The Audi A1 jumps onto the scene in time – just when the Mini’s a decade old…

Photos: Low Fai Ming

Here is one thing you cannot deny: The Audi A1 was designed and built to give the Mini Cooper a good run for its money...

When the current Mini Cooper came onto the scene - under parent company BMW no less, it struck a chord with its lovely exterior and cheerful interior. With sound build quality and an eager engine mated to a slick-shifting manual transmission or convenient self-cogger, the Mini had the ingredients to become a volume seller - which it did with success. Well after a decade in the market, the sheer number still running on the roads (and more being delivered to new owners), surely denotes its popularity.

The popularity of Mini has also sparked a trend in lifestyle hatches, which explains why other brands decided to go, “Oh wow, that might work!” and followed suit only years after the Mini. So along came an onslaught of premium hatchbacks like the Fiat 500, Alfa Romeo MiTo and even the Citroen DS3. In all honesty, neither could reach the level of success the Mini has achieved. The fact that you can personalize it as much as you can like Lego ensures your Mini won’t look exactly the same as the one that pops up next to you at the red light.

So now it’s Audi’s turn to capture a slice of this niche-but-popular (ironic, I know) segment. To begin with, the elements are all too similar – three doors, chic exterior, stylish and sensible interior (boot space not a priority though) and a whole entire list of customization options. Interesting...

The exterior looks rather bulbous without a single angular edge and doesn’t look as if it’s welded piece by piece, which is a good thing. No such “ok mate, let’s build the cabin first, and then slap on the front and then if we can, add on the rear.” – everything is carefully thought of and built as a whole. Its face is typically Audi, meaning people will see it and immediately identify the A1 as the “Baby Audi”. Oh yes, you get those daytime running light as well, which you see here as an entire strip. On a more personal note, I have to say I fancy its rear end (and no, I’m not a “butt guy”) – it slopes down without much drama, while that bumper diffuser gives off a sporty edge and the two-tiered roof spoiler is definitely subtle and purposeful. The twin exhaust tailpipes ends it all nicely. Also seen on the test car here are the optional 18-inch alloys wrapped in low profile rubbers, which definitely looks the part of a fast lil’ runner, but with brakes that size…

Customization wise, depending on your personality, err I mean, creativity, you can even opt for the roof arch to be painted in either the body colour (you boring sod!), treated metallic finish (nice!), white (you’re so political) or black (wait, now you look like a Mini). Since we’re at the topic of personalization, you can also fork out additional moolah for the S-line kit, which makes it undeniably more pleasing to the eye.

So far so good - but what about the interior then? Well the moment you enter the cabin, the first thing to notice is how plush it is. Ok, with the exception of those cheesy bits – you know, the exterior matching door grab handle and center console – it is both minimalist and idiot proof with every control placed where it’s supposed to. Wait… except for the traction control and rear windshield defogger button that is positioned way too low. The pop up screen is obviously cool, but the angle in which it’s tilted at, needs some getting used to though.

Material used and build quality is a notch higher than the Volkswagen Golf even, making the premium asking price well justified – let’s see, the soft plastic for the dashboard is a fine example, the nicely sized steering wheel fits finely into your palm and significant paddle shifters ensure the driver gets a more engaging drive. Front seats are comfy and can be adjusted for driver and passengers of any size – brilliant, ergonomically speaking. The rear seats however feels a bit cramped and if you’re the sort who is taller than 1.7 metres, be prepared to get acquainted with the roof on bumpy roads. Boot space? “Decent” is the best word in the world to describe it – if you’re used to a Suzuki Swift Sport, you’ll know what I mean…

Under the bonnet lies the renowned four-cylinder, 16-valve 1.4-litre turbo charged TSI engine (that saw service in the Volkswagen Golf). Properly mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch S-tronic ‘box, it whips out 122 bhp. But that’s not all – the best part is that the maximum 200 Nm worth of torque kicks in from a rather low 1,500 rpm, translating to plenty of low to mid range grunt. Weighing just slightly above 1,100 kg helps too – the A1 is a useful tool for our traffic as it closes gaps effortlessly.

Even out on the expressway, the A1 gets up to legal speeds without fuss. However what’s lacking here is engine refinement – it can sound a tad gruff especially above 4,500 rpm, and the drone does get intrusive when the audio system is switched off. Handling wise, the A1 remains your typical Audi. Which means the steering is well weighted, handling is predictable and as a whole, makes even an amateur driver a street hero. Depending on buyer’s demand, nothing is wrong with this particular aspect of the A1 – but if you’re more demanding and place more emphasis on “f-u-n”, then you might come disappointed. In comparison, at least the Mini Cooper requires more driver input and you can easily (a) throw its rear out, and (b) laugh away gleefully as you try to get back its line. But wait: here's a surprise, the A1 in comparison seems to brake better.

So, the A-small-1 is well built, handles securely and depending on how you personalize it, adds more spice to your, well, otherwise blunt lifestyle. However in terms of character and driving finesse, it’s still yet anywhere near to the Mini. Hence, the question “can the A1 steal away Mini fans?” gets an answer: Nope, not just yet...