I Love My Original Audi A2 - Will The New Ev Do It Justice?

I have an Audi A2 and I love it. I love it so much that I just spent four times as much servicing it as I did buying it.

Of course, I’ve never given Audi a penny, but I feel like somehow I’m invested in the A2 and what becomes of it. There are lots of people like me – which must be annoying for manufacturers.

Anyway, what about this new A2? Outside first. I like the profile, which is at once familiar and yet modern. It has been said the original A2 could be launched today with a few tweaks and still look relevant. Side-on, at least, that’s what this new one nearly is.

But why does it look like it’s eating a block of cheese? It’s electric, so it doesn’t need a huge grille. And the squinty eyes don’t look so friendly.

Read more | Everything you need to know about the new Audi A2

From the back, there’s the swooping roof that will soon be familiar and unmistakable. Nice. The wide tail-lights add a bit of visual girth and presence to a car that could otherwise seem tall and narrow. My A2 gets bullied by other road users because it looks meek; the greater public doesn’t know what a technical marvel and enthusiasts’ car the A2 actually is; they just see a small, tall hatchback ripe for being tailgated until it gets out of the way. It’s a level of meekness that I suppose the aggression-favouring Audi of today wouldn’t allow.

Anyway, overall I quite like the new A2.

Inside? I’m intrigued to know what the Softwrap fabric feels like. Other than its spaciousness, there’s nothing remarkable about the original A2’s interior, which was made from very sober materials and sensibly laid out.

I wonder, though, whether this A2 was too far along the development cycle for the recent arrival of Audi’s new CEO Gernot Döllner to have made a useful difference, because he has promised more round steering wheels and conventional buttons in the wake of screen fatigue.

I wouldn’t review a car without driving it, but I’m confident there aren’t enough buttons in here, the steering wheel is too square for me and it has haptic icons on its spokes.

I haven’t driven it yet, but I like a modestly powered, rear-driven EV that leaves the front wheels to just get on with turning and stopping and with a low centre of gravity and its compact size it could be good fun. I’m encouraged, anyway.

The proof of whether it’s a ‘worthy’ A2 successor is to be seen. I guess Audi will be happy if it is perceived to be one but only really satisfied if this time it makes some money.