BMW 1 Series 116d ES 5dr Car Review - February 2012

With a smooth six-speed manual gearbox, the 116d ES feels comfortable and responsive on the road and copes with any road surface with ease. The front-engine, rear-wheel drive setup gives the car fantastic body control as well as good grip and balance and this makes handling easy and fluid.

The engine is also smooth and quiet and there is little noise generated by the suspension. Road noise is also hushed, making the car a quiet and pleasant place to be. Wind noise becomes an issue at motorway speeds.

In terms of performance, the 116bhp engine propels the car to 62 mph in 10.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 124 mph which is more than sufficient for a standard hatchback.

The 1 Series’ interior fails to match up to the elegance of more expensive BMWs and it is clear that functionality has been prioritised over appearance. Although better looking than its predecessor, the 1 Series is still an awkward looking thing and, let's face it, the only reason you would buy one is because you can't afford a 3 Series.

As far as kit goes, the 116d ES comes with alloy wheels, climate control and a stereo system with MP3 connectivity as standard alongside optional extras of leather seats for £1,115, Bluetooth for £200 and rear parking sensors for £345. Unfortunately, there is no option for satellite navigation which is disappointing on a car of this price.

The 116d ES is a well built car and achieved a strong rating in the 2011 JD Power survey. On top of this, safety levels are fairly high and the car comes with driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags all as standard fittings. It also benefits from traction and dynamic stability control whilst BMW's 'Efficient Dynamics' technology utilises braking, electric power steering and an automatic start-stop function to make the car waste less energy.

To protect the vehicle from theft, an alarm, immobiliser, remote central locking and deadlocks all fitted as part of the car's security kit.

Despite the high levels of safety the car is fairly impractical and offers fairly restricted rear leg room and a small boot.

The 1 Series 116d is a fairly pricey hatchback at £20,195 but running costs are much lower than average due to the ‘Efficient Dynamics’ technology and this is a real benefit.

Fuel economy is impressive at 62.8 mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 117g/km are amongst the best in the class, putting the car into road tax band C. Insurance premiums should also be affordable with the 116d ES falling under insurance group 17.

However, the high purchase price and lack of standard equipment could still be a deterrent for some buyers, especially when the limited room in the back seats is taken into account. This means that for those after an efficient hatchback from a reliable manufacturer, this is a great option whilst those looking for a better specification and lower purchase price are likely to look elsewhere.