The wind-swept, scrub-lined B-roads that meander their respective ways through Hampshire’s New Forest aren’t really what you’d think of as the typical stomping ground for a group of posh superminis.
More often than not, cars of this ilk find homes within the confines of the urban sprawl; places where a sharp design and the latest in glossy, cutting-edge tech can best assert their influence over the typically younger and more well-heeled audience to which they tend to appeal.
It comes as little surprise, then, that the small gathering of ponies lurking at the far end of the gravel car park we’ve commandeered as a base for today’s triple test don’t seem particularly phased by our presence on this grey, blustery morning. But that’s fine; after all, they’re not the ones tasked with deciding which of the three very red cars around which we’re currently huddled represents the most convincing take on a plush, circa-£20,000 supermini.
The first of our three doesn’t need much in the way of introduction. Ever since its launch under BMW guardianship the best part of two decades ago, the ‘new’ Mini (you can still, just, get away with calling it that) has enjoyed a fairly uninterrupted run as top dog in this decidedly chic corner of the market. Not only has it continuously proved popular among the more dedicated followers of fashion, but it has also made a name for itself as an entertaining and engaging little steer.
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The Mini should win this test
The Mini should win this test, as it does. The fact that it is 3 door as opposed to others five (yes I know you can get a 5 door Mini but it ruins the shape) has positives for handling but negatives for practicality.
Most punters looking for a posh warm hatch would't even consider the Fiesta even with a posh designer name on the end.
Should have included Polo GTI in here which is another good all rounder with aspirational credentials.
It really doesn't have the badge cachet
Let's face it, a Skodi doesn't have the brand cachet to cut it in this group.
VAG engineering
Yes, but it is Audi who do, or at least did, all the heavy lifting in the engineering department. Audi have, or had, over 10,000 engineers and used the lion's share of the group's £12 billion or so R&D budget. I say did as things have changed dramatically in the last 12 months within VAG. It is more a case of what you don't get with a VW / Sköda / SEAT rather than Audi gilding the lily. And of course, around 75% of Porsche sales are cars riding on an Audi platform, driven by an Audi engine.
But what I didn't get from your post was the relevance to this review. The Audi A1 hardly looks expensive relative to the other 2 cars in the test. If the "virtually mechanically identical Skoda" was in the test too, presumably at a price of around £10k based on your claims of Audi being double the price, it must have won. But it wasn't. And given the objective of the review was to determine which of these relatively expensive superminis provided the most plush, large(r) car type experience, it seems Mr. Davis lost the plot not very far into his review.
+1
And more to the point why use a 3 door Mini (with no decent boot) in a shoot-out to see which one gives the best big car feel?