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The MK2 Audi A1 showed its trendy lifestyle side in this 'Citycarver' guise, sold between 2019 and 2021. This variant was SUV-inspired but of course it wasn't any sort of SUV: it wasn't even really any sort of Crossover either, though it did offer an extra 4cms of ride height and, more importantly, a whole stack of extra pavement presence.
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History
So, the Citycarver. Silly name. Sensible car? No, not really. But then life would be pretty dull if purchase decisions were all based on sensibility. Launched in 2019, Audi's A1 Citycarver was a model aimed at people who liked the idea of a small SUV but wanted to stay with the dinky dimensions of a supermini.
It's a concept that's been floated on and off quite frequently over the years, back in the dim and distant with cars like the Volkswagen Polo Dune and the Citroen C3 XTR - and more recently with the Ford Fiesta Active. But back in 2019, we'd never seen it with a premium model in this segment like the Audi A1. It didn't work and the car was withdrawn from sale in 2021.
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What you get
If you like the thought of an A1 Sportback with a little extra attitude, then you'll like what Audi tried to do here. This variant's large, octagonal Singleframe front grille references the brand's various Q-series SUV models, and surrounds a sculpted honeycomb insert painted in matt black. The two smart slots above the grille add a bit of attitude and there's a lower silvered finish for the splitter to add a whiff of 'SUV-ness'.
In profile, this model's more muscular look was achieved primarily through redesigned sills in a contrasting colour, underbody protection in a stainless steel finish and raised suspension giving around four centimetres of additional ground clearance. You also get wheel arch extensions which shroud bigger 17-inch rims. A contrast-coloured roof in either black or grey was optional. At the rear, a re-styled bumper echoes the robust look of the front end. Plus it incorporates accented black corner cut-outs and a lower silvered section. Plus there's a special Citycarver roof spoiler.
Inside, there's slightly less differentiation over an ordinary A1 Sportback, but it all feels very high end for a supermini. You get Silver grey accents for the air vents, the door handle recesses and the centre console. There's aluminium trim for the control switches and the 10.25-inch 'Virtual Cockpit' digital instrument cluster which, as with any other MK2 A1, marks this car out from non-premium brand small hatches. The standard MMI centre-dash display is 8.8-inches in size, but many original owners upgraded to the larger 10.1-inch MMI Navigation monitor.
In the rear seat, you'll find enough space for a couple of six-footers to sit behind comparably-sized adults in the front, though knees will probably be brushing the seat backs. And there's reasonable head room by supermini standards. Out back, there's the usual MK2 A1 335-litre boot.
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What to look for
Most owners in our survey seemed happy but there are obviously things you need to look out for. The original A1 model had a lot of issues with excessive oil consumption, various rattles and fitment issues, electrical problems, turbocharger issues and problems with the timing chain. These problems are a lot less prevalent with the second generation A1 but they do exist, so buy with care. It's unlikely that this Citycarver model will ever have been used on the rough surface with any regularity, but it might be worth checking underneath just in case. We've come across a few owners with a need for software updates, so make sure the car you're looking at has had all of those.
Otherwise, it's just the usual things with a supermini. Check the wheels for scratches and the interior for child damage. And insist on a fully stamped-up service history.
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Replacement parts
(approx based on an A1 Citycarver 30 TFSI (2019) - Ex Vat) An oil filter costs around £3. A fuel filter is around £27. Front brake pads sit in the £15 to £19 bracket for a set; for a rear set, it's around £17-£30. A pair of front brake discs sit in the £61-£120 bracket; for a rear pair, you're looking at around £22-£38. A pollen filter costs in the £12-£25 bracket. And an air filter is in the £24-£79 bracket. A starter motor is around £265 and an alternator is in the £291-£304 bracket.
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On the road
You might expect that the addition of 40kgs of weight and a higher ride height might have a negative effect on the tarmac performance of this car. Happily though, that's not the case. Actually, the opposite is true, this variant's extra suspension travel delivering a slightly more compliant ride than you'd get in an equivalent A1 Sport derivative. And there's certainly much softer springing than you'd find with the much more firmly-suspended A1 S line. Most Citycarver models were sold with the 1.0-litre three cylinder petrol unit - the 116PS '30 TFSI' version of it: unlike an ordinary A1 Sportback, this pretend SUV variant doesn't bother with this engine in its lesser 95PS '25 TFSI' guise.
The performance stats are exactly the same as they would be for any other A1 30 TFSI derivative - rest to 62mph in 9.5s (or 9.4s if you go for the alternative S tronic 7-speed dual-clutch automatic) and a top speed of 126mph either way. It's a punchy, willing little engine, with decent low-down pulling power for urban work and enough top-end refinement to make longer highway trips comfortable. If highway journeys are more the norm for you, then you might want to find the extra for the alternative four cylinder 1.5-litre 35 TFSI engine which puts out 150PS. In S tronic form, this improves the performance stats to 7.7s and 137mph.
On the twisty stuff, there's a fraction more body roll that you'd get in a conventional A1, but to really notice that, you'd have to be pushing through the turns a lot harder than a typical owner ever would. Like an ordinary A1, you get plenty of front end traction and precise, direct steering. As usual, there's the Audi 'drive select' drive settings system which offers four modes - auto, dynamic, efficiency and individual. These alter steering feel, throttle response and, on an S tronic variant, gearshift timings.
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Overall
So, was there really a place in the MK2 A1 Sportback range for a variant jazzed up with body cladding, lifestyle marketing and a bit of extra ride height? Probably, yes. Before trying this car, we rather doubted this but, rather against the odds, the A1 Citycarver did - to some extent - convert us to the concept. Nobody buys a small Crossover to go off roading but people do like the confidence that kind of car can give if, say, you're dropping off the main road on to a gravelly layby. Or you're negotiating a bumpy track up to a forest carpark. Buying an SUV just to deal with that kind of thing might seem a bit extreme when there's a simpler solution like this Citycarver on offer. Thanks to its extra ride height, it gives you much the same kind of capability without the usual SUV running cost deterioration and handling downsides.
Yes, you pay a slight premium to get these benefits, but it's not too extreme and it does give you a small car with a bit more pavement presence and a slightly nicer quality of ride. Which is something you can console yourself with when you realise that to own one of these, you've ended up paying the kind of money that would otherwise have bought you a much larger car. But that wouldn't have the jewel-like essence of 'Audi-ness' that you get with this model. If you can't resist that and want an A1 with a little extra attitude, the Citycarver will be right up your street.
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