BMW vies with Honda for title of manufacturer of the best engines in the world. Base model 1.6 is actually a 1.8, while 1.8 is a 2.0! Confused? Us too. Smaller one is a tad underpowered for your expectations, but the rest of the range is smooth, powerful and tuneful – and that includes the diesel units.

Rear wheel driven but nowhere near as tail happy as in days of old – you’d be hard pushed to tell which end was driven but it’s safe and well-balanced yet still sporting, particularly the more potent or Sport spec models.