BMW 1 Series review

It's not as self-consciously jewelled as the Mercedes A-Class, or indeed a Peugeot 308 or DS 4. But the materials here are good quality and the aesthetic is satisfying. You get some twinkly ambient lighting, and actual aluminium plates around the vents and speakers.

In front of you is the usual BMW instrument pack, complete with angular speedo and rev-counter. After several years looking at this design we still find them harder to read than round ones. The screen space between can be set to show map, music, trip computer or driver assist info.

The other half of the screen is the touch area, and you can tile it to show a big map or a smaller one with assorted other info or climate. That and a swipe-down section means a lot of things can be set up as shortcuts.

Climate? Oh no…

Yeah, afraid so. BMW has done what almost everyone else seems to be doing at the moment and consigned those controls to the screen. The temperature is permanently displayed, as is a shortcut to the climate menu. But given the ergonomics of the 1 Series are largely spot on otherwise, this feels unnecessary.

On the centre console you do at least get hard buttons for drive mode, driving shortcuts, and demist. We’re not huge fans of the drive select rocker: it’s a bit slow to react, which can leave you looking a bit of a numpty in a car park when you’re trying to slip into a space and get out of everyone’s way.

Good seats are supportive. Increasingly so as you ascend through the grades: standard, M Sport, M135. The last of those has lit-up M logos and electric side bolsters.

Quick word on the key: BMW gives you a hulking great brick of a fob, and when you press the unlock button the car… doesn’t unlock. It’s a double press for that. Only takes a few failed handle grabs for that to get annoying.

How’s space in the back?

Headroom is fine for everyone and legroom is easily class-average. It's a bit dark behind the M135's tombstone seats though.

Boot space amounts to 300 litres seats up, 1,135 seats down. Weirdly, the quick one is also the most practical: the M135 xDrive has 380 litres to play with, on account of not having the hybrid gubbins of the entry car. Strange. That allows an almost flat floor that lifts up to reveal a compartment underneath. There’s a netted compartment on the right for odds and bobs.