The cars are: Audi A1 Sportback 1.0 TFSI 95 Sport; Mini Hatch 5dr 1.5T Cooper Pepper Pack and Volkswagen Polo 1.0 TSI 95 Bluemotion 5dr.

On the face of it, this should be an easy contest. The Mini Hatch has a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine with 134bhp. The Audi A1 and the VW Polo both have the same 1.0-litre engine putting out 94bhp. All three are three-cylinder engines, but that extra power and grunt should shade it comfortably for the Mini. But ‘should’ isn’t necessarily ‘would’.

The Mini Hatch Cooper certainly comes with a good array of equipment and spec, fitted as it is with the Pepper Pack. That puts it up against the same engine in two more overtly German cars. The A1 has the badge and the image while the Polo is one of the most popular small cars on the UK market.

Unsurprisingly, when you drive them together, the Mini comes out as the more powerful engine pretty much throughout the rev range. It’s quicker everywhere and the slightly notchy six-speed gearbox keeps it boiling nicely.

The surprise is how well the other two do. Sure they’re down on horsepower so they need to be revved harder and generally worked more, but if you do they respond well, whether you’re nipping through traffic or mixing it on the motorway.

The Mini Hatch Cooper handles as well as you’d imagine, with darting turn-in, fast steering and real agility. It’s also well composed on rough roads, a balance between firmness and suppleness. The Audi A1 Sportback isn’t far behind in the handling stakes, with even better steering. They’re both big fun for such small cars.

The VW Polo has thin Bluemotion eco-tyres so it runs out of grip earlier than the other two, but is the most comfortable ride under normal conditions and, partly as a result of the tyres, has light and precise steering. It’s also the quietest of the three, making it more relaxing over longer journeys.

Inside the VW has the bigger cabin, with more space for rear passengers. There’s also the best visibility thanks to the positioning of glass and pillars. Like all of them it has a well fitted and welcoming cabin, although the Mini does suffer from a slightly offset driving position that takes some adjusting and getting used to. The Mini also has the rather wackier interior of the three, as well as the best boot. The Audi is the classiest of all of them, but it does feel the most hemmed-in if you’re sitting in the rear.

How these three compare on price depends on how you’re paying. If you’re paying cash or it’s a company car then the VW wins but if you’re going for finance then the Audi comes out on top. The Mini is the most expensive whichever way you slice it.

This goes over into fuel consumption too, with the Mini managing 42.6mpg against the Audi’s 53.4mpg and the VW’s 56.5mpg. It’s worth pointing out that these figures are from the True MPG tests run by What Car?.

The Audi A1 is a good little car, and will work out the cheapest to own over three years if you buy it on finance, taking into account low depreciation and so on. It’s classy, handles well and the engine works supremely well in this iteration. It wins this contest narrowly.

The Mini Hatch isn’t that far behind, but it doesn’t win this contest like it apparently ‘should’. It comes with a fine selection of kit but it’s costlier to run than the others and isn’t far ahead where you imagine it would be.

The VW Polo has the larger and more comfortable interior, cheaper running costs and is cheaper to buy under some circumstances. It’s a solid performer in this class, although you could get a 1.2 SE model for even less money. We’re not sold on the Bluemotion trim as value for money nor the lack of grip from those skinny tyres.

Audi A1 Sportback

Engine size: 1.0-litre petrol

Price from: £16,950 (list)

Power: 94bhp

Torque: 118lb ft

0-62mph: 10.9 seconds

Top speed: 116mph

Fuel economy: 53.4mpg

CO2: 97g/km

Mini Hatch 5dr

Engine size: 1.5-litre petrol

Price from: £17,289 (list)

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 162lb ft

0-62mph: 8.9 seconds

Top speed: 129mph

Fuel economy: 42.6mpg

CO2: 109g/km

Volkswagen Polo

Engine size: 1.0-litre petrol

Price from: £15,410 (list)

Power: 94bhp

Torque: 118lb ft

0-62mph: 10.5 seconds

Top speed: 119mph

Fuel economy: 56.5mpg

CO2: 94g/km