Singaporeans love a Cat A car, and with COE prices as they are, it's not hard to see why. With a plethora of options out there that all cost a pretty penny, buyers have earned the right to be picky.

But if you're in the mood to pay a bit more, the BMW 1 Series deserves a spot on your list.

Although the overall silhouette remains similar, what the current fourth gen model has over its predecessor is sharper angles all round, lower positioned kidney grilles, smaller headlamps, and larger air intakes.

And the upgrades continue on inside, with a full revamp making it look neater and more resolved. For instance, the Curved Display now houses both the instrument cluster and infotainment screens together, while the air-con vents are minimised to the point of being mere slats on the dash.

Despite falling into the Cat A category, the 116 offers more performance than before, with its turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine coughing up 121bhp and 230Nm of torque. But where it shines is when the road gets curvy, with the BMW engineers slapping on solid axle mounts, highly preloaded anti-roll bar mounts in the front and rear, and a new front strut brace.

While some may find a gripe with the design of the new 1 Series, or the fact that the wheelbase remains the same, one cannot deny that the combination of its well-judged chassis tuning and accurate steering, along with a bump in torque, result in a hatchback that spurs the driver to take it for a longer spin. And given its sensible day-to-day practicality and high build quality, it's plenty deserving of being the top dog in its segment.