Should you buy one?

If you want a smaller car that feels genuinely upmarket, you’ll struggle to beat the BMW 1 Series. The quality of its cabin is impressive, and its digital displays and general technology are among the best around, particularly in a car at a lower price point. You will also like it if you prefer a sportier feel, both in terms of the way it looks but also the way it drives. 

As usual with the 1 Series, it’s a case of being genuinely excellent in places, with a number of flaws that might be annoying to newcomers to the marque, but shouldn’t put off existing fans of the brand. However, the 1 Series is not quite up there with the very best family hatchbacks on purely rational grounds. It’s really not all that spacious, the ergonomics aren’t great in places, and the lack of choice (or plug-in hybrid) in this class seems detrimental to its future success. 

Having said that, it’s still a very likeable and appealing option for your monthly payments, and we won’t be surprised to see it continue to be a big seller for BMW.

What we like

We love much about the 1 Series’ interior. The quality is up there with cars twice the price, and the Curved Display screens not only look great but are intuitive and easy to use. The sportier driving feel of the 1 Series is also a key attraction, as is the availability of the M135 if you want a hot hatch that you can use the performance of in all weathers. 

What we don’t like

The ride of the 1 Series is just too firm, and feels quite unsettled on our dreadful road surfaces – luckily it does smooth out the harder you drive it. We also dislike the over-reliance on the touchscreen, especially for the climate control and lighting systems. Then there’s the limited choice of engines and lack of plug-in hybrid especially means we can see buyers opting for the Mercedes A-Class an Audi A3 over it, while last-but-not-least, it’s not very spacious even for a compact hatchback – the boot of the mild-hybrid being particularly small.