Small car over $35,000

BMW 125i M-Sport

European makes currently dominate the Small Car Class over $35,000 and, for many buyers, it is their first step into the prestigious world of luxury car brands. The category represents a relatively small but highly competitive field of premium grade compact cars.

The BMW 125i M-Sport started out as defending champion and, after all facts and figure were closely analysed the classy 125i managed to retain its crown, despite some tough competition from Audi, Volvo, Mercedes, Renault and Alfa Romeo, with Lexus and Toyota flying the flag for the Asian brands.

The 1-Series follows BMW’s traditional, beautifully balanced driveline configuration with a front mounted longitudinal engine, mid-ship transmission and rear-wheel-drive, in a class packed with front-wheel-drive models.

In recent times, BMW 1-series buyers have preferred to pay a little more for the extra power and better equipment in the mid-spec 125i M-Sport model, making it the top-selling version in the range.

There is a touch of sporting elegance and refinement about the 125i M-Sport 5-door hatch, both in the way looks and drives. The distinctive body styling and interior presentation are smart, BMW uses high quality trim materials, and there is a pleasing attention to detail in the fit and finish.

Continuing the slightly sporting character, the 1-series has a cockpit-style cabin layout. It’s a touch tighter on space than some of its peers and is probably best described as cosy rather than cramped. Well-contoured front seats, with a wide range of adjustments, provide great comfort and support.

The 125i hatch is a superb everyday drive, with the technically sophisticated 2.0-litre bi-turbo petrol engine delivering almost hot-hatch performance. Sharp, nimble handling, good steering feel and excellent cornering grip are backed up by a well-controlled ride that is firm but certainly not harsh, making it an involving and enjoyable driver’s car under all conditions.

A well matched eight-speed automatic keeps the engine working in its most effective range and fuel consumption is relatively low, although it still lags slightly behind the hybrid models.

The 125i M-Sport five-door hatch provides the prestige small car buyer with an enjoyably dynamic, high-quality, well-rounded package for everyday use. Although not the cheapest in its class, the 125i M-Sport boasts a relatively high level of standard equipment for this class and its excellent suite of advanced safety features help it achieve a five-star ANCAP rating.

New car warranty is only a basic three-year cover, which is similar to many others in this class, but well below what many manufacturers are offering in other classes. The other area where the 125i falls a little behind is its relatively high depreciation should you intend to sell the car after five years.