Models · Audi
Audi A1 8X buying guide
The first A1, built from 2010 to 2018 as a three-door and, from 2012, a five-door Sportback, with a facelift in 2015. Early cars use chain-driven 1.2 and 1.4 TFSI petrol engines; the facelift brought belt-driven 1.0 and 1.4 TFSI engines, with TDI diesels offered throughout.
The versions
- Petrol before the 2015 facelift: 1.2 TFSI 86PS (CBZA, manual only), 1.4 TFSI 122PS, 1.4 TFSI 185PS, and a 140PS 1.4 TFSI with cylinder on demand from 2013
- Petrol after the facelift: 1.0 TFSI three-cylinder 95PS (CHZB), 1.4 TFSI including cylinder on demand versions, and 1.8 TFSI 192PS
- Diesel: 1.6 TDI 90 and 105PS and 2.0 TDI 143PS before the facelift; 1.4 TDI three-cylinder 90PS and 1.6 TDI 116PS after it
- 5 or 6-speed manual, or 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic, front-wheel drive (the S1 and the limited-run A1 quattro have four-wheel drive)
- Three-door hatchback and five-door Sportback
What to check on a 8X A1
3 model-specific things to look at when you view one. They're a starting point, not the full inspection.
A rattle on a cold start (1.2 and 1.4 TFSI, 2010 to 2015)
What to look for: Have the engine stone cold and stand at the front as someone starts it. A healthy engine settles straight away. A rattle or clatter from the front of the engine for the first few seconds, before it goes quiet, is the thing to note.
Why it matters: The earlier 1.2 and 1.4 TFSI petrol engines drive their camshafts with a chain, and wear in the chain and its tensioner shows as a rattle when cold, sometimes with an engine warning light. Left alone, a slack chain can jump a tooth. Paperwork for a renewed chain kit is a sign of a car that has been looked after. The 1.0 and 1.4 TFSI engines from the 2015 facelift use a cambelt instead.
Hesitation or limp mode under acceleration (1.2 and 1.0 TFSI)
What to look for: On a clear road, accelerate firmly from low revs. The engine should pull evenly. A flat spot, a sudden loss of power, or an EPC or engine warning light coming on is what to watch for.
Why it matters: The turbo's wastegate actuator can seize on the 1.0 and 1.2 TFSI, which shows as lost power, warning lights and limp mode. It is often linked to cars driven gently on short journeys, which describes many A1s, so ask how the car has been used. A specialist can confirm the cause with a diagnostic check.
How the S tronic takes up drive
What to look for: Spend time at walking pace: pulling away gently, creeping in traffic, reversing and a hill start. A healthy gearbox takes up drive smoothly and almost at once. A delay before drive engages, a shudder as it moves off, or a shunt between first and second is the thing to note.
Why it matters: Jerky behaviour at low speed and hesitation are the known complaints with the S tronic on this A1, and the cause is often the mechatronic control unit on the gearbox. A specialist can read the clutch adaptation values, which show wear before you can feel it.
Also in the full guide
- Turbo smoke and whistle (1.4 TFSI)
- Diesels: the particulate filter and the oil level
- The cold start, test drive and paperwork checks for the exact version you're viewing
The full guide to the 8X A1
The CrankSight guide walks you round the car on your phone at the viewing, with every check for the exact version you're looking at: what to look for, where to find it, and what anything you find is likely to cost. As you go it builds an assessment of that car, and if you view more than one, it lines them up side by side.
£29 for the model, used on as many cars as you like, delivered within 72 hours or your money back.
Other generations
General points for the model, last checked October 2026. Every car is different, so treat this as a guide to what to look at, not a verdict on any car. CrankSight is independent and has no connection with Audi.