Road Test: Audi A1 1.4 TFSI Sport

Review by Tristan Tancredi - 11/January/2012

The Audi A1 1.4 TFSI Sport enters the market as a Sports Performance vehicle (Don't let the size of the car fool you).

Often compared to the VW Polo GTI, the A1 Sport is an aggresively fast, classy and well presented vehicle that comes into the market at a significantly higher price than its competitors.

Despite the hefty pricetag, the compact 3 door sports performance car packs a hell of a lot of goodness into its small package.

The 1.4 litre engine delivers surprising power utilising a twin charging system. Combined with 7-Speed S-Tronic Transmission, this little rocket can move.

Aesthetically pleasing with a simple, smart interior and a refreshing, yet typical Audi exterior, the A1 Sport is a joy to drive.

However, this question must be asked: Are consumers paying the $42,500 base price for the A1 sport purely for the entwined circles of an Audi badge? Let's find out..

Drive: 4/5

We split the testing into two categories for the A1 sport: Smooth roads and "Not so smooth" roads.

Despite gliding on the smoother roads, a firm suspension becomes noticeable (yet bearable) when driving on bumpy roads.

Cornering is a bliss. The small framed car feels like it is made for twists and turns. Hitting a corner at speed and the car effortlessly glides through the bends.

A stand out feature of the 7-speed S-tronic transmission with optional paddle shifts is the short gearshift times. Amounting to a few hundreths of a second between changes, the transmission really does focus on efficiency, resulting in limited loss of traction and ultimately friendlier on fuel usage.

The paddle shifts are fun to use but hardly neccessary (Unless you are clinging to a dream to one day become Michael Schumacher).

A good, comfortable seating position allows decent access to all mirrors and a clear view of the road ahead. (The narrow side mirrors do take a little bit of getting used to).

Engine: 4.5/5

The small 1.4 litre engine bursts with power.

Delivering 136 kW of power at 6200 rpm and an impressive 250Nm of Torque the little 3 door hatch is a pocket rocket.

Utilising a twin charging system the car is aggresively fast, clocking in at 6.9 seconds for the hundred metre dash and reaching a peak of 227km/h.

A twin charging TFSI system enables a supercharger and a turbocharger to work in tandem to deliver a seamless ride.

Combined with 7-speed S-Tronic transmission, the Sport zips from A to B with flair.

Despite the folk at AUDI claiming fuel consumption at 5.9l/100km we clocked it a tad closer to 8 litres. (Probably due to the fact that we drove the car with a heavy foot).

The compact A1 Sport satisfies the need for speed and delivers definite pleasure.

Exterior: 4/5

From the outset, any observer would note that this car is tiny for a sports performance car.

Don't let its small stature fool you, this car is sporty and by golly it can perform. And as with all Audis, the car automatically comes with refined class due to its badge.

The list of exterior features is long with this car. From sunroofs to light dimming technology (to name a few).

Coming standard with the A1 Sport are the 17" Alloy Wheels with a 5-Spoke V Design, polished with 215/40 R17 tyres. At a cost you can purchase different variations on the standard Alloys, starting from about $400.

Different exterior styling packages are available at varying prices. So why not don the roof arches in contrasting colours.

The low front grille is sexy with its trademark Audi design. Oh, and the daytime LED headlights look a treat on this bad boy.

Safety: 4/5

The Audi A1 comes with a 5 Star ANCAP safety rating.

Airbags fill out the interior cabin offering ultimate protection. Driver and Front passenger airbags, side airbags at the front and a head level curtain airbag is installed.

ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Program) with ABS, ASR and EDL come standard with the A1 Sport.

Electrohydraulic speed sensitive power steering and a safety steering column with tilt and telescopic adjustment are both included as safety features.

A space saver wheel is locked away in the back seat for any unfortunate punctures.

Rounding out the safety features for the A1 is Hill Hold Assist, however this is only available for S-Tronic Transmission.

Interior: 3.5/5

A simple interior design is displayed beautifully across the front dash.

A pop up multimedia screen sits atop the front console and gives access to radio, bluetooth and navigation information (MMI Navigation plus is optional with the multimedia system).

Coming with light/rain sensor technology, the A1 sport can automatically sense changes in the environment and act accordingly. In conjuction with this technology is the option of installing High Beam Assistant which can detect lights of oncoming traffic.

A Bose Surround Sound System delivers one of the best sound systems in any car we have driven to date. The system is designed specifically to cater for inner car dynamics.

A S-Line Sports steering wheel is coated in leather and contains a host of buttons and controls. The paddle shifters are optional and not really neccessary as the novelty slowly wears off after time.

The front height adjustable sporting seats are comfortable for long journeys yet its the rear passengers who suffer most.

A lack of leg room in the back seats is dissapointing. You can get away with a couple of kids in the back seat, but forget transporting fully grown men trapped in the back. Their constant whining still lingers.

An interesting streak of lime green weaved through the interior of the A1 we got our hands on. Patterned seats, sections of dash and door trimmings and lime green air vents is something different and a matter of personal taste. 5 people voted yay or nay for the lime green, nay won 3-2.

Take away the colour co-ordination and you have a simple, well presented interior design.

Overall: 4/5

It's true, you can get a similar car (Volkswagen Polo GTI) at a significantly lower price, but the A1 Sport is still classy, fun and well worth the extra bit of cash.

Despite lacking rear space and having slightly firm suspension, there is really nothing else to complain about with this car.

It's sexy, smart, fun and of course, it's carrying the prestige of an Audi badge. If you have the cash, check out the Audi A1 1.4 TFSI Sport.