When it was launched in August 2000 I struggled to understand why anybody would buy an Audi A2. Its stubby bonnet, blunt rear end and high roofline hardly endowed it with great looks. The meagre choice of engines, a 1.4 litre petrol and 1.4 litre diesel, offered nothing in terms of driving excitement, and its high list price and tiny discounts made it expensive to buy.

But talk to an Audi A2 owner and they will wax lyrical about the car’s superb build quality and, in the case of the diesel at least, incredible fuel economy. They like the variable service intervals, which mean petrol-engine cars need servicing about every 20,000 miles while diesel models can manage 30,000 miles. But the trump card was the fact that despite the A2’s relatively high initial purchase price, a slower than average rate of depreciation made it cheaper to own than many cars with a lower list price.

However, that trump card is about to be removed. Audi has announced that prices across the A2 range are being “revised”, which means new A2s are up to £2,000 cheaper than they were. This is good news because when new cars get cheaper, used cars do as well.

The A2 remains the world’s only volume production car to feature a body shell built entirely from aluminium. This makes it around a third lighter than its rivals, which helps fuel economy. It also means the body can be built to more exacting engineering tolerances, so panels fit more tightly and noise suppression is better.

The fact that the A2 is so well built means you will be very unlikely to end up buying a problem car second-hand. Instead you can invest your energy in making sure you pick the right model.

The 1.4 petrol and diesel units both produce 75bhp, but with much better torque the diesel model is the superior drive. In addition, its three-cylinder turbocharged engine can return over 20mpg more than the petrol, which will soon cover the £500 premium you’ll pay for a used example.

In July 2002 Audi added a 1.6 litre petrol engine to the line-up. Using FSI technology, which injects fuel directly into the cylinders, on paper at least it provides good power and levels of economy close to that of a diesel. Unfortunately the reality is less impressive and at low to mid-range revs the engine feels flat. Push the revs and it starts to pick up but you pay the price with noise and harshness.

The canny buyer’s next big choice is trim level. The standard specification isn’t bad, with four electric windows, front and side airbags and alloy wheels, but you’ll need to step up to an SE to get the all-important climate control. The most expensive model, the Sport, has no climate control but sits on larger 17in alloys and has sports seats and firmer suspension, none of which do much for ride comfort. So the best bet is a used SE model, which is nicely appointed, comfortably sprung and around £900 cheaper than the equivalent second-hand Sport.

Since the A2 is a relatively young car in the marketplace, most used examples still pass through the hands of dealers, so it’s worth starting your search at www.audi.co.uk. But remember that while used A2 values have been firm hitherto, it’s now time to start asking for a discount.

Rear seat Completely removable for increasing load space

Boot Large 390-litre boot is bigger than that of a Mercedes A-class or Ford Focus

Wheels Alloys standard on all versions. Sport models sit on larger 17in wheels

Emissions 1.4 TDI emits just 116g/km of CO2 and so qualifies for the £80pa vehicle excise duty (road tax)

Access High side-sills can make entry and exit awkward

Servicing Variable service interval means that many one or two-year-old cars will still not have visited a garage for routine maintenance

Air-conditioning Digital climate control is standard on the SE model

Driving position Steering wheel adjustable for reach and rake, seat adjusts for height

Bonnet Essential fluids can be checked and refilled through front grille

Total sold in Britain since 2000: 17,293

Radio Cars built between 2000 and 2001 often suffered from poor LW/MW radio reception - remedied on later models

Safety NCAP four-star performer, antilock braking, traction control, front and side airbags are all standard

Vital statistics

Model Audi A2 1.4 TDI SE
Engine Three-cylinder, 1422cc
Power 75bhp
Transmission Five-speed manual
Fuel 64.2mpg (combined)
Acceleration 0-62mph: 12.3sec
Top speed 107mph

The one to buy

Audi A2 1.4 TDI SE, 2000 X-reg with 40,000 miles. Pay £7,850 at a dealer with a 12-month warranty, or £6,750 privately


Or for similar money...

2001 Y-reg Mercedes-Benz A170 CDI
2000 V-reg BMW 318tds Compact
2001 51-reg Renault Scenic 1.9dCi Privilege
1999 T-reg Honda CR-V ES Executive
2001 51-reg Citroen Picasso 2.0HDi Exclusive

Values



Source: estimates based on confidential CAP black book prices. ‘Trade’ is what a dealer would pay to buy your car; ‘Retail’ is what you would pay a dealer