Considering an Audi A1 (former shape/S-tronic with sunroof/1.0 or 1.4l) against a Mini One (102bhp/1.5) but put off by scare stories about the Audi's reliability after a few years have elapsed!

Could owners of the A1 (c 2016) attest to:

 

Real mpg figures, on average, for the S-tronic version

Issues, if any, reliability wise

Whether the turning circle is as poor as I found the one I test drove back in 2017

Is the car hungry for oil?

How does it compare with a Mini, if anybody knows, who might have owned both?!

Does the car's lag (that I noticed when test driving it) become more settled in time?

 

Thanks

 

Hi Audigasm,

I had an early (2011) a1 1.4 (122) tfsi s-tronic and whilst I can’t speak for newer versions mine was a write off at 95k miles. With the 2015 facelift they might have fixed the issues but I’d double check before buying. 
 

I wouldn’t be put off one if they’ve fixed the issues as the car was a gem otherwise. 
 

Mpg was 35ish in town and 43-45 on a motorway run. 
 

Never noticed the thirst for oil and I checked it regularly. 
 

Not driven a mini so can’t compare. 
 

The S-Tronic lag is something you get used to and your brain eventually compensates for it so you don’t really notice. 
 

if you’re buying a newer one, I’d highly recommend you look at the 1.4tfsi with 150ps (which is what I chopped mine in for) with a manual box. Watch out for pan roof rattles or vibrations as my new one suffers with this and it’s extremely annoying as it buzzes right by your ear. Also I’m sure it compromises the structure of the car as the newer one has other rattles and buzzes that the previous (non pan roof) car never had. Worth it on a sunny day though. Also, avoid big wheels like the plague especially the black editions 18’s. The S-Line 17’s are rough as it is. 

Fuel economy of the 150ps is much improved thanks to CoD when motorway cruising/crawling along behind Peugeot’s on B roads. I can see 50 and 60mpg respectively in these situations. Some say it’s a gimmick but not all have driven and lived with both engines. If your journeys are in town, no there’s little to no difference, but at higher speeds I’ve seen approx 20% better fuel economy. 
 

hope I’m not too late in giving you this advice, but I’m sure others will appreciate either way.