Audi A1 Review 2021 | Which car?

Read on to this Audi A1 review to find the answers to these questions, along with our verdict on which version makes the most sense. Then head over to our new car buying pages and find out about the latest Audi A1 offers. You can save a package on that car, or any other make and model you’re looking to buy, without any awkward haggling.

Audi’s badge policy has nothing to do with engine size, and to prove the point, the A1 range starts with a 25 TFSI, which is actually 94bhp 1.0-liter petrol.

We haven’t tried it yet, but we have tested the 30TFSI version with 108bhp and its performance is more than enough. It pulls well at around 2,000 rpm and, if you let the revs rise to 6,000 rpm before shifting gears, 0-60 mph takes a respectable 9.1 seconds.

If you need more poke, however – enough to match the Mini Cooper – you might want to look at the 35 TFSI instead. This 148bhp 1.5-liter comes in its stride even earlier, at around 1,500 rpm, so not only is it downright faster, but it’s also more flexible than the 30 TFSI.

A smooth and controlled ride is new to the small car class. Fortunately, the Audi A1 delivers just that – as long as you pick the right trim level.

In town, the Technic and Sport versions, fitted with 16-inch wheels and standard suspension, handle pockmarked urban roads very well. Even the nastiest bumps don’t ruffle his feathers. It’s a completely calmer experience than what you’ll get in the Mini, which rarely stops jostling. It’s the same story on the highway. Where the Mini struggles to settle down, the A1 only jiggles over particularly wavy sections and, overall, proves to be one of the most comfortable cars in its class.

S line trim is a different ball game. It comes with larger 17-inch alloy wheels and a sport suspension, which inevitably tightens things up. The ride is more fragile over potholes and the like in town, but calms down at highway speed. Unsurprisingly, we would avoid the 18-inch wheels which are standard on the higher trims and optional lower in the Audi A1 lineup.

The Audi A1 is surprisingly grown-up to drive, in the same vein as the closely related Volkswagen Polo. Its steering is well judged – light in town, but with enough weight at faster speeds to give you confidence. These virtues are supported by enough precision to allow you to place the nose of the car exactly where you want it on a winding B road.

If the corners get tighter and you maintain a brisk pace, you’ll find that the car has a slight tendency to lean around the corners, but that’s relatively minor and there’s a lot of grip on offer.