So I've owned a 2014 A1 Sportback 1.4TFSI (petrol) with the DSG gearbox for 4 months and 2000 miles now.
Car was a demonstrator, I purchased it when just under 5 months old and with 750 miles on the clock from an Audi main dealer.
It’s primary use is to take me, alone, on a semi-regular 100-mile each way airport run, usually late at night or very early morning, when the roads are empty. I wanted something nippy and nimble to help me “make progress†on the many hills and turns along the route. It fits that brief perfectly! It’s only other use is short errands around town a few times a week. Annual mileage will not exceed 9000 miles, and I hope/intend to keep the car at least 5 years.
The good:
Looks the biz: contrasting black roof and 17-inch alloys are smart IMHO.
Performance and handling are a hoot. 120-odd bhp is plenty in a car weighing barely 1100Kg. I think that mainstream cars have become so bloated the past 20 years that we are losing the fun factor! Didn’t the Fiesta XR2 in the mid-80s make do with 90 bhp?!
Feels very solid and refined for a small car;
3 years’ free servicing included;
Getting 43-48 mpg, perfectly acceptable for the spirited way it is required to perform.
It’s rare, not many A1s on the roads in NZ. Kiwis generally prefer 4-5 door cars and the A1 3-door really struggled to sell;
The bad:
It’s not over-endowed with kit, but then again I hardly notice or care. No parking sensors, rear camera, satnav, leather, or cruise control. I thought I would miss the cruise control a lot, but in practice on the roads I drive on, I’d scarcely use it;
It’s a bit small, but then again how much space do you need when 1-up? I’m over 6 foot tall and leg- and head-room is fine. Boot takes my suitcase and carry-on bag.
Have suffered with very juddery wiper blades, this seems to be down to an excess of polish/grease which accumulates on the rubber;
There’s a faint but audible plastic clonk noise – just once – when the DSG shifts up to 4th at just over 30mph. Probably nothing to do with the DSG, and not really a problem, just something I’ve noticed!
It’s rare…?
All-in-all very happy so far. It’s perfectly fit-for-purpose. DSG? Watch this space. Yes, if I had extra cash in my pocket I would probably have looked more closely at an A3, but the A3 hatch does look a bit dull IMHO. Funds permitting, I’d be keen on a used Audi S1 next time (manual box only), or maybe the soon-to-be-released A3 e-tron?
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The same engine and gearbox as my A3 saloon. Although yours might be the 140PS and mine is the newer 150PS. I doubt if anyone would notice the difference.
I'm glad you like it - I like the A3 saloon.
The last few days whilst driving the exact same route day after day (to a hospital for visits) I thought I'd compare driving in Economy mode and manual. I will do more testing tomorrow but the results were a little surprising if correct. Of course manual mode does not have the coasting function of the DSG or stop-start.... I'll post soon.
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>> The same engine and gearbox as my A3 saloon. Although yours might be the 140PS
FWIW he said it's the "120-odd bhp" version = 125ps in the current models.
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Audi A1 - A1 Sportback - 4 months in - rtj70
