audi A1 a good investment?
The Audi A1 Sportback is a great option if you want a compact, simple-to-drive vehicle without sacrificing quality. It is similar to a Faberg egg in that it is little, looks costly, and feels expensive. However, it does cost a significant sum to purchase, even though it is quite inexpensive to use once purchased.
Although vehicles like the Volkswagen Polo come close, the Seat Ibiza, and Ford Fiesta Vignale aren’t too far behind, it is actually the most upscale little car on the road.
The A1 has a stunning appearance. Consider the front end with the intakes. Even though many of the black plastic grilles on the Audi A1 Sportback are merely decorative, they at least give it a sportier appearance than the MINI hatchback or VW Polo. If you choose a high-end vehicle with massive alloy wheels and a striking two-tone paint job, it will look even better.
This is not to say that you must spend a lot of money on the most expensive vehicle to have an Audi A1 Sportback with a great interior. Every vehicle comes equipped with a dual-screen infotainment system and plenty of posh-feeling plastics that give the impression of being more upscale than most tiny hatchbacks. However, a few of the trimmings, particularly those on the doors, drag the side down a bit.
Additionally, the Audi A1 Sportback has a lot more space than the typical little family car. There is a ton of headroom up front, lots of seat flexibility for personal comfort, and enough capacity for two additional passengers to go along without feeling cramped in the back. Comparatively speaking, the boot is quite big, so you can easily fit some baggage or even a set of golf clubs within. If you fold the seats down, you can also fit a bike inside.
While Hollywood may not have made a film titled “Honey I Shrunk the Audi,” if it had, the Audi A1 Sportback would have been the star of the show.
However, it’s likely that you won’t be transporting bulky objects to and from the landfill in your Audi A1 Sportback. You’ll probably be rushing to and from town during rush hour, when the A1’s compact size, light controls, and good visibility make it easy to weave around traffic jams.
The three-cylinder 20 TFSI petrol variant is what you want if you spend a lot of time in town. However, there are a number of progressively more potent 30, 35, and 40 four-cylinder variants available that are better suited for longer distances and lengthy interstate drives. They’re all reasonably smooth and economical, although it would be nice to have a diesel-powered Audi A1 Sportback for extended cross-country drives.
Regarding lengthy trips, the Audi A1 Sportback’s optional automatic transmission eases the burden of extended periods spent behind the wheel, but it can be a little abrupt at low speeds. The Audi A1 Sportback isn’t as much fun to race down a quiet country road as the more engaging Ford Fiesta or MINI hatchback, despite having one of the slickest six-speed manual gearboxes available.
Few vehicles, however, perform as well as the Audi A1 Sportback if you’re seeking for an upscale little car with a roomy interior and an abundance of standard equipment.
Check out the most recent discounts for the Audi A1 Sportback to see how much you can save, or continue reading to learn more about the interior and features.
How much does a monthly Audi A1 cost?
The intermediate of the 1.5-liter, 4-cylinder, turbocharged petrol models is the Audi A1 Sportback 35TFSI Advanced line, which costs R 516 500. Thus, over the course of five years, there will be an expected interest accumulation of R 189 479 and a monthly instalment of R 9 088.
Is the Audi A1 a reliable first car?
The entry-level Audi is the A1. Although it is considerably smaller than the entry-level models from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, the A1 is more focused on their subsidiary brands, such as MINI and Smart, rather than the 1 Series or A-Class.
The Audi A1 maintains the normal Audi features of a quality feel and a luxury image, so just though the car is smaller doesn’t mean it delivers any less in terms of quality. Despite being a little Audi, it nonetheless provides a desirable overall driving experience.
A used Audi A1 is a terrific example of a high-end first car because the interior quality is good and there are many trim levels and engine options.
Audi A1: A family vehicle?
The extra set of doors gives the A1 more weapons in its arsenal. However, don’t expect a roomy family vehicle; although access to the back is now better, it is still pretty small for adults. Some people may be turned off by the exorbitant price, but after spending some time inside and thinking about the top-notch technology underneath, you’ll see where your money is going.
Even though the Audi A1 5-door Sportback is still a small vehicle with limited utility, having an additional pair of rear doors gives it more versatility. It is now a practical choice for households with young children. There should be something for everyone thanks to Audi’s extensive selection of turbocharged and stop-start diesel and gasoline engines.
Although the A1 5-door Sportback from Audi is slightly larger and taller than its 3-door brother, there isn’t much of a stylistic cost. The dramatic LED lighting up front and back as well as the sharp creases have been carried over. Additionally, a variety of new alloy wheel designs in sizes ranging from 15 to 18 inches are added to the A1 5-door Sportback. The elegant inside features the same rational layout and high-quality materials throughout, as you would expect from an Audi vehicle.
Is the Audi A1 too compact?
Buyers should keep in mind that the Audi A1 is a compact premium vehicle; anyone anticipating ample space to spread out in the back will probably be dissatisfied. Even yet, the interior space is superior to that of its MINI archrival and is not quite as congested as one might assume.
Size
Due to its length of just under four meters, the Audi A1 is easy to park in confined town center areas. Additionally, because it is also rather narrow, owners shouldn’t worry about their lovely bodywork getting scratched in multi-story buildings or supermarket parking lots (at only 1,746mm wide).
Interestingly, there isn’t much of a size difference between the A1’s three-door and five-door variations. The Sportback is only slightly taller than the three-door, but all vehicles have the same 2,469mm wheelbase and similar height and width specifications (1,746m vs 1,740mm).
Leg room, head room & passenger space
In an A1, you want to be in the front. Although the back seats are already very small, when the optional sports bucket seats are installed, the room gets significantly smaller.
Has the Audi A1 a rearview camera?
If you choose an A1 in Sport specification or higher, the limited back vision is less of an issue because rear parking sensors are included as standard equipment. On all models, a rear-view camera and front parking sensors are options; on some trims, they come standard.
Is the Audi A1 going out of production?
At the conclusion of their present lifecycles, the Audi A1 city car and Q2 crossover will be discontinued from the Audi lineup. The company stated in an official statement that it intended to focus more of its efforts on its larger automobiles and electrification rather than on tiny cars.
According to the official statement: “[The current Q2] will continue for some time. We’re talking about a good number of years. However, we can confirm that when the Audi Q2 is phased out in a few years, there won’t be a straight replacement.” Within the Group, Audi is unmistakably establishing itself as a premium brand. As a result, it is expanding upward while restricting its model range below. Here, the methodical electrification plan will also be crucial. Audi will exclusively release new all-electric cars starting in 2026.
Is an Audi or BMW better?
It’s difficult to predict who will win the Audi vs. BMW competition. The same target market is being courted by both producers, but they focus on distinct specifications and features.
When it comes to technology and style, Audi is the winner, but BMW offers a smoother, sportier driving experience. When it comes to safety features, both brands score highly, however Audi has far lower reliability ratings. Although there isn’t much of a difference in price between the two, Audi’s reliability difficulties are evident in the price of repairs.
In the end, they are both fairly similar automobile makers with comparable models that appeal to slightly different demographics. Choose a BMW if you want a sporty, controlled ride. Choose an Audi if you want something with understated style and cutting-edge technology.
We can help if you’re interested in a certain Audi or BMW model. We’ve written a number of thorough comparative pages on particular models, including:
A3 / S3 / RS 3
The entry-level, subcompact Audi is the A3. Additionally, Audi provides two sportier sedan models. The RS 3 has a 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbo engine with 394 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque, while the S3 uses the same 2.0-liter turbo-four as the Golf R. From 0 to 60 mph, it accelerates in 3.9 seconds.