Reliability, safety, running costs and what to check before you buy.
Enter a registration number to see MOT history, tax status, mileage, recalls and more for any Audi A1.
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With 266,043 currently licensed in the UK, the Audi A1 is one of Britain's most popular cars.
It has a 80.5% first-time MOT pass rate — above the UK national average of 72%. Common MOT failure areas include lighting, brakes, tyres.
Annual running costs are estimated at £2,478 for a typical 5-year-old example, breaking down to £206/month or 31p/mile.
Theft risk is rated low at 3.2 per 1,000 registered vehicles.
MOT Pass Rate
80.5%
120,000 tests
Monthly Cost
£206
est. annual total
New From
£24,000
There is 1 known DVSA recall affecting the Audi A1. Enter a registration number to check whether a specific vehicle is affected.
R/2017/078
Due to an error in the manufacturing process the air bag and/or seat belt pretensioner may not trigger in the event of a collision
Build dates: 2016-05-01 to 2016-10-31
Based on 120,000 MOT tests, the A1 has a first-time pass rate of 80.5% — above the UK national average of 72%.
This is a positive sign for reliability. The A1 is less likely to have issues at MOT time than the average car on UK roads.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old Audi A1 are estimated at around £2,478 per year, or £206 per month.
Fuel
£784
/year
Road Tax
£195
/year
Depreciation
£969
/year
MOT
£55
/year
Estimated annual running costs based on available data. Excludes insurance, parking, and finance costs. Actual costs depend on your driving habits and circumstances.
The A1 achieves a combined fuel economy of around 67.3 mpg (56.5 mpg urban, 76.3 mpg extra-urban).
| Variant | Fuel | Combined | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | PETROL | 67.3 mpg | 1.0L |
| A1 | PETROL | 55.4 mpg | 1.2L |
| A1 | PETROL | 53.3 mpg | 1.4L |
| A1 | PETROL | 60.1 mpg | 1.4L |
| A1 | DIESEL | 74.3 mpg | 1.6L |
| A1 | DIESEL | 68.9 mpg | 2.0L |
| A1 | PETROL | 40.4 mpg | 2.0L |
| A1 | PETROL | 32.8 mpg | 2.0L |
Starting from £24,000 new, a Audi A1 typically retains about 56% after 3 years and 46% after 5 years.
| Age | Retained | Est. Value | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 75% | £18,000 | −£6,000 |
| 2 years | 64% | £15,300 | −£8,700 |
| 3 years | 56% | £13,450 | −£10,550 |
| 4 years | 50% | £12,100 | −£11,900 |
| 5 years | 46% | £11,150 | −£12,850 |
| 6 years | 43% | £10,350 | −£13,650 |
| 7 years | 41% | £9,750 | −£14,250 |
| 8 years | 39% | £9,250 | −£14,750 |
| 9 years | 37% | £8,800 | −£15,200 |
| 10 years | 35% | £8,350 | −£15,650 |
The A1 has a theft rate of 3.2 per 1,000 registered vehicles, rated low compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000.
There are currently 266,043 licensed and 3,389 SORN A1s in the UK (269,432 total). This makes it a very common vehicle on UK roads.
The A1 has a 80.5% first-time MOT pass rate based on 120,000 tests — above the UK national average of 72%. This suggests good overall reliability.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old A1 are estimated at around £2,478 per year (£206/month). This includes fuel, road tax, depreciation, and MOT fees — but excludes insurance, servicing, and repairs.
There is 1 known safety recall affecting the A1. These are issued by the DVSA when a safety defect is found. You can check if a specific vehicle is affected by entering its registration number.
The A1 has a theft rate of 3.2 per 1,000 registered vehicles, which is rated low compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000. Standard security precautions should be sufficient.
A new A1 starts from around £24,000. After 5 years, a typical example retains about 46% of its original value.
Enter the registration to check its full MOT history, tax status, mileage, recalls and estimated value — all free.
Free & instant — no signup required
Get a free email reminder 28 days and 7 days before your MOT expires.
✓ Free ✓ No spam ✓ Unsubscribe any time
Driving without a valid MOT can mean a fine of up to £1,000.
Free Plate Check may earn a small commission from partner links, at no cost to you.
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