MINI Countryman or Audi A1 Sportback

[edc]

In Cooper and S-line trim both manual and 1.6tdi.

Does anyone have any ownership experience? Or anyone care to venture any views on which one they'd have and why?

Audi is cheaper on the company car tax but Mini is just a bit cooler and perhaps a bit more comfortable, better handling and bigger?

[flattotheboards]

Out of those two I would choose the A1 Sportback purely because I think the Mini looks horrendous. They both have nice little interiors so either would be a decent choice.

Can you choose from any other cars?

[NelsonR32]

The MINI Countryman is far from cool, it is an awful creation.

[ajprice]

Audi. Purely on the 'Mini' being massive and horrible.

[deltashad]

ajprice said:

Audi. Purely on the 'Mini' being massive and horrible.

I think you associate cars with their owners, a bit like dogs and their owners.
My ex-wife has a Mini Countryman

[Sam.F]

I felt the Countryman Cooper D was very underpowered, so if you want more sprightly performance I'd go for the A1. The 1.6 diesel is perfectly adequate in the "normal" MINI but it really struggles with the extra bulk of the larger car and the average fuel consumption takes a big hit.

[The Mp]

Bit of an odd comparison, Why not a normal mini and an A1?

My other half has recently got a mini countryman and its a cracking car. We Looked at both the A1 and Mini but the Countryman was ideal because of the extra size, comfort, and my new mountain bike being able to fit in the back

A1 was a nicer package for a small car though, Really depends what you need the car for.

[Kurtcobain]

Depends if you want to look gay or gay?

[Disco You]

Can you choose instead to bash yourself repeatedly over the head with a rock?

[ajprice]

The Mp said:

So a small 3 door car vs a larger 5 door car.

Sportback is the 5dr A1

[versus]

You might as well look at a Polo and Fabia if you're looking at the A1. Could probably get better discounts.

[The Mp]

ajprice said:

Sportback is the 5dr A1

Ahhh, bugger... That model wasn't available when we went shopping..

Cant comment on the A1, but the Countryman is surprisingly big in the back for the dogging, i mean dogs....

[Orbin]

it seems similar to picking between having syphilis or gonorrhea; you don't really want either.

[The Mp]

Orbin said:

it seems similar to picking between having syphilis or gonorrhea; you don't really want either.

Well done for your fantastic contribution... Id say a fair amount of people want them, mainly the op as he asked the question

[Orbin]

apologies, it was a little sarcastic. i've been in the countryman and not the audi and whilst i know a lot of people hate them, the countryman was actually an ok car.

[IAJO]

the mini if your an ageing fashionista trying to recapture the glory days and the audi if your really out of ideas.

Out of those to the countryman as i guess its a bit more practical and a lot more interesting.

Edited by IAJO on Thursday 1st March 15:23

[okie592]

depends are you gonna spec it up, the A1 looks hideous without xenons, big wheels, mmi, leather. and you will look like a rep,

the mini looks alot better, ive not seen a bad speced one yet.

Skoda fabia or a polo would get my vote, well for the price of a A1 ide get a skoda superb, but then im not a badge snob or won over by 4 rings. and thats all the car with a derv engine you could ever need.

[edc]

It will be a company car so that means diesel and 4 doors only. I have previously had an A3 and a 3 series in the last 3 years but I was doing 25-30k then. Now I'll just do a 20 mile each way journey on the M-way.

I could get something bigger but don't really need it so figured smallish hatch is the way to go. Plus I'd like to keep the BIK as low as possible without driving a Prius.

Audis in the main have been a bit plain to drive but well screwed together. I am test driving the Mini later so we'll see how it fares.

[okie592]

leon ecomotive?

[Chrisw666]

The mini is huge so IMO competes with focus, Astra, a3 etc. the A1 would be closer to a normal mini or a clubman