It is no secret that the first 1 Series arrived back in 2004, and I hated it. It was boring with soft lines and a front like a hob nailed boot with sad eyes. The interior was just not pleasant. Yes the seats were nice and the driving position was good, it was still a BMW after all, but on the whole I think it felt cheap. Gone were the soft plastics and the refinements of the 3 Series. The interior had that minimalist look that I can do without. I drove it for ten minutes on a motorway, and handed the keys to my mate to let him drive it the rest of the way back. People raved about the handling, that it was still a rear wheel drive, or that it was a great entry level BMW, but for me it was the equivalent of fast food chicken nuggets (boring and dull!). I hated it so much, I didn't drive another 1 Series until the F20 came out in 2011. 

This was a vast improvement from the outside. The lines were sharp, the front looked alert and ready for action. The wing mirrors looked liked they had been designed at the same time as the rest of the car. The interior had improved. Not by much, there were still some hard plastics and the minimalist design was still prevalent, but it no longer felt as cheap. This time when I got it out on the motorway it felt much the same as the old, but on the way back I got diverted onto a country road full of pot holes and right angled bends. The ride was hard with run flats and sports suspension, but a strange thing happened, I started to have fun and smile. This was why people had raved over the first ones. The spirit of BMW had not missed this car. A few years later when I needed a small commuter car I remembered that drive and went out and bought one. 

Well eight years later and it's time for the third generation of the 1 Series. I have to admit I got a little exited to see what BMW was going to do with their little hot hatch. After all Mercedes have worked wonders with the A class, turning it from a reliable ugly cheese wedge into one of the best little luxury cars on the market. I like what I see. The larger grill brings it in-line with the rest of the BMW range and although they have lost a little of the flat sharp look of the second generation, it is stylish from front to back. The interior is a vast improvement. It still has a bit of a minimalist look, but now it has been brushed with the future. The display now does not look out of place, and the new ambient lighting is a lovely touch. 

Of course there are still things I don't like. Yes it's the lack of rear wheel drive. This is a front wheel drive and to a lot of BMW purists that means this is just not a BMW. The 2 Series grand tour is a front wheel drive, and not great if you have to pull out of a junction quickly; it niggles a little and the electrics kick in. I know it is a bit of an old fashion view these days to want a rear wheel drive car. People want more room in the back and having a hump makes carrying three people a bit of a squeeze, but there is no hybrid option yet and what about doing a rear wheel drive electric? 

I just hope that when I do get to drive it down a twisty country lane I will still get a 1 Series smile.