Undeterred, BMW had a second stab at the class in 2004, when it launched the original 1 Series - and despite its challenging exterior design it proved an instant hit. The second-generation 1 Series of 2011 featured a more cohesive look, and like its predecessor it was unique in its segment for having rear-wheel drive. However, when the third-generation 1 Series arrived in 2019, BMW finally fell into step with rivals as it adopted front-wheel drive. Some were dismayed at the move, there's no doubt that this was the best 1 Series yet. History BMW ditched its historical preference for rear-wheel drive to make the 1 Series more practical, upsetting BMW fans despite most people who buy the car not caring either way. It's a bit like when McDonald's changed the way it fried its French fries – people complained for a while but they continued being popular. The BMW 1 Series has a decidedly posh looking and feeling interior and you get a decent amount of standard kit, too, although there’s not a great deal of personalisation The powertrain is a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 that delivers a peak 301 hp. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and powers all four wheels. Simulated engine sounds are played via the car's audio system to provide further excitement for occupants, and BMW said it revised the sounds to more accurately reflect the natural sound of the engine.

You can get the BMW 1 Series with a range of petrol and diesel engines; from the entry-level 1.5-litre 118i three-cylinder petrol that’s ideally suited to town driving to the 2.0-litre 118d version that’ll lap up longer motorway trips with ease. There’s a 265hp 128ti, which is front-wheel drive with an automatic gearbox and is a hoot. Finally, there’s a sporty M135i model that’ll sprint from 0-60mph in less than 4.8 seconds – although we’ve reviewed that separately. Deploying its many horses through that diff and into the front tyres, the 128ti records a 0-62mph time of 6.1s and tops out at 155mph. Not Slow, then. What is the BHP of the BMW 128ti? It was precisely that prospect that it appealed to again with the original 1 Series in 2004. This was a car that, like the Compact, shared mechanical componentry with the bigger 3 Series but was available in a much wider range of bodystyles than its indirect predecessor, and used a trademark BMW rear-wheel-drive mechanical layout to distinguish itself in what proved to be an increasingly popular market segment throughout the 2000s. You may well remember the car’s decidedly psychedelic TV ad campaign with its variously kaleidoscopic tortoises, wobbly legged foals and kids riding tricycles.The BMW’s interior doesn’t quite nail its premium-car brief for material appeal as effortlessly as some of its homeland rivals. It’s bettered by the A-Class for visual wow factor and for solid tactile quality feel, while the cool minimalism of the (admittedly now rather old) Audi A3 still carries a degree more sway with some of our testers. Still, overall build quality is largely good and ease of use is impressive.

BMW has issued just one recall for the third-generation 1 Series so far. It was announced in July 2020 and it affected just 39 cars made in February 2020, which could suffer from components working loose within the engine. Also affected by the same recall were some 2 Series Active Tourers and some 2 Series Gran Tourers. In some instances the parts could simply be tightened up, but the worst-case scenario was a new cylinder head being required. Driver Power owner satisfaction The least powerful was the 116d, with a 115bhp 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine, above which sat the 148bhp 118d and the 187bhp 120d, both of which were fitted with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. At first the 120d came only with an xDrive four-wheel drive transmission, but in March 2020 a front-wheel drive version was introduced. Sitting below the M135i xDrive and aimed directly at the VW Golf GTI, the front-wheel drive 128ti was introduced in November 2020, with a 261bhp twin-turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. Which one should I buy? Internal exhaust amplification features to further differentiate the 128ti from its lesser-powered counterparts, giving a “richly sporting aural experience for the driver”, according to BMW, without making the car any louder from the outside.Three contenders that are also worth a look are the Volkswagen Golf, the Mazda 3 and the SEAT Leon. The Golf is a semi-premium hatch that does everything so well, it's easy to recommend it against all sorts of rivals, whatever badge they wear. The Golf is good to drive, has a superb interior and it's eminently practical too. The Leon is related to the Golf, which is why it's also dynamically accomplished. It also has a user-friendly dashboard and interior, which just like the Golf is roomy and well made. The Mazda 3 might not seem like an obvious rival, but it has excellent build quality, sharp looks and is great fun to drive. The running costs are also low, but it suffers from cramped rear seats and a boot that's not as spacious as some rivals. What to look for Interestingly but perhaps not surprisingly, our tape measure also recorded a 30mm reduction in rear head room – from 940mm to 910mm. But while you do feel as though you’re perched to an even greater extent in the rear pews than you do in the front, there’s still enough head room here to ensure adults of average height can sit in comfort. During TopGear.com's time with the little BMW hot hatch, we hovered around the 40mpg region without really trying. Being impressed by fuel economy in a 261bhp hot hatch doesn't scream Captain Excitement, but for such a mature, well-rounded product, it pays to be sensible. There's always the i30N if you really like petrol stations. As with the previous BMW 1 Series, you’ll be able to have the new car with a manual or automatic gearbox, and with optional four-wheel drive for a little extra grip in slippery conditions. There’ll also be the option of some high-tech driver assistance systems to help keep you safe and take the stress out of long drives and trips in heavy traffic.