When you start to see the facelifted Audi A1 supermini out and about, you’d be forgiven for not noticing it’s new. The main differences are a wider front grille, reworked bumpers and new alloy wheel designs, bit it’s fair to say Audi got this car’s design right first time, and hasn’t wanted to mess with it.
The Audi A1 already has a strong image and the German manufacturer claims its sales are limited only by how many it can produce. Instead the focus here has been on the engine line-up, to ensure it remains competitive in a hotly fought segment.
The 1.4-litre TFSI petrol with 123bhp is one of these reworked engines, and while its 3bhp power increase is modest, emissions have been cut significantly from 124g/km to 117g/km (with 17-inch alloy wheels). Usefully, this drops its annual tax bill from £110 to £30 and fuel consumption also decreases to 57.6mpg.
Another change is a new electric steering system, but sadly this fails to improve the steering, which was already rather vague. In fact, the A1 just can’t match the MINI for overall driving fun. With Sport or S line suspension fitted the smallest Audi is also too firm for pockmarked British roads, which cause it to fidget more than you’d expect. We’d certainly recommend you choose the softer set-up (a no-cost option) for a suppler ride.
Should you buy one? Well, the Audi A1 is already proving popular, so if you wanted one before, the revised engines and slightly sharper design should help make up your mind. It’s not as involving to drive as the MINI – its biggest rival – but if this is of little concern to you, the A1 is a very desirable supermini.