2018 Audi A1 1.6L Diesel · HJ18 NKS

The 1.6 TDI diesel is one of the more economical engines offered in the A1, with manufacturer figures of around 74 mpg on the combined cycle and motorway runs often exceeding that. Real-world fuel economy for this engine sits in the 55–65 mpg range depending on driving style, making it a sensible choice for buyers covering higher mileages. Road tax for a Euro 6 diesel registered in March 2018 falls into the £130–£190 band depending on exact CO2 output, though diesels of this era benefit from being standard-rated rather than the diesel surcharge that applies to newer cars.

Insurance for the A1 1.6 TDI typically sits in group 15–18, depending on trim, which is reasonable for a premium supermini — expect premiums in the £450–£700 range for a typical driver. Routine maintenance is relatively affordable for an Audi, with an oil and filter service around £150–£200 and front brake pads around £120 fitted. The biggest cost risk is the timing belt replacement, which is a £500–£700 job, so confirm its status before purchase. Overall annual running costs including fuel, tax, insurance, and maintenance typically fall in the £1,400–£1,800 region for this car.

Begin with the offside front tyre condition, as the March 2026 advisory flagged inner-edge wear. Uneven inner-edge wear on a single front tyre commonly points to a worn front strut, a failing top mount, or simply incorrect tracking after a kerb impact. Inspect the tread depth across the full width, look for feathering or chamfering, and check the sidewall for scuffs or bulges. If the tyres are nearly new but worn unevenly, this is a strong pointer to a suspension geometry issue that warrants further investigation.

Given that ball joints and anti-roll bar links are among the most common MOT failures across the A1 range, pay particular attention to the front suspension. With the car raised or on a ramp, check for perished or split rubber bushes on the front anti-roll bar drop links, and grasp the front wheels at 9 and 3 o’clock to feel for play in the ball joints. Listen for clonking over speed bumps and during low-speed direction changes. At the rear, check the anti-roll bar links for perished rubber, another common wear item on this platform.

Finally, examine the headlamps closely — headlamp issues are the third most common MOT failure on this model across 232,772 examples. Look for condensation inside the lens, faded or cloudy polycarbonate, and misaligned beam patterns. Check that both dipped and main beams function and that the beam image has a sharp horizontal cut-off on a flat wall. Also verify that all bulbs work, including the rear number plate light, as these are frequent advisories and easy fixes that nonetheless get flagged at test time.