The new A1 is a truly delicious-looking package on the outside. It’s still easily recognisable as the smallest car in the Audi range. The more angular styling, typical of new Audi models, is well suited to the appearance of the small A1.

Where the previous A1 looked tall and narrow, the new A1 sits firmly on the ground. There are very small changes in width and height, but the new model has gained a good five centimetres in length.

More space and quality inside

In terms of interior space, the A1 is a compact little car. In the front, there’s plenty of room for a taller driver, but in the back, legroom quickly becomes cramped when the front seat is in the back.

There are three seats in the back. Fitting three adults in the back is bound to get cramped.

Luggage space is now up by a commendable 65 litres compared to the previous model. The total volume is 335 litres and when the rear seats are folded, the volume increases to over 1000 litres. The floor of the boot is adjustable to two levels.

The interior materials could be improved. Hard plastics are used a lot and the A1 lacks the quality of a premium brand. In addition, tyre noise is high at higher speeds.

The three-cylinder engine drives the car briskly

There is currently only one engine option. The 30 TFSI is a three-cylinder engine with 116 hp and a displacement of one litre. Maximum torque is 200 Nm. The engine’s numbers are not impressive on paper, but it moves the car along quite comfortably.

The test car was equipped with a 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox. The gearbox is very smooth and precise. It is only when moving off from a standstill that there is a slight hesitation and stickiness in the interaction between the engine and gearbox.

The S line equipment on the test car comes with a sporty chassis that is taut and tactile. Combined with the tactile steering, the overall driveability of the A1 is spot on. The response of the steering wheel could be a little heavier.

Accessories quickly drive up the price

At its cheapest, the new A1 can be had for around €24,000, with the car equipped with Pro Business. It comes with a fairly comprehensive range of equipment such as automatic transmission, automatic air conditioning, LED headlights and MMI Radio plus with 8.8-inch touchscreen.

The price of the Business S line equipped test car, including the optional extras, comes to just over €34,000, which is starting to be a hefty price for a car of this size.

Audi A1 Sportback Business S line 30 TFSI S Tronic

Engine: 999 cm³, 3-cylinder
Max power: 116 hp @ 5000-5500 rpm.
Max torque: 200 Nm. @ 2000-3500 rpm.
Deadweight: 1200 kg.
Transmission: 7-speed S tronic automatic
Drive mode: front-wheel drive
Boot space: 335 l
Combined fuel consumption: 6.1 l/100km.
CO2 emissions: 137 g/km.
Starting price: 23 995 euros, test drive 34 605 euros.