2020 Audi A1 CityCarver is a city car that thinks it’s an SUV

Audi expanded the A1 lineup with a rugged-looking, Allroad-like variant called CityCarver. Developed largely for the European market, the CityCarver is aimed at urban motorists who are feeling symptoms of SUV fever, but who aren’t able to step outside of the city car segment for price or size reasons.

The CityCarver is based on the second-generation A1 Sportback, a pocket-sized hatchback positioned as Audi’s entry-level model in Europe and other global markets. It stands out with an offroad-esque design characterized by a model-specific front end with a new-look grille, gloss black cladding over the wheel arches and the rocker panels, plus aluminum-style accents on both ends. Alloy wheels bigger than the standard A1’s help raise the CityCarver’s ground clearance.

Speaking of, suspension modifications finish making the CityCarver a full two inches taller than the regular Sportback, but its off-road prowess is greatly limited by its front-wheel-drive powertrain. While technical specifications remain under wraps, it’s safe to assume the CityCarver is FWD-only because there are no Quattro emblems anywhere on it, and because it’s not part of the Allroad family even though it looks just like one. Viewed in that light, its name might indicate it can hop city curbs without getting its rocker panels carved into.

The visual modifications continue inside. Buyers can choose whether they want mint, copper, orange or silver accents on the air vents, the center console, and the door panels. From a technology standpoint, the CityCarver is identical to the A1. It comes with a 10.1-inch touchscreen that displays Audi’s intuitive MMI infotainment system, and a driver-configurable digital instrument cluster.

The Audi A1 CityCarver will begin arriving in European showrooms in fall 2019. Pricing information hasn’t been released yet. To add context, the A1 Sportback on which it’s based starts at 29,650 euros in its home country of Germany, a sum that converts to approximately $33,000. Audi doesn’t sell the regular A1 in the United States, so there’s no reason to expect the CityCarver will make the trip across the Atlantic.