Audi A1 vs Subaru WRX Sportswagon

The Audi A1 starts from $51,500 before on-road costs, while the Subaru WRX Sportswagon opens at $52,290. That makes the Audi A1 the more affordable entry point by $790.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $56,650 and $57,519 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Audi A1 by roughly $3,705 in fuel alone.

ANCAP safety ratings have not been published for both models yet. We will update this section when crash test results are available.

The Audi A1 features a 8.8-inch touchscreen paired with a 10.3-inch digital dash, while the Subaru WRX Sportswagon gets a 11.6-inch display and 4.2-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Audi A1 stands out with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, head-up display, heated front seats, power tailgate, Bang & Olufsen audio and ambient lighting that you will not find on the Subaru WRX Sportswagon. The Subaru WRX Sportswagon counters with Apple CarPlay. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Audi A1 gets synthetic leather upholstery while the Subaru WRX Sportswagon offers cloth.

The Audi A1 uses a Petrol producing 152kW and 320Nm of torque, sent through a s tronic to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.5 seconds.

The Subaru WRX Sportswagon responds with a Petrol making 202kW and 350Nm, paired to a cvt driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 6.4 seconds.

The Subaru WRX Sportswagon has the clear power advantage at 202kW vs 152kW. In the real-world sprint, the Subaru WRX Sportswagon is 0.1s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Audi A1 measures 4,029mm long on a 2,563mm wheelbase, 726mm shorter than the Subaru WRX Sportswagon at 4,755mm (2,670mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Subaru WRX Sportswagon generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 335L in the Audi A1 and 492L in the Subaru WRX Sportswagon, giving the Subaru WRX Sportswagon a 157L advantage.

For towing, the Subaru WRX Sportswagon leads with a 1,000kg braked capacity vs 750kg. That 250kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $1,682/year for the Audi A1 and $2,423/year for the Subaru WRX Sportswagon. That is a $741 annual difference in favour of the Audi A1.

Estimated annual total: $1,682 (Audi A1) vs $2,423 (Subaru WRX Sportswagon). The Audi A1 saves you roughly $741 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (Audi A1) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Subaru WRX Sportswagon). Both match on warranty length.