Check out the powerful baby Audi A1

I LOVED the look of the revamped Audi A1 when I saw it last week. But I was just a tad disappointed when I realised that it was only a two-door car.

After many years of testing new cars I can safely say that there are no fans of two-door cars in our family. Two-door cars are very neat, but it’s so awkward allowing back seat passengers in and out and the doors open so wide that you always run the risk of scratching the person parked next to you in a car park.

But I think you might forgive those misgivings when you sit into this powerful baby Audi, the smallest car in the Audi range.

The A1 has been given a subtle facelift. The biggest changes are under the bonnet where you now get a three-cylinder 1.0-litre turbo charged petrol engine that is so powerful you would think that you are driving a car with a 2.0-litre engine. I drove an automatic version which was a sheer joy.

Red seems to be the most popular colour, but my test car came in a nice shade of blue and the roof arches were silver which certainly made the car stand out in the supermarket car park. The silver touch is continued inside with the vents on the dash being the same colour. With a low seating position you get the feeling of power as your drive, but it’s still very. In the back there is room for just two adults, but head room is restricted and your back seat passengers wouldn’t want to be more than five foot, nine inches.

To be fair there are also external changes, mainly to the grille and headlamps. And there are new bumpers at front and rear to give an overall sporty-looking car. Anybody who is lucky enough to drive an Audi loves the pop up infotainment screen mounted on the dash. You are spoilt for choice when the list of radio stations come up on the screen. And if the display is a distraction you can simply fold it down.

In an effort to reduce C02 emission and improve fuel efficiency, the revamped A1 has been fitted with an electromechanical power steering system, which makes for very smooth handling.

The boot is a decent size and while space is provided for a spare wheel, I had to make do with the dreaded repair kit. So if you are buying new you should haggle with your dealer until you get at least a

‘mini’ spare.

I liked the alloys and if you are hard to please there is a choice of 17 different alloys with this A1. Also there are 12 exterior colours to choose from with four contrasting roof arches and 19 different interior colour and cloth combinations and seven different colours trims for the air vents. So the customisation options are huge. But don’t forget that some day you will have to trade in your multi-coloured car; the next buyer might be as adventurous as you are.

Prices start at

?¬21,450 for the 1.0-litre petrol, while the 1.4-litre diesel starts at

?¬23,390. Road tax is

?¬180. I loved it; if only Audi had stuck on two more doors for our family! It’s also available in a five-door Sportback.