What is it?

The Audi A1 is arguably the most important small car to be launched this year. Aimed squarely at BMW’s Mini, it’s claimed to ‘condense all the virtues of the brand into less than four metres’, which sounds suitably pretentious (if largely accurate). Prices start at £13,145, with the 1.4 TFSI tested here costing £16,860 in S Line trim.

Technical highlights?

None to speak of. Unlike the radical A2, the A1 doesn’t have an aluminium chassis frame, and the layout and engines (shared with the Polo family) are conventional and familiar. But it is still relatively light (1125kg) and that endows the turbocharged 1.4 with a reasonable turn of speed and good efficiency (53.3mpg and 124g/km of CO2).

What’s it like to drive?

Here’s where the A1 comes unstuck. We hoped that it would be sharp, agile and represent a new dynamic direction for small Audi’s. But it doesn’t.

If you’re not too demanding, you’ll love it. For a supermini the A1 is remarkably refined at high speed, smooth and composed around town and, for the most part, rides well with remarkably little shake or shudder from chassis or suspension.

But it has no appetite for corners. The steering is numb, the front end’s not sharp enough and although the rear is surprisingly mobile, which helps to tuck the nose in, there’s no sense of enthusiasm. The engine doesn’t help here. Torquey it may be, but redlined at only 6000rpm and with its best work done by 5000rpm (after which it becomes increasingly laboured), it doesn’t offer the encouragement you hope for. 

How does it compare?

The only rival that matters is the Mini Cooper. The Audi A1 is a more grown up car, bigger inside and even better built from higher grade materials. It’s more sophisticated, but it’s also less playful and is nowhere near as much fun to drive as the sharp, zesty Mini.

Anything else I need to know?

Take away the (optional) silver roof strips and it looks like an A3 hatchback, while there’s nothing particularly new or radical about the cabin design either. The S Tronic double clutch gearbox is a £1420 option on the 1.4. Best way to sum up the A1? Posh Polo.