Audi A1 vs BMW i Series
What's the difference?

Audi A1

$18,998 - $29,990

2020 price

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BMW i Series

$88,900 - $233,400

2026 price

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Summary

2020 Audi A1

2026 BMW i Series

By Matt Campbell

By Andrew Chesterton

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 1.8L

Electric motor type

Electromagnetically Excited

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Vehicle type

Battery Electric

Fuel Efficiency

5.9L/100km (combined)

Electric range

805 km

Energy consumption

18.8 kWh/100km

Battery capacity

108.70 kWh

Seating

Likes

Character-filled car
Sporty performance
City-friendly dimensions

Ridiculous range in its most efficient settings
Properly fun in its sportiest settings
Tech that feels futuristic but somehow familiar

Dislikes

Fuel use a bit high
Expensive
Back seat lacks amenities

Light-touch steering takes some getting used to
Feels heavy on some roads
The native operating system can be clunky and confusing

2020 Audi A1 Summary

The Audi A1 2020 range offers something for everyone, and in the case of this particular variant, it’s the one you buy if you want as much grunt and gear as you can get.

It’s the top-of-the-range Audi A1 40 TFSI model, which gets the zestiest engine, the lengthiest equipment list, and offers performance to match some hot-hatches out there. It’s essentially an Audi-ised version of a VW Polo GTI.

This test wasn’t so much about the wow-factor, though. We put it through its paces as an urban runabout to see how it coped as a real-world city car.

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2026 BMW i Series Summary

There are a lot of big numbers surrounding the BMW iX3, the German brand’s new-from-the-ground-up EV that acts as the flagbearer for its future-facing Neue Klasse (or New Class) architecture, designed to distil all the ingredients that make a BMW a BMW, and then electrify for them for the post-ICE (internal combustion engine) era.

But the one that really stood out? 805. That’s how many kilometres of driving range the iX3 will deliver, though admittedly in its most efficient and least exciting driving modes. That is bonkers, right?

It’s worth pointing out the first BMW i3, which only launched a decade-or-so ago, delivered more like 150km on what would have been the WLTP cycle, if it had existed then. Talk about leaps and bounds.

A good start for the newest BMW EV, then. But what else does the iX3 have to offer?

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Deep dive comparison

2020 Audi A1 2026 BMW i Series

Verdict

If you’re eager for a sporty compact hatchback with premium design and luxury car badges, the Audi A1 40 TFSI is a very, very strong contender. It’s fast, fun, and functional for a little hatchback. It’s just very expensive, and for most people the $10K cheaper 35 TFSI model will tick most of the boxes. I’d recommend you drive it before signing on for the top-spec model.

Verdict

The thing that really grabs you from behind the wheel of a car like this is just how far EVs have come. The fact you can get a ridiculous range and have a really, really good time on the right twisting road is a pretty good deal and solidifies the fact EVs like this one are the future.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number of automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

Audi A1 vs BMW i Series What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Audi A1 vs BMW i Series
What's the difference?