Audi A1 Sportback

The three door A1 has been a huge success for Audi, so the Sportback model certainly has a lot of weight on its shoulders. Thankfully for them, the five door version of the smallest Audi on sale has gone down a treat with the critics.

Many are fans of the increase in space, along with the improved practicality. However, there are a few minor flaws that are carried over from the three door version.

Interior

As you expect from an Audi, the cabin is exceptionally well built, and certainly the best you’ll find in the supermini sector – you’ll be hard pressed to find any cheap materials! Interior space is slightly up on the three door, with enough room up front for the driver and passenger, a decent amount of storage space and the same 270 litre boot size.

However, practicality for rear passengers has been noticeably improved – the doors have their obvious benefits, there’s an option for three back seats over the normal A1’s two, and the slight increase in height and width mean it’s a bit more accommodating. That being said, it’s still a bit cramped for six footers, and the middle seat is incredibly narrow.

Driving

In terms of dynamics, experts say the Sportback is virtually identical to the A1 three door. That means it handles fairly well, has sharp and direct steering, offers good refinement and is easy to drive in town and on motorways.

Rear visibility has even been improved over the normal A1, as the C-pillars are narrower on the Sportback. That being said, it’s not quite as sharp or as fun to drive as a Mini or a Citroen DS3, and the ride is a bit firm, especially on the S-Line models.

Engines

There are currently only three engines in the Sportback range, all of which have been carried over from the normal A1.

There are two petrols – a 1.2 and a 1.4 – along with a 1.6 diesel which is tax exempt. The two larger engines are the ones we’d recommend having a look at, as they offer a good blend of power and efficiency (the 1.2 returns decent mpg figures, but is a bit underpowered).

In the summer, two new engines will be added to the range – a 2.0 diesel, which allegedly addresses the ‘problems’ with the 1.6 oil burner, and a very clever 1.4 petrol engine with cylinder deactivation technology, which helps improve fuel economy. There aren’t any prices available for them just yet, but they should be announced in the coming months.

Value for money

Given its billing as a premium product, the A1 Sportback can be seen as fairly good value, as you get the same build quality and desirable Audi badge as you do on the larger saloons, along with a decent amount of standard kit.

It’s also decent value over the normal A1, as you don’t need to spend much money in order to ‘upgrade’ to the Sportback, it costs around £550 for the extra two doors. Residual values should be fairly good as well, especially on the five seater versions.

However, it’s not the cheapest car in its class, with the most expensive model, the 1.4 TFSI in S-Line trim, costing a considerable amount of money for such a small car. Also, as with other Audis, there is a vast range of options on offer that can increase the sales price by a noticeable margin.

Worth noting

There’s a seven speed ‘S-Tronic’ automatic gearbox available in the Sportback range, and based on reports from the normal A1 it’s a very good transmission that’s smooth and easy to use. However, it’s not a cheap option, and is only available on the 1.4 petrol models.

Conclusion

Overall, the A1 Sportback is a very capable car that has plenty of merits and advantages over the three door version – Audi themselves reckon that 2/3 of A1 sales will be made up of the Sportback model.

The extra space and practicality easily justify the tiny premium over the normal A1, yet it still looks just as stylish. It is quite expensive for what it is – the VW Polo on which it’s based is noticeably cheaper – but the Sportback is certainly worth having a look at if your budget can stretch far enough.