Audi A1 hatchback - Reliability & safety

Safety is in keeping with the Audi A1 ethos of offering big car kit in a small package. There's active safety technology to help reduce stress and minimise danger, especially on long and tiring motorway drives and it has a top Euro NCAP rating. Reliability isn’t a worry either, thanks to plenty of shared engines and a decent track record for the original A1.

Audi A1 reliability

Thanks to its position in the Volkswagen Group, Audi shares much of the technology and engines for the A1 with the Volkswagen Polo and SEAT Ibiza. The A1 came 72nd out of 75 cars in our latest Driver Power customer satisfaction survey and as a brand, Audi itself finished in quite a poor 22nd out of 29 brands. Just under 20% of Audi owners reported faults occurring in the first year, however, which is slightly better than average.

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Safety

Audi has lavished the A1 with the latest safety technology, much of which was sorely missed in the old model. Lane departure warning is standard, helping ensure you don't stray over the white line once above 40mph. You can also set a speed limiter.

A forward-facing radar scans constantly for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists (even in poor visibility and fog), warning the driver and even braking automatically if no action is taken. Optional adaptive cruise control can reduce fatigue on long drives by adjusting the car's speed to match traffic ahead, even to a standstill when an automatic gearbox is fitted. Parking is less stressful too, with a reversing camera and autonomous parking new for the second-generation A1.

Euro NCAP gave the A1 Sportback a five-star result, matching the old model and the SEAT Ibiza it shares parts with. It scored well across the board, with 95% and 85% for adult and child occupant protection respectively.