In a competitive market that includes the likes of the MINI, Citroen DS3 and the Volkswagen Polo, with which it shares a number of parts, the A1 S Line not only looks great but has the high quality feel to it that you would expect from an Audi.Looks wise it is instantly recognisable by the distinctive front grille with the famous four rings on set in to those swept-back headlights, and at first glance you may think that it is a more mature and sensible alternative that lacks some of the drama of its previously mentioned rivals.But this is more than made up for on the inside with the quality of the cabin. It oozes class and is slickly designed. The model I drove also came with a raft of options that only added to this – everything from the Rotor grey Fine Nappa leather S Super Sport seats (£1,850) and aluminium look air vent sleeves (£100) to the Mono pur centre console and armrest (£300).As you often find with cars like this it is the attention to detail and little extras that makes them stand out from the rest, and with the A1 you get S Line badges dotted around the interior and embossed on the gearstick.The knurled metal finish to the heating and stereo dials added to the stylish feel of the interior, and the pop-up screen for the infotainment system with the smartly designed dials was as easy to use as anything on the market. The sporty feel continued with the three-spoked multi-function steering wheel.The Audi A1 S Line is available in a choice of three or five doors and a 1.6 TDI diesel engine or two petrol 1.4-litre TFSI units. I drove the higher powered of the petrol models which featured Audi's clever Cylinder on Demand technology that shuts down cylinders when they are not needed. The only indication the driver has that the car is running in two-cylinder mode is an alert on the dashboard.It recorded 58.9mpg and emitted 111g/km CO2.The S Line model comes with a firmer suspension setup, but that didn't affect the comfort of the drive in any way. You can easily get four adults in the A1 too, and the rear seats also had plenty of space to fit two car seats.The boot space is of a generous size, and offers plenty of room for luggage or shopping.But, for me this car was all about the drive. Unlike some superminis that I've driven before it didn't bring out the boy racer in me thanks to the sophisticated surroundings of the interior, but it certainly put a big smile on my face.I've driven Audi's of all shapes and sizes before so it came as no surprise to me that it handled and gripped to the road brilliantly, and the seven-speed automatic gearbox on the five-door Sportback S tronic model I drove was smooth and very responsive, as was the steering.It is difficult not to do your best Jeremy Clarkson "Power' impression when you're out on the open road too as the response you get when you put your foot on the accelerator is nothing short of mind-blowing.The noise it makes will put a smile on your face too – it growls at you as you go through the gears rather than a purr, but once you get up to speed the drive is smooth and quiet.As you would expect, the Audi A1 comes with a five-star Euro NCAP crash safety rating thanks to a raft of features.The S1 Line model I drove costs just short of £21,000 OTR. However the addition of the previously mentioned extras as well as numerous others including Misano red, pearl effect paint (£390), cruise control (£225) and an SD card-based sat nav system (£570) took the final total to just over £26,500.
