Audi A1 1.6 TDI S-line (2011)

What did you get for Christmas? The Audi A1 got itself a brand new set of boots in the shape of four winter tyres. Seems like the must-have present this year – half the CAR long-term fleet has been decked out with rubber to cope with snow – but at £792 from your local Audi dealer (including fitting and VAT) it's an expensive gift. You can't blame us though. The past few years have been very snowy up here in the east Midlands

Only problem is, it hasn't snowed yet. Just as I’m still waiting to see how my very own pair of wedge wellies hold up in snow, so I'm none the wiser how our winter tyres will perform when the going gets slushy.

I’ve never tested winter tyres before and at first I found the A1 felt like a stilt-walker. As I write, England has just been battered by wind – not snow – and I've felt Audi's supermini wobble a little more than it did on normal 'summer'  rubber.

But as the gales subsided, I've pushed the A1 a little more on back roads and found the new Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D grip well, even though they aren't designed for dry, warm roads. And because my A1 doesn't have too much poke, it's not constantly flashing its ESP light and struggling for traction, like our winter tyre-shod 1M and M5 are.

Naturally, winter tyres are designed to work come snow or no, and so long as the ambient temperature is below 7deg C they're supposed to outperform their fair weather cousins. So I’ll be keeping them for a few months longer yet.

Thing is, I don’t trust the English weather much. Perhaps we'll have snow some time around July this year. Around the Olympics sounds about right.

We recently had an Audi A1 1.4 TFSI Sport in the office. If you haven’t seen it, think Quattro colours. It’s decaled up to the nineses, but looks kind of cool if not to everyone’s taste. It made an interesting comparison with CAR's own diesel A1 in S-line trim.

Compared with our TDI, the 1.4 petrol turbo was quicker off the mark. The 1.4 TFSI is a great engine and suits the A1's character well. The trade-off for the fact it's more fun to drive? Its 126g/km CO2 rating can't match the diesel's double-digit figures. Although our 1.6 TDI spews out 106g/km, the latest versions actually snip under 100g/km by a digit.

Our A1 TDI is slow off the mark, by comparison with the petrol Sport. I find you have to switch into second quite quickly – if you don’t, the revs shoot up and the car sounds in pain; do it too early, and you lose all speed and are left floundering.

Apart from the style, gearing and step-off at low speed, both A1s shared similar characteristics. This remains one of the smartest superminis around.
But as much fun as the Sport was, I have a more understated personality. For me, I'll stick with my Audi A1 TDI in commuter silver. It's just fine for me. 

Silver suits the Audi A1. There – I’ve said it. I’ve read a lot of comments about the colour of my long-term A1 – apparently silver’s such a common colour on cars nowadays that it’s become rather passe. But I don’t agree. A quick look around the car park shows I’ve made the right choice. Only black does the job equally.

Actually, I’m amazed at how many A1s we have in the car park at CAR HQ. I’m worrying that it’s a bit too common. That’s the trouble with Audis – they seduce you with their chic looks, inch-perfect interiors and granite residuals and then you suddenly realise that everyone else has had the same idea. Before joining CAR I always used to go for a car because I liked it and because it was a rarity on the road. The A1’s too appealing to pull off that trick, which is why I’m talking colours. It’s all about differentiation.

As much as I admire the way our A1 looks (particularly in the less common ice silver) it’s a bit like walking into a gym full of muscle-toned men; you get bored of looking at them very quickly. Fortunately the A1’s no meathead – it has hidden depths; other features that keep it interesting. Like the rain and light sensors, although these have yet to come into their own in our Indian summer. I’m waiting for it to elaborate on these and other party tricks.

Meantime I’m impressed with the Audi upgraded sound system – it’s been great for going through all my mum’s

After a long await CAR Magazine's new Audi A1 is here. This may be the most luxurious small car I’ve had on long-term loan so far.

You pay for the privilege of picking an A1 over a Polo, however. In 1.6 TDI S Line spec, the A1 is not exactly cheap - and with a few choice extras onboard, the total jumps from £17,220 to £20,840. Yikes. 

Is it worth the extra dosh? Over the next six months time will surely tell.

For now though the A1’s sleek styling is definitely worth admiring, especially in our car's optional Ice Silver paint. Some in the office - step forward associate ed Tim Pollard - moan about silver being so boring these days, but on the A1 I find it sophisticated. No coloured rooflines for our A1; ours is just simple silver, through and through.

The extras on this particular A1 long-term test car weren't wildly over the top. Here's what's on board:

18in twin-spoke alloy wheels £410

 Technology package including HDD satellite navigation with Audi music interface £1375

Light and rain sensors £125

Climate control £330

 Audi sound system £225 

I might if this was my own personal car have gone for the optional air vent sleeves, to add a bit of colour inside - but at £100 you'd have to really want a bright cabin.

Time now to get on with living with our new Audi A1. Stay tuned for our regular online reports.

old music she’s been throwing out.