are not the average pair of superminis – not with eight driven wheels and more than 500hp between them. They couldn’t be better suited to wet, windy, craggy Welsh B-roads, really. But which is better-suited to the task?
The GR Yaris and A1 quattro are incredibly close on paper, too. The old Audi makes 256hp and 258lb ft from its 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo; the Toyota produces 261hp and 266lb ft from its 1,618cc triple. The A1 quattro officially weighs 1,300kg DIN, with the Yaris rated at between 1,280kg and 1,310kg. There are just two tenths between their 0-62mph sprints, less than 10mph difference in their top speeds, and a solitary mile per gallon in their official fuel economy figures.
It feels right at home in Wales. The steering actually delivers some sensation, which makes placing the little bruiser a real pleasure, and the gear ratios are just about exploitable enough to make the most of its burly performance. As with the S1, the A1 quattro feels like it has an engine larger than it should , always able to go faster than the situation requires.
Typically with these comparisons, it’s the older car that feels friskier, lighter, a little flimsier and far more alive, but not this time around. The GR’s doors feel half the weight of the A1’s as they slam in the gale, and the Audi’s lovely, knurled metal climate control dials make the Toyota’s look 20-years old. It’s only the larger infotainment screen – creating that daft letterbox view with a tiny gap between it and the rear-view mirror – that makes the Yaris seem more modern.
I did the VAG 4WD rally limited production thing in an earlier attempt - a Golf G60 Rallye, which in 2 years of ownership, spent a total 6 months of the road due to appalling engineering Thus I'll take the Toyota & their reputation for reliability over the Audi all day long
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