BMW 1 Series 116d ES 3dr Pre-Model Car Review - February 2012

Although the 1 Series is sometimes a touch too firm, it offers a rewarding driving experience. The front engine and rear-wheel driven chassis provides fantastic body control, good grip and balance.

The engine is smooth and quiet and the road and suspension noise is also hushed - although there is a little wind noise on motorways. At times the 116d sometimes feels a little laboured, which is where the 118d might be a better investment.

The 116 bhp engine propels the car from 0-62 mph in 10.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 124 mph which is fairly good for car of its class and calibre but stronger performance credentials are available from other models.

The 1 Series’ interior is a little dull and austere but the quality of the materials used is excellent. It's not the best looking car in the world on the outside either with a van-like profile and some strange styling choices.

The ES model comes with alloy wheels, MP3 connectivity and a stereo system as standard with a vast list of optional extras available. This is to be expected of a BMW and leather seats, climate control, rear parking sensors and Bluetooth connectivity will set you back £1115, £400, £350 and £250 respectively. These options do not include satellite navigation and paying for all these additional extras will affect the cost considerably.

The car also comes with BMW’s ‘Efficient Dynamics’ technology which utilises braking, electric power steering and an automatic stop-start function to reduce wasted energy.

The 1 Series rated well in the 2011 JD Power survey and BMW is famed for the reliability of its cars.

The 116d ES comes with a good range of safety features as standard. These include driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags as well as traction and dynamic stability control, an alarm, an immobiliser, remote central locking and deadlocks.

In terms of practicality, the 116d is short on leg space in the rear seats although it does have more boot space than before, thanks to a longer and wider body. Boot capacity with the seats in place totals 330 litres, expanding to 1,150 litres when the seats are folded down.

Although the 116d ES is quite an expensive hatchback considering the lack of equipment, running costs are lower than average, due to the ‘Efficient Dynamics’ technology and the £19,240 purchase price is still reasonable for a BMW.

Fuel economy is impressive at 62.8 mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 118g/km are amongst the best in the class. However, the 118d model is a better option as it comes with a greater range of features and equally good efficiency for only a small additional cost.