Audi A1 - Road test
Test Drive

Audi A1 - Road test

Audi A1 - Road Test

Audi A1 - Road test

Pagella

city8/ 10
Outside the city9/ 10
шосе8/ 10
Life on board7/ 10
Price and costs7/ 10
safety9/ 10

He may not be able to give Mini participation, but without a doubt this very bad A1 offers granite behavioron the road, strong generous enginein power transmission both at low and high speeds. Last but not least, security is top notch. 5-star brakes. The main disadvantage is high price, to which are added integration equipment and poor habitability. Consumption? It really depends on your leg.

Home

Requires pepper. In an increasingly polite, loyal automotive world that is too attentive to CO2 and consumption over entertainment, a little healthy emotional clothing doesn't hurt. That must have been what they thought in Ingolstadt, this pumped-up version of the A1. Yes, because if the wheel arches flare on the outside and the bumpers become more menacing, under the hood of a small Audi it will surpass the 1.4 TFSI, which is able to achieve - thanks to the combined displacement compressor and turbocharging - a good 185 hp. The important numbers that should go, if it wasn't already clear, are the evergreen Mini Cooper S, which has "only" 184 horsepower. With the Teutonic plus (or defect, for some) of the 7-speed dual-clutch S Tronic gearbox records included in the price. In anticipation of an unhindered confrontation between them, let's try to tell you after a few kilometers how this little bomb flies. Also on the track with our tester Fabio Babini.

city

Urban coexistence starts well, it could not be otherwise. The gearbox sweetly knocks down the gear ratios and, importantly, frees you from the "bondage" of the clutch. In addition, it will be difficult for you to get stuck in the middle of an intersection, because you just have to press hard on the gas pedal to get out of the way in no time. And leave in check a few cars on paper that are much more efficient at traffic lights ... It is a shame, however, that such abundance is combined with the marble finish, accentuated by the presence of a spectacular (but mesmerizing, admittedly) 18-inch wheel with 35 bar tires. Thus, you well understand that all the imperfections of asphalt, even the smallest, are too clearly perceived on the vertebrae. Parking? No problem: if you want to be sure, opt for the rear sensors (375 euros).

Outside the city

This is the most anticipated chapter. In which A1 is called to work with the Mini icon. What immediately catches your eye after the first turns is the somewhat strange steering that takes some getting used to. It seems a little distant at first; then, as the kilometers pass, it turns out to be accurate and true (even if less than the Mini). And also tuning: when properly fitted, it offers excellent grip and controlled tail reactivity, which helps to enter corners without compromising safety. What is missing is just a dash of engagement: this Audi is precise and granite, perhaps too much for most geeks. Only praise for the engine, which accelerates poorly to almost 7.000 rpm, well supported by the very fast 7-speed gearbox, slow thread only in the downshift phase (manual). There may be some traction issues on wet roads, it's true, but the XDS electronic differential, which prevents skid by braking the inner wheel, is a boon when you want to pull, as it drastically reduces understeer when exiting.

шосе

The bar/35 tire combination with the sports suspension also poses some driving problems on the motorway. You can interfere with passengers for any reason: sleepers, potholes, small bumps. Despite this, you can talk to your fellow travelers without raising your voice because the body, engine and wheel arches are well insulated: our sound level meter at 130 km / h recorded only 66 dB, which is even better than some sedans. Cruise control? You have to pay - it just so happened - separately: they are 285 euros.

Life on board

Given that the A1 is not being bought to have interior space and industrial livability, it must be said that the little Audi, like its eternal Anglo-German rival, sacrifices a lot of rear passengers: they are comfortable in width, but suffer. a lot with knees. and head. However, the interior is neat as you'd expect from an Audi. Simple commands (other than navigator commands ... learn) and within reach are combined with materials at altitude, at least where the eye and hand most often rest. Examining in detail, we find some savings in terms of materials and finishes, with slight squeaks visible on the pavé. A little about the luggage compartment: Roomy enough, it offers separately folding rear seats as standard. Optionally, you can add a ski bag (85 euros) and a luggage bag (110), which includes a 12 V electrical outlet, hooks for securing items, a load net, underfloor compartments, a strap for fastening, additional light ...

Price and costs

Twenty-six thousand four hundred euros. With this amount, you can take home very good compact vans, from the golf segment or so. Moreover, the base figure is doomed to grow inexorably if taken from a (very rich) optional list. Because it comes standard with CD radio with Aux jack, external and internal S Line packages, manual climate control and automatic transmission to have cruise control, USB socket, Bluetooth speakerphone, navigator, xenon headlights, electrically folding mirrors and parking sensors. you have to pay: a total of about 3.000 euros. Therefore, the advice is to pay attention to additions. As well as a foot on the gas: in a traffic jam, it is better to carefully weigh his movements. Because if you let yourself get carried away, the distances (already far from the claimed data) can very easily increase, easily exceeding the 12,1 km/liter found during our test. Nothing outrageous about the warranty, with the usual miserable two years with unlimited mileage. However, upon request, the coverage can be extended from 1 to 3 years and from 30.000 to 150.000 km (prices from EUR 70 to EUR 605). Finally, good prospects for a used car, only a little tarnished by high power.

safety

As is often the case, performance and safety go in the same direction: the more powerful the car, the better the protection. Starting from active: the braking system of this A1, for example, was able to stop it at 130 km / h in just 61,6 meters. The same data as for a supercar such as the Audi R8 ... The equipment (7 airbags, Isofix attachments, traction control system, fog lights) and crash test resistance by Euro NCAP are also good. As you can see on the opposite page, the A1 was nearly perfect, earning five stars (90% for adult protection, 79% for child protection, 49% for pedestrians). Driving dynamics? Failed to be surpassed. ESP, which cannot be completely disabled, discreetly monitors the movement of the rear axle, which is not very sensitive to throttle emissions when cornering. Despite the high power, even inexperienced users can have fun in complete safety. Maybe even on the track, where our Fabio Babini squeezed A1. Turn the page and find out how it went on the Adria circuit.  

Our findings
Acceleration
0-50 km / h3,45
0-100 km / h7,65
0-130 km / h12,25
recovery
20-50 km / h in DS2,17
50-90 km / h in DS3,61
80-120 km / h in DS4,83
90-130 km / h in DS4,73
Braking
50-0 km / h9,8
100-0 km / h37,5
130-0 km / h61,6
noise
least43
Max Air conditioning64
50 km / h58
90 km / h61
130 km / h66
Fuel
Achieve
Journey
Media12,1
50 km / h48
90 km / h88
130 km / h128
Diameter
Kettlebell
behind the wheel2,1
130 km / h in 5a2.900

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