Audi's exclusive hatchback (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Audi's exclusive hatchback

1:43pm Wednesday 27th July 2011 in Road Tests By Steve Teale

Just because MINI was first doesn’t mean it’s unbeatable. Just ask Audi.

The German company took some time coming up with a rival for the first premium hatchback, but it seems it was worth waiting for.

While MINI is good, and continues to sell in huge numbers, the A1 is hot on its tail and, for the time being at least, can claim to be a little more exclusive.

That may change, however. The A1 was fourth in the European Car of the Year awards and is highly regarded. It’s arguably as dependable as the MINI and similarly-priced, and has a more subtle and mature style.

Well, it usually does. The tested version was a rather garish Sport model with numbers and decals which gave it a look of a rally car.

The decals weren’t my cup of tea, but it certainly turned a few heads. One guy at my local Co-op even abandoned his till for a quick look round.

That said, the A1 is otherwise pretty ‘A1’. It rides well and has, as you would expect from Audi, a wonderful engine. The official figures of 0-60mph in 8.9 seconds and top speed of 126mph don’t do it justice. It offers creamy smooth performance and sounds as good as it looks, while still offering decent economy for a car with sporting pretensions.

Character cars are the in-thing now. MINI undoubtedly started it, but Fiat 500, Citroen DS3 and others have continued in the same vein, and there’s no reason to think the A1 won’t join them.

What is surprising is how long it took the A1 to arrive. Audi is famed for the meticulous way it produces new models. Its designers look for the next most lucrative area and creates what it believes to be the best model in its class. That’s how the R8 supercar, the Q7 big 4x4 and Q5 smaller 4x4 came to be. But it took quite a long time to decide that a premium compact hatch was worth pursuing.

The A1 is Audi’s smallest model since the unsuccessful – by Audi’s high standards at least – A2. The strange-looking A2 is now considered a car ahead of its time. The domed styling and lightweight aluminium body were not as well received then as they would be now, but Audi’s master plan to move forward at an unrelenting pace leaves no scope for looking backwards.

Which is why the A1 uses a different approach. A lightweight body and excellent drag coefficient result in best in class CO2 emissions and fuel consumption that are reminiscent of the A2, but there’s nothing contentious about styling and the A1 is aimed at a different, younger, urban and image-conscious market.

If ever there was a car for ‘the now’, it’s the A1. The Audi brand shows no signs of waning in its appeal – the four rings have taken over at the top as the badge of choice, coming to symbolise the highest quality and most enviable design.

Combined with the public appetite for efficient compact cars with character, the A1’s prospects seem great indeed.

All of which makes it seem too easy for Audi to build a segment-conquering city car, except for one thing. The company knows the car-buying public are savvy and will no doubt be quick to realise that the Audi A1 platform, engine and transmission line-up sounds familiar to that of the SEAT Ibiza and Volkswagen Polo ranges for good reason.

Having said that, the A1 bears little resemblance to its VW Group sisters. It has a premium feel, arguably more so than the MINI.

It is, quite simply, very Audi – not an easy task inside a compact cabin. High quality materials obviously help and specification is reassuringly premium.

Inside an entry level SE equivalent model there’s certainly no reason to feel hard done by. The cloth seats are top class; the fascia boasts the same designer air vents and 6.5in pop-up screen as the Sport and S-line models; and the driver can get to grips with the same chunky three-spoke steering wheel. Stop-start is standard on all models.

Further up the trim levels, owners can expect the same multimedia entertainment system and Google Earth imaging sat-nav as in the mega-saloon A8, more leather and additional interior detailing, but a range of colourful trim options are available to add a bespoke feel across the range. It doesn’t just feel premium inside the A1, it also feels sophisticated. Despite the fashionista city-car targeting, it’s not hard to imagine drivers remaining satisfied after downsizing from bigger Audis.

Of course, there’s considerably less space than inside and A3 or A4, but the three-door A1 should prove a relatively competent load carrier. The rear seats fold flat and while there are only two of them, separated by a cup holder and trinket tray, they’re considerably more useable than the rear seats in some rivals. In the front there’s no rubbing of elbows and headroom will more than suffice.

Naturally, the S-tronic twin clutch transmission is present in the line-up.

The A1 was always likely to be one of the most hotly-anticipated new cars, but the manufacturer hasn’t crumpled under the pressure. If you find the MINI just isn’t exclusive enough any more, the A1 might just fit the bill.

Audi A1 1.4 TFSI Sport three-door:- PRICE: £15,670. Range starts at £13,420.

ENGINE: a 1,390cc, four-cylinder unit generating 122ps via six gears and front wheel drive.

PERFORMANCE: Top speed 126mph, 0-60mph in 8.9 seconds.

COSTS: urban (town) 41.5mpg; extra-urban (country) 64.2mpg; combined 53.3mpg.

EMISSIONS: 124g/km.

INSURANCE: Group 15 (1-50).

WARRANTY: Three years, 60,000 miles.

Steve’s ratings: Performance: 4/5 Economy: 4/5 Ride/Handling: 4/5 Space/Practicality: 3/5 Equipment: 4/5 Security/Safety: 4/5 Value For Money: 3/5 OVERALL: 4/5