Category: Small Family 
Price Range: £22,030 to £29,615
Agile, elegant, brilliant engines.
Poor rear leg room.
A great car to drive.




The 1-Series Coupe is the first BMW to come with the full set of Efficient Dynamics attributes, including energy-saving electric power steering and ancillaries that operate only when required, such as the air con unit and water pump. There's also Auto Start Stop, which can turn the engine off in stationary traffic, and Brake Energy Regeneration, a system that recharges the battery when the car is slowing down but disconnects the alternator during acceleration, thus reducing the load on the engine so that power is increased and fuel use reduced. Not all versions get the complete set, though, with the 135i missing out on Brake Energy Regeneration, for instance.
The 120d achieves 58.9mpg on the combined cycle, and its CO2 emissions of 128g/km put it in band C for road tax. The 123d is also in band C, with a CO2 rating of 138g/m, and its fuel consumption is almost as impressive as the smaller diesel's at 54.3mpg. The 135i's figures reflect its scorching performance: 30.7mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 220g/km.
BMW's servicing is relatively affordable for a premium brand, but insurance tends to be on the high side.