Audi S1 (2014-2018) review - MPG, CO2 and Running Costs

Considering how quick the Audi S1 is, it’s actually quite an affordable car to run. Claimed 40.4mpg fuel economy is achievable and wouldn’t look out of place on a normal family hatch, plus 162g/km CO2 emissions, means it’ll cost £180 per year to tax for pre-2017 cars, which is pretty good given the performance.

During our time with an S1 we managed around 30mpg – and that figure was achieved even using the car’s addictive performance.

As with all performance cars, using it hard will increase the wear rates of consumable items like brake pads and tyres, so you’ll need to budget for that – especially if you want to experience the performance at a track.

Insurance groups

An insurance rating of group 33 means the Audi S1 isn’t going to be cheap to insure, but that’s par for the course considering the level of performance the hot hatch delivers. It’s not the cheapest supermini around either, which also affects ratings as it costs more to repair or replace. However the Ford Fiesta ST is in insurance group 30, so the difference in premiums shouldn’t be too great.

Depreciation

Audi is a more in-demand brand than some, and the S1 should retain its value well. Our experts reckon the S1 will hold on to just over 50 per cent of its list price over three years and 30,000 miles. However, if you aren't careful the options list cost can soon skyrocket, which will leave you potentially exposed to quite a big cash hit at resale time. The Fiesta ST is predicted to retain around 46 per cent of its new cost over the same period, but it’s cheaper to buy so you’ll lose less cash overall.