Motoring Today
Side by side

Audi A1 vs Fiat 500

A side-by-side comparison of the used Audi A1 and Fiat 500 — price, real monthly finance, running costs and MOT reliability, all from live UK stock.

Reviewed by the Motoring Today Editorial team · methodology in our editorial standards.

Audi A1 or Fiat 500 — which should I buy?

The Fiat 500 starts cheaper (Audi A1 from £6,899, Fiat 500 from £5,495), with illustrative finance from £185/mo and £129/mo respectively. On MOT reliability they score 43% and 73% first-time passes. The full spec, running-cost and deal breakdown is below.

A1 from
£6,899
500 from
£5,495
In stock
7 vs 5
Audi A1 versus Fiat 500 on price, running costs and MOT reliability, from live UK stock. The best value in each row is highlighted.
From live stock
Audi A1
7 in stock · from £6,899
★ Best value overall
Fiat 500
5 in stock · from £5,495
Cheapest in stock£6,899£5,495★ lowest
Median price£8,995£7,990★ lower
From (per month)Illustrative, from live stock£185/mo (HP, 60 months, 21.9% APR)£129/mo (HP, 60 months, 12.9% APR)★ lower
Road tax (VED)Typical car in stock£200/yr£200/yr
Median mileage55,406 mi45,000 mi★ lower
Median year20172020★ newer
Median CO₂112 g/km★ cleaner114 g/km
Typical power123 bhp★ more68 bhp
Most common fuelPetrolPetrol
Most common gearboxManualManual
MOT first-time passDVSA history43%73%★ more reliable
Great/good deals in stockMotoring Today price rating2 / 72 / 5★ more
View all 7 A1 →View all 5 500 →

Motoring Today score

Our 0–100 vehicle-intelligence score: reliability is from real DVSA MOT pass rates, the rest from manufacturer specs (MPG/CO₂, insurance group, Euro NCAP, dimensions). Higher is better — the stronger side is highlighted.

ScoreAudi A1Fiat 500
Overall70/10071/100
Reliability6874
Running costs7280
Family & practicality7845
Insurance6082

A guide, not a guarantee — based on the sample of stock and MOT/spec records we hold for each model.

Specs, side by side

Manufacturer specifications across the Audi A1 and Fiat 500 trim range. The stronger figure is highlighted where there's a clear better/worse direction (dimensions are shown for reference only).

SpecAudi A1Fiat 500
MPG (combined)39–76 mpg42–83 mpg
CO₂ emissions97–168 g/km88–149 g/km
Insurance group1 (cheapest) – 50Group 9–38Group 3–19
Euro NCAP safety5 stars (2019)—
0–60mph5.6s9.7s
Power84–227 bhp68–105 bhp
Seats54
Doors53
Length3973 mm3546 mm
Width1906 mm1627 mm
Height1416 mm1488 mm

How we compare. The “best value overall” column and the cells marked ★ are chosen from live market data, running costs, DVSA MOT history and manufacturer specs — the side that wins the most comparable rows leads. Deal ratings come from the Motoring Today price model. Our methodology →

About the finance figures

Monthly payments shown are illustrative examples drawn from real quotes on cars currently in stock — the exact rate, term and APR depend on your circumstances, the lender and a credit check. They are not an offer of finance and are not a representative example of the total cost of credit.

Motoring Today is a trading style of Motor Genius Group Ltd (FRN 960504), an appointed representative of The Compliance Guys Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 941360).

Motoring Today is a credit broker, not a lender.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Audi A1 or the Fiat 500 cheaper to buy?
In current stock the Fiat 500 starts lower: the Audi A1 is available from £6,899 (median £8,995) and the Fiat 500 from £5,495 (median £7,990).
What are the monthly finance payments on the Audi A1 vs the Fiat 500?
Illustrative finance starts from £185/mo (HP, 60 months, 21.9% APR) on the Audi A1 and £129/mo (HP, 60 months, 12.9% APR) on the Fiat 500. These are examples from cars currently in stock, not offers of finance — the actual rate, term and APR depend on your circumstances, the lender and a credit check.
Which is cheaper to tax, the Audi A1 or the Fiat 500?
The most common annual road tax (VED) across Audi A1 stock is £200/yr, versus £200/yr for the Fiat 500 — so the Audi A1 is generally cheaper to tax.
Which is more reliable at MOT, the Audi A1 or the Fiat 500?
Based on DVSA MOT history across our stock, the Audi A1 averages a 43% first-time pass rate and the Fiat 500 73% — the Fiat 500 edges it on this measure.

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