It drives well, but is it for all the family?

ROAD TEST BMW 116d 5dr URBAN SPORT:THERE'S nothing quite like going out with a bang, and that's how BMW signed off the last generation of its 1-Series. Engineers at the car firm's legendary M Division created the phenomenal 1-Series M coupé. It's an incredible car that deserves pride of place in any lottery winner's garage – those in the Motors team who drove it still talk as if time behind its wheel was a quasi-religious experience.

It was a grand finale for a car that, in its more mortal state, didn’t really rock the motoring world. Like a host of other premium small hatchbacks, it struggled to justify the added expense of a premium brand in a price-conscious market where the mainstream models are very good.

The first generation of the 1-Series was not without its flaws. Interior space was cramped, particularly in the rear. The ride was hard and skittish on back roads, and the interior fit and finish was not at a level you’d expect for a car touching on €30,000.

The good news is that the Bavarians seem to have taken the criticisms on board and have come up with a new generation of the car that, although still small, is far more in tune with the brand’s DNA.

The look is not to everyone’s taste. The front nose seems too big for the rest of the car, making the squat hatchback’s rear look even more compact. Opt for the Urban specification, with its coloured grille, and it looks like you’ve attempted some half-hearted tribute to Pimp My Ride.

The relatively low roof line remains off-putting to family buyers, despite the fact that rear seat legroom is now adequate for two adults, while larger rear doors make it easier to get in and out.

However, the biggest issue with the rear seats remains the transmission tunnel that runs through the car, making the middle rear seat relatively useless.

Which brings up a wider debate about the 1-Series and BMW’s DNA: how many of its owners actually know their cars are rear-wheel-drive, and do they really get any advantage from it?

According to Norbert Reithofer, the company’s chief executive, 80 per cent of the 1-Series hatchback owners surveyed thought their cars were front-wheel drive.

It’s an extraordinary statistic, considering BMW has long regarded the rear-wheel format as integral to the brand’s offering.

Reithofer revealed the survey results last year, partly as justification for the decision to develop a front-wheel-drive platform for future BMW city cars, the first of which is the all-electric i3. Whatever the reasoning behind the statement, it raised serious questions about BMW’s devotion to the rear-wheel-drive format.

To the brand’s aficionados, the very idea of a front-wheel drive BMW is sacrilege. Yet you do have to wonder if the profile of 1-Series owners comprises the eager young drivers who put sports dynamics ahead of practicality. Certainly for the 1-Series coupé that is probably the case, but for the hatchback version you would have to wonder.

Before BMW fans have a meltdown, I’m not advocating an end to the rear-wheel-drive format. It’s part of what makes the 3-Series one of the best mid-range saloons on the market, and the 5-Series the king of its class.

But on models such as this small family hatchback you have to weigh up the advantages it brings to the car’s weight balance and handling against the added costs and sacrifices in terms of interior space.

In defence of rear-wheel-power, the most impressive feature of the second generation 1-Series is its handling and ride. The damping on poorly surfaced back roads is a vast improvement on the outgoing model, and it is one of the most accomplished new cars we’ve come across this year in terms of cushioning out the worst bumps and ruts.

That’s not to say the 1-Series has gone soft. The chassis is still more sporting than its rivals, managing to both damp out the worst ruts while limiting body roll. It’s an attribute that puts it well ahead of the opposition. It’s as if the car was developed with Irish roads in mind.

It also scores highly in terms of steering prowess. The new electro-mechanical power steering is a major improvement on the outgoing model and, when using the Drive Performance Control system, you can opt for either comfort or sports mode, depending on your mood, with noticeable differences in steering feel between the two. Purists will undoubtedly take issue with yet more electronic input into the car’s mechanical DNA, but the end result is a nicely weighted steering that still keeps you in touch with the road.

The 1-Series engine range has been overhauled, reducing weight, improving power output and lowering fuel consumption and emissions. They’ve basically ticked every box, and the end results are impressive. The 116d might not be the most potent performer in the range, but it is very refined and well-suited to a car of this size. An output of 116bhp looks underwhelming on paper, but the car is no slouch, while a combined fuel economy of 5.4 litres/100km (52.3 mpg) is on a par with most rivals.

The new 1-Series offers a more entertaining drive and more supple comfort than its rivals. Its sharp handling is well mated to impressive and frugal powertrains.

Measured against the likes of the Mercedes B-Class, Lexus CT200h or Volvo C30, this car takes the lead. Yet if you are not fixated on having a premium badge and cast this car in among its mainstream rivals, there are others, such as the Alfa Romeo Giulietta and the Ford Focus, that can match its on-road fun while offering better family car practicality.

The new 1-Series is much better suited to Irish roads than its predecessor, and it offers improved performance and a more refined and roomy cabin.

From the driver’s seat it’s the best of the premium family hatchbacks on the market, even if it fails to match up with mainstream rivals in terms of practicality. And here once more we come to the potential customer base for the 1-Series. Would they really baulk at a front-wheel-drive format if it meant more legroom in the back and more interior space? How many of them really test the car’s dynamic appeal? Would they even notice, so long as the BMW badge was up front? Or would they be far more likely to buy if there was a bit more legroom in the back?

Factfile

ENGINE1995cc diesel engine putting out 116bhp @ 4,000rpm and 260Nm of torque @ 1,750rpm

PERFORMANCE0-100km/h: 10.3 seconds

ECONOMY5.4l/100km (52.3mpg)

EMISSIONS117g/km (€104 motor tax)

FEATURESStandard on all: vehicle stability control; traction control; six airbags; brake force display; driver comfort package (€679) includes Servotronic Steering, park distance control; cruise control with brake function

PRICE€30,290 (starts at €26,790 for 116 ES petrol version)

RIVALSAudi A3 Sportback 2.0 TDI 140bhp Sport – €30,995 (motor tax – €104); Lexus CT200h Dynamic – €31,450 (motor tax – €104); Mercedes B180CDI Sport – €32,775 (motor tax – €156); Volvo C30 D2 1.6D R-Design – €27,595 (motor tax – €104)

OUR RATING 8/10

Much-improved ride, pin-point steering and quality powertrains make up for compromised styling