I had very little time and only drove an A1 S line on 45-section R17s (same as the wife’s car). The ride quality of the A1 was okay, but the wheels and tyres were as harsh on ridges as you would expect from that amount of rubber between the rims and the road. This test of the Ibiza FR Twincharger with the same DSG box gives you a good idea of what the A1 14TSI DSG will be like: www.honestjohn.co.uk/road-tests/seat/seat-ibiza-fr/

The problem with all DSGs is nothing to do with left-foot braking. VAG insists that you have to brake to move the lever from N to D, and that can often leave a hangover memory in the ECU to cut revs because the car is being braked. There is always some fuel in the engine that lets you jerk maybe two metres into the junction before the ECU cuts off fuel for a heartstopping second or two.