SecondhandSense/BMW 1-Series:By the standards of BMW's current line-up the BMW 1-Series has hardly been a shining success. What started out as a clever move to enter the volume hatchback segment and compete with the likes of the VW Golf and the Opel Astra has become something of a struggle to maintain the car's appeal.
Perhaps the car's profile and its price have put people off. The Golf may have been around for a long time but it has remained popular for a reason - it is a very attractive car. The 1-Series is a distinctive looking car, but not a distinctive looking BMW car. It is long and too angular by comparison to its competitors and somehow lacks the kind of presence one expects from a BMW.
The 1-Series has been around for more than two years. It comes with a choice of engines, four- and six-cylinder petrol units with 1.6- and 1.8-litre capacities. There is also a 2.0-litre diesel.
It's a good car to drive. It has rear-wheel-drive (a typical BMW attribute) - but the bulky transmission tunnel means interior room is more limited. The configuration is a five-door hatchback layout with good access and a comfortable interior. Rear space, however, is compromised - again because of the tunnel and sloping roofline. Boot size, too, is limited.
Ride is good and handling very good. The basic 1.6 engine is not the most exciting with an output of only 115bhp. As you move up through the engine options, things improve. The 150bhp from the bigger petrol engine and the 163bhp from the 2.0-litre diesel are impressive. The car is well equipped when it comes to controlling any excess forces - there is ABS, stability control, active steering and braking and cornering controls.
Although it looks like a heavy car, it is not. It is agile in corners and brisk on the open road, at least when powered by the bigger engines. One thing to note about the 1-Series is that it does not have a spare tyre and runs on run-flat tyres. These do not last long when punctured and are expensive to replace.
The car has a four-star EuroNCAP crash test result rating. It did not achieve five stars because the loads on the driver's chest were high in the frontal impact but better in the side impact test. Surprisingly, the car was criticised for its child protection being "only fair". Pedestrian protection was "dire".
Like other BMWs it has had a good reliability record; however, a tiny number of cars have been recalled for a problem axle control arms but there have been no major faults so far.
A 2004 petrol version with 1.6-litre engine and alloys, metallic paint, all the electronic safety devices, multiple airbags, a CD player and 33,000 miles on the clock is on offer for €19,975. A 2005 diesel with the 2.0-litre engine and the same equipment, with 12,000 miles on the clock, is on offer at €28,575.
FOR:BMW quality
AGAINST:Poor interior space, an identity problem and expensive to buy second-hand