Audi A1: the most fuel efficient entry-level luxury sports-hatch

MINOR differences aside, the Audi A1 still feels great as ever.

So Audi yet again reveals a revised A1 which seems to be a simple cosmetic upgrade over the old one. I’m very familiar with the previous, pre-face-lift variant as I have one for a daily driver, a long-term test unit which I’ve actually grown accustomed to very much.

I never bothered to read any press release blurb, but rather, focused on finding out myself what the major changes are. I’m sure a lot of people will be surprised at my findings.

Firstly, LED/HID headlights are now standard. The infamous Audi LED DRL is now installed on all A1’s locally.

Secondly, the wheels are of a new design, but still retain the same 16-inch diameter, wrapped in 215/45R16 Continental all-season performance tires.

The MacPherson Strut front and twist-beam rear suspension have been tweaked so the Audi feels less over-damped and rides more comfortably on the road, especially on poorly surfaced ones, yet retains excellent body control on winding, twisty roads as well as highway runs. Added compliance is always welcome given our road conditions.

The engine has been slightly revised as well: The air-intake assembly now sits above the turbocharger and oil-to-water heat exchanger, which lessens turbo piping and theoretically improves low-end spool-up of the turbo plus overall response.

The big news, though, is the revised S-Tronic seven-speed DSG gearbox: It’s now far more smoother, less chattery, and feels more like a conventional automatic transmission, making creeping and crawling in traffic a far smoother experience.

SLIGHTLY thinner steering wheel

Inside, it’s a bit of a mixed bag of nuts: Audi Philippines specified simplified seats, which lost the adjustable thigh support, one of the features which, in my opinion, made the A1 a very comfortable and relaxing car to drive over very long distances, or at least during very long stints behind the wheel in traffic.

The HVAC controls lose also their fully automatic climate control function, and we end up getting a simplified manual HVAC system with regular knobs in lieu of the burled aluminum effect plastic knobs seen in the previous model.

But the great news is that the A1 has a revised Audi MMI infotainment system that now features Bluetooth telephony that connects to your phone’s media and phonebook. That’s a huge relief especially if you love listening to your music in traffic.

The other great news is that Audi Drive Select is now also available. Its two modes, Normal and Dynamic tweak and adjust the sensitivity of the engine response, transmission response, and power steering effort to match your driving mood.

In Normal mode, in particular, the steering is noticeably lighter than my older Audi A1, which doesn’t have the Drive Select option.

Lastly, the steering wheel rim is slightly thinner: You need to hold the steering wheel of both Audi A1s to notice the difference. I noticed it the moment I got in the face-lifted version, and validated it after driving home my older A1 when I left the face-lifted model at Audi Philippines.

Minor differences aside, the Audi A1 still feels great as ever. If you drive mostly alone with a minimum of passengers, and use it in mostly urban settings, the A1 is unbeatable, and is the best, most rational and logical luxury choice.

It might not have the left-field appeal of a Peugeot, or the brash tongue-in-cheek cuteness of a MINI, but the A1 offers more comfort and better fuel efficiency, plus greater versatility especially in five-door layout.

Perhaps the Audi A1’s biggest rival would be the VW Golf 1.4 TSI BlueMotion. Cheaper price, bigger car, but the same overall versatility and fun factor.

Of course, the VeeDub is the mass-market brand, while Audi is the premium luxury brand between the two.

There’s an effortless feeling about the A1. The Belgian-made PQ25 VW-Group chassis is lightweight, tipping the scales at 1,040 kilogram, yet is awarded 5-stars for the Euro NCAP crash safety assessment program.

It comes with ABS-EBD brakes, traction/stability control, and four airbags as standard (dual front and side curtain airbags).

Visibility in and out of the car is excellent, thanks to the large greenhouse, and it has minimal blind spots.

More amazing facts about the Audi A1: It’ll sip around half a liter of fuel while idling in traffic with the air-conditioner, headlights and infotainment system on.

In city driving, 9-10.5 km per liter is achievable. Out on the highway, she’ll do 16 kpl, and will top out at just over 200 kilometers per hour. Not bad for a small, 1.4-liter engine that’s literally full of heart.

On my A1, P1,000 worth of Petron XCS will last me almost a month, although I only use my A1 thrice a week to and from the office. Nonetheless, that’s very efficient.

My common problem is the fuel tends to get stale towards the end of the month.

ALL-SEASON performance tires

On this face-lifted Audi, the gas needle never moved considering I covered a good 120 km during the course of time I had it.

The power from the direct-injected turbocharged remains the same at 122 ps and 250 Newton-meters of torque.

The interesting fact is, the Volkswagen-Audi Group utilizes this engine in a wide variety of cars: Skodas, Seats, the Volkswagen Golf and Beetle, and even on Audi’s A1, A3 and Q3 plus the upcoming Q2 crossover, and in a wide variety of tunes: 122 ps, 154 ps, 167 ps and 185 ps.

Yes, a simple ECU reflash will yield a lot more horsepower. But should you prefer to remain stock, then you’ll be glad to know that the A1’s engine should be basically good forever—with regular maintenance—precisely because it’s been engineered to deliver more power and torque than it will ever see in the A1. German (over)engineering at its best.

If you need a fast fun car that’s safe and luxurious yet sips fuel like a miser, few cars are as attractive as the Audi A1.