Used Audi A1 2018-present review

What's the used Audi A1 like?

If you’ve ever been to a fancy restaurant then you’ll know that just because a meal is small doesn’t mean that it'll be inexpensive. The same can be said for small cars like the Audi A1, because they come with the premium feel and badge of a much larger, plusher car but with a premium price tag.

As such, the A1 isn't as cheap as some of its competitors, including the Renault Clio, Skoda Fabia or VW Polo, when buying new. But as a used buy, it's much better value – as we'll elaborate on in this review.

Overview

Decently practical and brimming with cutting-edge tech, the Audi A1 is a fine used buy. It's not quite as cheap as some of its small car rivals, but it's refined, comfortable and well-made.

Pros

• Many big car features as standard
• Smooth ride (on standard suspension) and tidy handling
• Relatively quiet at higher speeds

Cons

• Volkswagen Polo offers more for less money
• Some cheaper plastics than you’d expect for an Audi interior
• Occasionally jerky automatic gearbox

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Audi A1

1.0 TFSI 25 Sport Sportback Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£8,495

Audi A1

1.0 TFSI 30 Sport Sportback Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£8,660

Audi A1

1.0 TFSI 25 Sport Sportback Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£8,990

Audi A1

1.0 TFSI 30 Sport Sportback Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£8,995

Audi A1

1.0 TFSI 30 Sport Sportback Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£9,200

Audi A1

1.0 TFSI 30 Sport Sportback Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£9,295

Audi A1

1.0 TFSI 25 Sport Sportback Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£9,490

Audi A1

1.0 TFSI 30 S line Sportback Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£9,495

Audi A1

1.0 TFSI 30 Sport Sportback Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£9,495

See all available cars

Engines and performance: Even though this A1 is a small car, you can find some rather large and powerful engines in it. The top of the tree is a 197bhp 2.0-litre found in the 40 TFSI that’s paired exclusively to a six-speed automatic. But there are far more sensible options available such as the 148bhp 1.5-litre in the 35 TFSI, the 114bhp 1.0-litre in the 30 TFSI or the base engine 94bhp 1.0-litre 25 TFSI. Unlike its predecessor, there are no diesel engines available.

Ride and handling: As long as you stick with the standard suspension setup, called dynamic, and don’t go for the larger alloy wheels, the A1 is one of the smoothest riding small cars available. S line models have sports suspension as standard, and when combined with larger 18in wheels, some might find it to be unforgivably firm at low speeds and on bumpy B-roads. The pay-off is that it keeps the body roll to a minimum during tight turns.

Aside from the differences in suspension, every A1 has predictable steering that allows you to accurately place the car on the road, and it weights up in a consistent manner as you wind on more lock. Examples with the manual gearbox have a crisp biting point to the clutch, but the gearshift action is rather long and, whisper this, not as slick as it is in the cheaper Ford Fiesta.

Interior and practicality: Where the older A1 really feel short of the competition was for interior space, because while those up front were well catered for, the boot was small and rear passenger accommodation was tight at best. This car is based on the Volkswagen Polo and Seat Ibiza, both of which are some of the roomiest small cars around, so it’s no surprise to find that the A1 is a vast improvement on what went before.

Your choice was increased further in 2020 with the launch of the A1 Citycarver, a car that takes all that's good about the standard car and adds SUV-aping exterior body cladding and a raised ride height. This was dropped from the lineup after poor sales in 2022.

Trims and equipment: Being a premium-badged car, it's the kit that really sets the A1 apart from its rivals because even the entry-level SE model (later models were renamed Technik) has super bright LED headlights, along with the fancy sweeping indicators in the LED rear tail lights you see in bigger Audis. There’s also a simplified 10.25in digital cockpit, 15in alloy wheels, a DAB radio, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking and an 8.8in touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Sport models have slightly larger 16in alloys, rear parking sensors, cruise control and sports seats in the front that also include manual lumbar support. S line comes in four different flavours, but the standard version has 17in alloys, sports suspension and some sportier exterior styling. S line Contrast Edition and S line Style Edition are mostly styling packages, but the S line Competition is the only way to get the most powerful 40 TFSI engine and adaptive dampers – the latter should be able to take the sting out of lumps and bumps on really rough roads when comfort mode is selected.

"The A1 has one of the best interiors of any small car, but I can't help but feel nostalgic about the previous 2010-2018 Audi A1, which felt even more plush." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

If you're interested in buying an Audi A1, or any of the other small cars mentioned here, please check out our used car buying site here.

Ownership cost

What used Audi A1 will I get for my budget?

Prices for an Audi A1 start at around £9000 for an early 25 TFSI version with high mileage. Between £12,000 and £15,000 should net you a 25 or 30 TFSI car from 2019 to 2021 with much lower mileage. Spend a little more for the 35 and 40 TFSI cars.

If you want a newer 2022 or 2023 car, have a minimum budget of £14,000. Cars from 2024 and 2025 will set you back between £18,000 and £30,000, depending on engine and trim.

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Our recommendations

Which used Audi A1 should I buy?

Engine

Most people will find that their needs will be more than catered for with the 115bhp 1.0-litre 30 TFSI petrol because of its flexibility and low running costs.

Specification

If you can do without the sportier looks of some of the S line models, then the Sport trim has all the equipment you really need. Look in any advert you read for a mention of the technology pack because that will mean your car has the larger infotainment system and Audi’s excellent Virtual Cockpit system fitted to it.

Our favourite Audi A1: 30 TFSI Sport

Alternatives

What alternatives should I consider to a used Audi A1?

If you like your small cars to feel premium then how about the five-door version of the Mini hatch? It won’t feel as agile as the A1, nor quite as comfortable at low speeds. However, it’s still relatively good fun to drive and has an easier to use infotainment system than the touchscreen affair in the Audi.

Audi probably won’t be too happy with this, but you can actually get pretty much all the qualities of the A1 in a slightly cheaper form with the Volkswagen Polo. True, it does without the fancy LED lights and digital speedo and rev counter (unless you find a Polo packed with options), but it’ll still be very comfortable to drive and because it uses the same engines, it's just as efficient.

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If you're interested in buying an Audi A1, or any of the other small cars mentioned here, please check out our used car buying site here.