Not so long ago, the choice was simple: if you wanted a new MINI, you went out and bought one. Now though, things are different and still changing, and you have alternatives like the sufficiently talented Audi A1 or the nice looking Citroen DS3, though the latter is still a car playing catchup on quality.
Because of its unsatisfactory level of fit and finish, the French car was dropped from this comparison by WhatCar, which ended up being a two-horse race.
The battle between the Audi A1 and MINI Cooper, particularly in diesel form, is one you should be aware of. The MINI retains its familiar traits of snappy handling, quirky interior styling and a retro-inspired exterior, while the A1 is very obviously an Audi shrunken down as much as possible.
Both cars come with comparable diesel engines, though, surprisingly, it’s the three-cylinder unit that powers the MINI that’s the quieter of the two units, despite the fact that the Audi has the established VW group 1.6-liter TDI, an engine that’s been getting a lot of praise for the way it works and oddly enough, refinement…
By Andrei Nedelea
VIDEO