BMW 1 Series Hatchback

Not the most comfortable of cars because the ride can be jittery at times. Most versions are also stuck with doll's house rear seats and a Rubik's Cube-sized boot. Space in the front is fine though. Looks, the saloon looks pretty darn good when optioned properly, and the convertible is clever and solid, but the 1-Series hatch always looks like you couldn't afford a decent BMW 3-Series. So not cool, actually. Solid BMW build makes this a premium thing to sit in and own. Nothing wrong here. Rear-drive makes the 1-Series one of the most satisfying small cars to thrash about in, but the lack of a limited-slip diff can be frustrating in the higher-powered cars if you really want to play. Great steering and a superbly controlled body are the key components. The boot is tiny in the hatch at 330 litres, making it almost feel like it's from a class below. There's precious little room in the back too. Better to think of this as a small driver's car than the most practical of hatches.