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A small car with 200 hp? Sounds unreasonable and a lot of fun. We definitely had it in the strongest Audi A1. However, the cool small car somehow couldn't conquer our hearts.
In the past, everything was much better - we do not have to list page-by-page examples. So there was, among other things, an Audi S1, a crispy guy with about 230 hp, but above all with all-wheel drive and manual gearshift, which pressed everything into a rather feminine-looking small car structure. Gone, the famous Modular Transverse Toolkit, for example, no longer allows all-wheel drive or only with great effort. The most powerful A1 - now always with the addition "Sportback" - still has 200 hp and always has a six-speed dual clutch transmission on board. We thought: Better than nothing - bring it on.
"A1, what have you changed"
First thought at first contact: person A1, you changed. Although domesticated on the engine and transmission side, the look looks more like there is more horsepower than ever under the hood. Where formerly pleasant curves dominated, chief designer Marc Lichte created sharp edges and a grill that was really big for such a car combined with a front apron that was very dynamic. In addition, the strongest A1 looks angry from its LED headlights (1.000 euros). The wide, sloping C-pillar and the ventilation slots between the radiator and bonnet are supposed to be reminiscent of the Sport Quattro models. The air intakes are only fake. You could almost forget that this is technically just a kind of noble Polo GTI, since the Volkwagen is of course a child of the same kit and is driven by the same motor.
The almost 4.000 euros difference (Polo GTI: 25.520 euros - Audi A1 29.450 euros) is of course not only in the outer shell of a vehicle from Ingolstadt, but also in the finer interior, whereby the plastics and the synthetic leather are not quite as noble as the price might suggest. In addition, despite the high base price, in this case even 31.890 euros for the “Edition 1” special model, there are many expensive options, for example just under 1.500 euros for “Navigation Plus”, 790 euros for the (actually superfluous) parking assistant or 535 euros for the smartphone connection. Premium prices. Overall, our test car totaled almost 41.100 euros, but you can already add two segments higher, i.e. in the middle class.
Two-liter turbo
But then it doesn't have this snappy small car, even if "small" is now relative over 4 meters long. The 2,0-liter turbo is already splendid and has no problem with the 1.350-kilo small car. Although it sometimes gets a bit boomy in certain speed ranges and yes, the double clutch could sometimes react a little more quickly - why is there no more manual transmission? - but otherwise the ride in the 40 TFSI is great fun. The vehicle is as full on the road as you can expect from a sports car. The driver sits in the appropriate seating, has precise steering between his hands and an exact, powerful brake to be metered under the right foot. Whereby this, i.e. the foot, is of course largely on the accelerator pedal. A small disadvantage of the lack of all-wheel drive: The 320 Newton meters of torque, applied very early at 1.500 revolutions and then practically across the entire speed range, tends to pull the front wheels a bit intrusive.
In view of the 2,56 Meter 's normal, but of course absolutely tight, wheelbase for a vehicle of this class, the sporty Audi also offers a surprisingly high level of comfort and thus irons away a lot of bumps on the road. Of course, you should not bring a back injury, cross-joints come in quick succession, that is already noticeable. Nevertheless, the A1 is still in this configuration from a passable everyday companion.
235 km / h peak
However, since one does not gain 200 PS to constantly flinch on the highway, it is of course not in the standard 6,0 liter for 100 kilometers. Anyone who wants to try out whether and how quickly the small car reaches the 235 tip, does in the face of then quickly double-digit consumption neither the environment nor his purse a favor. We needed 7,8 liters over the test period, with much prevalence in the city and moderate highway speeds. No glorious page for the turbo engine, but also bearable.
Does it need utility?
After the emotion a few words about the utility: We are talking about a small car. That means you are sitting well in the front even as a big driver, in the back it gets narrow even for middle-aged people and 335 liters fit in the boot. Incidentally, this is not such a bad value, the predecessor had to offer 65 liters less. And since, as I said in the back is rather tight, you can also rear seats, then use the available just under 1.100 liter intelligently and get up for a longer trip on vacation. But, we can imagine that. And so much sense and value offer so synonymous a good purchase argument for an otherwise rather unreasonable small car.
Heart Pain useful Cool sports?
Yes, but there is a problem. Our heart has not conquered the A1 Sportback 40 TFSI. And maybe it's just because of this somewhat contradictory mix as a sports device with utility value that left us emotionally at this cool small car always something at a distance.
Audi A1 Sportback 40 TFSI - Specifications:
Five-seat, four-door small car, length: 4,03 meter, width: 2,56 meter, height: 1,74 meter, wheelbase: 2,56 meter, luggage capacity: 335-1.090 liter
2,0-liter four-cylinder turbo gasoline engine, 147 kW / 200 PS, front-wheel drive, 6-speed dual clutch, maximum torque: 320 Nm at 1.500 - 4.450 rpm, 0-100 km / h: 6,5 s, Vmax: 235 km / h, standard fuel consumption: 6,0 liters / 100 km (NEDC), CO2 emissions: 136 g / km, emission standard: Euro 6d-temp, efficiency class: C, test consumption: 7,8 liters
Price: from € 31.890
Price of the test car: 41.080 Euro