Audi A2 Review (2000-2005)

What is the Audi A2?

At its most basic level, the A2 is a small hatchback with a premium badge, but it’s so much more than that. The A2 is Audi at its most esoteric; an attempt to come up with something truly original, with enough space to pack a young family into a compact, light, safe and incredibly efficient car.

The result is a tall, narrow vehicle – built from aluminium to keep its weight down – with concept car looks, and while the A2 isn’t conventionally pretty, it’s certainly striking. Under the skin, a range of small, frugal engines sip fuel, and the interior is incredibly well thought out.

How practical is it?

The A2's functionality is hampered by the fact most versions are only four-seaters: there are two individual rear seats, instead of a three-seat bench. You can find versions with a rear bench instead, but they are quite rare these days. In either instance, those rear seats can be removed, which turns the A2 into a small van. That's handy if there are only two of you and you want to carry larger loads, such as bikes. In fact, even with the rear seats in situ, luggage capacity is generous indeed, at 390 litres, which is on par with cars from a class-size above, such as the VW Golf

There’s enough room for four adults with the seats in place. The A2 is narrow but there’s enough elbow room for four people, while head- and legroom are plentiful. Despite its supermini dimensions, the A2 offers as much space for four adults as you’d find in the larger Volkswagen Golf.

What's it like to drive?

The A2's large windscreen pillars can make it tricky to see out of junctions and the ride around town is on the firm side. Accept those downsides, and it should prove an easy car to live with; its low weight means it's frugal and its small dimensions make it easy to park.

The driving position leaves you perched quite high up in the car – almost like a mini-MPV – and the large buttons on the radio and the heater controls are easy to find and use (as long as the graphics haven't scratched off, which is a common problem).

Most impressive of all, though, is that the A2 still feels like a relatively modern car, even today. The materials and build quality were leagues ahead of the A2's competitors when it was new, so it still feels polished, with clean interior lines. Even the indicator and wiper stalks have a precise action, and a pair of cupholders glides out from the dashboard when you prod the button, which makes it feel like one of Audi's bigger cars.

The gearshift is robust and precise, while the light steering and small footprint help with parking. There are no advanced safety systems, but the brakes should still offer plenty of bite, and there is at least an electronic stability system.

On long journeys, the A2 suffers from more wind- and road noise than a more modern supermini, and you'll likely have to deal with a few squeaks and rattles given its age. You'll also notice heavy crosswinds on the motorway, because it's so light.

UK buyers have three engines to choose from. On the petrol front, there's a 1.4 that delivers reasonable performance and refinement and has a good reputation for reliability. For those seeking extra power, the 1.6 FSI is the best pick. With 108bhp, it gives the A2 much livelier performance and still returns decent fuel economy. A hot hatch it is not, but if the 1.4 feels too flat, it's a worthwhile upgrade. Just be aware that it's known to be more troublesome than the other engines.

The final option is a 1.4 TDI turbodiesel, which was hugely popular when the A2 was new on account of its performance and outstanding fuel economy. The downside is a lack of refinement, because there's certainly no mistaking it's a diesel engine.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

Standard equipment was not particularly generous. The basic A2 came with a four-speaker sound system with a radio-cassette, electric front windows and door mirrors, power steering, traction control and alloy wheels.

SE models added a CD player in lieu of the cassette deck and leather trim for the steering wheel, gear knob, and handbrake. You also got a false floor in the boot, to make it more versatile. The Sport model lost out on the CD player and false boot floor, but gained stiffer suspension engineered by Audi's performance division, quattro GmbH, as well as an enhanced trip computer and larger alloy wheels.

The best toys were reserved for the options list. A Bose sound system, a CD autochanger, climate control, satellite navigation, heated front seats, leather upholstery, and even a television were all available at an extra cost.

Audi A2 running costs

A2s fitted with a diesel engine are the most fuel-efficient. In fact, both of the 1.4-litre models of this fuel type have identical fuel consumption figures, which should translate to around 55-60 mpg in day-to-day driving. Petrol versions use a little more fuel, but again, both achieve surprisingly similar figures, and you can expect to see about 40 mpg in everyday use.

Tax costs will be similarly low. The diesel models are pretty rare among cars of the A2’s era, as they fall into the super-cheap tax band C, while petrol models sit in band F, which means higher - but still reasonable - tax costs. Cars registered before 1 March 2001 will be charged at the older tax rates, which aren’t based on CO2 emissions, but on engine size. That means the 1.6-litre petrols and both diesel versions will cost much more to tax if they were registered before that date.

Servicing can be reasonably pricey, despite the A2's fairly conventional mechanical components. A basic oil and filter change won’t set you back too much, but anything more complex will probably be more expensive than you'd expect from a small car from a mainstream manufacturer.

The same goes for the timing belt change. All A2 engines have rubber timing belts, which keep the engine working in sync. They need to be changed on a regular basis because, if they wear out and break, massive damage can be caused. The interval varies from engine to engine, so check the owner’s manual to find out how frequently the belt needs replacing, but when it does, it’ll likely cost more than £400.

Finally, the A2’s aluminium body might be ingenious, but it can also be expensive to maintain. Repairing aluminium requires a specialist panel beater, so removing dings can be a costly process. Heavier damage can put even more strain on your wallet, as replacement panels are not cheap.

Audi A2 reliability

A used Audi A2 is an old car now, and a few common faults have made themselves known, so don't expect Toyota levels of reliability. The 1.4-litre petrol engines suffer from faulty coil packs, but are otherwise robust. The 1.6-litre units are more fragile, and can suffer from expensive problems with their direct injection systems and electrical glitches.

The 74bhp 1.4-litre TDI is probably the most reliable of the A2's engines. The 89bhp model is still pretty dependable, but it has a dual mass flywheel, which can fail and be expensive to replace.

The optional two-piece glass sunroof, known as the Open Sky sunroof, is very desirable, but it can also be extremely temperamental if it isn’t used frequently. It’s known to seize up, and repairs can be very expensive (and, in some cases, impossible).

Interiors are not very hard-wearing, and decals can wear on the switches. You’ll also want to check the battery compartment in the boot, as water can collect there due to worn seals behind the bumper. The front wishbones are made from hollow steel on post-2002 cars and get very weak if they start to corrode, which can cause the front suspension to collapse.