Our cars: Audi A1 - February 2012

Audi A1 1.4 TFSI 122 Sport

Week ending February 17
Mileage 7290
Driven this week: 190 miles

Audi A1 review

I'd forgotten just how much fun our A1 is. Having not driven it for a while, I was was struck by its lively nature after spending time in it this week.

With a rorty exhaust note, rapid acceleration, responsive steering and sharp handling it feels like a real hot hatch.

I wonder if the forthcoming high-performance A1 model - the Audi S1 - will be as enjoyable. It'll have a lot more power, true, but also a four-wheel drive system and larger engine that will make it heavier.

I reckon the S1 will have to be very good indeed to justify the extra cost over our car, which has a list price of less than £16,000.

Leo.Wilkinson@whatcar.com

Week ending February 10
Mileage 7100
Driven this week: 250 miles

Audi A1 review

I was beginning to wonder if the winter tyres were a good investment until the snow came last week.

I didn’t need to go out the day after the snow fell, so I didn’t try the tyres out until the following morning. Most of what was around by then was slush but, since I live on a rural road, there was still a lot of it about.

Just to add to the fun, we have a fairly steep stretch of road in our street. Some of my neighbours had negotiated it with varying degrees of success, yet the A1 managed it without a problem. I even managed to sit on the slope and get going again after waiting for traffic.

Rosie.McMahon@whatcar.com

Week ending February 3
Mileage 6850
Driven this week 196 miles

One thing I can't get on with in the A1 is the heater for both the front and rear windscreens.

Well, it's more the buttons that are the problem. I'd assume that both would be situated fairly close to each other – certainly on the same part of the console. However, the button for the rear screen heater is on a different level to the one for the front screen… it's directly below it, yes, but still tucked away almost out of sight.

For me, it makes more sense if they were both on the same level.

rosie.mcmahon@whatcar.com
Audi A1 review