2019 Audi A1 features advanced infotainment

Infotainment appears to be the new battleground in the premium hatchback market and Audi is the latest brand to weigh in. The German car maker has revealed its next-generation A1 will feature state-of-the-art in-cabin tech to rival the new, technologically advanced Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

A teaser clip on its social media pages shows the 2019 A1’s large MMI Touch infotainment system, first seen in the bigger Audi A6 and A8 models, embedded in the dashboard.

The brief clip shows a passenger using their finger to pen “Barcelona” on the screen, which is a nod to Catalonian capital where the A1 will be revealed later this year, and to the nearby SEAT plant in Martorell where it will be built.

The image doesn’t show if the instrument cluster features the fully digital Virtual Cockpit system, which, like MMI Touch, is only expected to be standard in the higher-spec variants.

Other take outs from the image are the climate-control buttons and dials in place of the touchscreen panel included in the bigger models, while the yellow trim surrounding the air vent suggests some kind of interior customisation package has been optioned, similar to the Audi Q2.

Audi’s smallest model will share the MQB A0 platform with the Polo and SEAT Ibiza, but with more advanced multi-link chassis and sportier chassis tune. It will also be bigger than its relatives, with a longer wheelbase and wider body.