REVIEW | 2015 Audi A1

I had the opportunity to break bread with an engineer from General Motors at a launch a few years ago. Apart from small talk about the weather, the food and typically reticent responses when quizzed about forthcoming models, he mentioned something I will never forget. In a nutshell, he said that before the glitter of a new vehicle unveiling had had a chance to settle, the next iteration or the facelift, at the very least was already being developed. Imagine that. We fawn over the “latest” offering, and technically it is already a few years old.

Back in the day, it was not uncommon for a model to go through its entire life cycle without any revisions. Now we are used to constant progress. This creates a tricky balancing act for automakers. With a facelift, drastic changes might affect the residual values of the outgoing model and anger existing owners, but no changes would signify complacence. So if the “new” Audi A1 seems largely unchanged, it is because the folks at Ingolstadt sought to stay in that comfortable spot on the tightrope.

The dainty premium car has proved to be a success, with about 500,000 units sold globally since 2011. You may recall that the little A1 was billed as “the next big Audi” in ad campaigns, and sales figures have attested to the claim. For 2015, it has gained all the trappings of the midlife refresh. The headlamps have been redesigned, as have the rear lights. An extra 2cm has been added to the car’s length. There are new alloy wheel choices and exterior styling packages including an option that turns into something of an A1 All-road, Audi did confirm that a Q1 compact SUV is on the way.

There’s an A1 for everyone, with around 250,000 customisation options available. But the biggest talking point is the inclusion of a new engine choice, in addition to the tweaking of the existing engine lineup. Let’s start with that newcomer a one litre, three cylinder turbocharged derivative (70kW and 160Nm), which replaces the 1.2T FSI unit. We were impressed by the little mill; it is smooth, punchy and makes an endearing thrum when you thrash it.

Before sampling this, I felt that General Motors’ attempt took top spot in the boosted three cylinder engine competition. Audi comes very close. You can pair the 1.0T FSI with the dual clutch S-tronic gearbox or a five speed manual transmission.The latter is a more flattering combination. It allows you to extract the most from this power plant, with more leeway to wind that tachometer needle up. It also has an impressively low CO2 output of 102g/km.

Next up is the 1.4T FSI (92kW and 200Nm) that has gained 2kW extra over the unit in the outgoing version. It is followed by the 1.8T FSI (141kW and 250Nm), which replaces the 1.4T FSI in the 136kW state of tune. This was a surprise. Essentially it is a Volkswagen Polo GTI and yet it felt a bit more lively and raucous than its cousin. With this engine, the A1 is deceptively quick, it becomes a veritable “sleeper” in which to bully unsuspecting, conventional hot hatchback rivals.

Electromechanical power steering has been applied too. Of course, you can still have the flagship S1 (170kW and 370Nm), which already boasted the changes rolled out when it arrived locally last year. Inside, the Audi A1 is pretty much the same as the previous model. The entry level offering now gains a pop up LCD colour screen like the rest of its siblings, as well as a three spoke, multifunction steering wheel. Bluetooth connectivity with audio streaming is standard across the range, but the A1 continues to use those archaic SD card slots. And don’t bother looking for a USB port.

A high level of quality is a given in any Audi. But pricing is where the A1 could sway your decision, especially with the availability of the entry-level 1.0T FSI offering. This could be the USP of the range, perhaps until BMW ripostes by bringing the new-generation Mini One.

The Facts: 2015 Audi A1

Engines: 999cc (1.0T FSI); 1,395cc (1.4T FSI); 1,798cc (1.8T FSI); 1,984cc (S1)

Power: 70kW between 5,000-5,500rpm (1.0T FSI); 92kW at 5,000rpm (1.4T FSI); 141kW at 5, 400rpm (1.8T FSI); 170kW at 6,000rpm (S1)

Torque: 160Nm between 1,500-3,500rpm (1.0T FSI); 200Nm between 1,400-4,000rpm (1.4T FSI); 250Nm between 1 250-5,300rpm (1.8T FSI); 370Nm between 1,600-3,000rpm (S1) 0-100km/h: 11.1 seconds (1.0T FSI); 8.9 seconds (1.4T FSI); 6.8 seconds (1.8T FSI); 5.9 seconds

Top speed: 186km/h (1.0T FSI); 204km/h (1.4T FSI); 234km/h (1.8T FSI); 250km/h (S1)

CO2: 102g/km (1.0T FSI); 118g/km (1.4T FSI); 129g/km (1.8T FSI); 166g/km (S1)

Fuel consumption: 4.4l/100km (1.0T FSI); 5.1l/100km (1.4T FSI); 5.6l/100km (1.8T FSI); 7.1l/100km (S1)

Prices: R265,000 (1.0T FSI S Manual); R282,500 (1.0T FSI S S-tronic); R298,500 (1.4T FSI SE manual); R316,000 (1.4T FSI SE S-tronic); R382,500 (1.8T FSI Sport S-tronic); R452,500 (S1 quattro manual)

*Sportback models cost R7,500 extra