Category: Small Family 
Price Range: £16,415 to £25,800
Fantastically good to drive, fuel efficient, distinctive looks, five-star NCAP crash test score
Rear-drive layout means less space inside, more expensive than class rivals
In a class that tends toward the worthy and dull, here is a feelgood car with a real difference
The 1-Series comes with reinforced B-pillars and side impact beams, plus rigid crossbeams and pillars to protect during a roll over. EuroNCAP has scored five stars for occupant safety, with three for child protection but only one star for pedestrian protection. The six airbags include side curtain and side airbags.
Optional xenon headlights are complemented by daytime running lights and Adaptive Headlight technology. At the rear, dual-stage lights (incorporating LEDs) glow brighter over a larger lens area depending on the pressure applied to the brake pedal.
There's also DSC (Dynamic Stability Control), which applies a brake to the appropriate wheel if sensors detect the car beginning to lose control.
Latest Readers' Drives About the BMW 1 Series
wrote on 10 10 2007
wrote on 23 02 2007
wrote on 20 06 2006