Hot Wheels EXCLUSIVE BMW SERIES SET OF 8 RED BMW M1, WHITE '92 BMW M3, ORANGE BMW E36 M3 RACE, GREEN BMW 2002, BLUE BMW M3 GT2,SILVER BMW M3, GRAY BMW Z4 M, AND BLACK/SILVER BMW K1300 R

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BMW ditched its historical preference for rear-wheel drive to make the 1 Series more practical, upsetting BMW fans despite most people who buy the car not caring either way. It's a bit like when McDonald's changed the way it fried its French fries – people complained for a while but they continued being popular. The new 1 Series is a pleasure to drive around town, the steering is light and the expansive windscreen and front side windows make placing the car into tight spaces no problem at all.

First, a note on the 128ti’s boot space. It measures 380 litres with the seats folded up, and 1,200 litres with the seats folded down. BMW M135i gains improved handling and exhaust note BMW M135i gains improved handling and exhaust note COMFORT AND ISOLATION With more interior space than ever before and plenty of practical touches, the 1 Series makes for a great compact family car. Although adults won’t find much spare space in the rearThe trim levels are SE, Sport and M Sport. SE models have 16in alloys, LED headlights, climate control, front and rear parking sensors and an 8.8in infotainment screen. The new BMW 1 Series is more spacious than the preceding model, in fact it feels hardly any smaller than the 3 Series from behind the wheel. The seats feel comfortable, with plenty of adjustability and the controls are all logically laid out and within arm’s reach. The centrally located starter button is just where you need it, but you may initially be pawing at the dashboard until you get used to its new location. Boot space is up from 360 litres to a Volkswagen Golf-rivalling 380 litres, too, and can extend to 1200 litres with the second row folded down. There is a small lip to navigate but a handy removable false boot floor too, so loading and unloading items is a painless undertaking. Under the real boot floor, meanwhile, you’ll find a bit more storage space as well as a puncture repair and first aid kit. Every 1 Series gets a 10.3in infotainment screen operated by pressing icons on the touchscreenor using the rotary iDrive controller and shortcut buttons by the gear lever.

Aside from the M models (reviewed separately), the 128ti is the range-topper of the 1 Series offerings. It comes with a 265bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and will sprint to 62mpg in just 6.1 seconds. Its combined fuel economy rating of 40.9mpg is commendable but inevitably trails the rest of the 1 Series range. Its BIK rating falls between 36-37%.The 150bhp diesel engine has a surprising amount of shove out of slow bends, but you will want the punchy 265bhp 128ti for its standard limited-slip diff (this limits wheelspin out of corners) and sportier suspension setup for the most fun.

Optional extras range include enhanced Bluetooth with wireless charging, a 750-watt Harman Kardon sound system and the always-useful parking assistant. The active guard plus driver assistance system comes as standard, but for a more comprehensive active safety system you will need the optional Driving Assistant. It includes blind spot detection, a city brake function and rear collision prevention. A touch-screen infotainment system with BMW Connected satnav. it's compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, so you can easily sync your state-of-the-art smartphone to your car It worked flawlessly throughout. Indeed, when TopGear.com asked the 128ti if we could be friends, it replied "I think the two of us make a great team". It may be the smallest BMW, but the 1 Series feels just as solid and planted at higher speeds as its bigger stablemates. It is quiet, refined and even the base 1.5-litre engine is responsive and energetic at motorway speeds. On a twisty road It may be front-wheel-drive, but this little BMW still handles with precision and even the sportier trims offer a comfortable ride In town

Interestingly but perhaps not surprisingly, our tape measure also recorded a 30mm reduction in rear head room – from 940mm to 910mm. But while you do feel as though you’re perched to an even greater extent in the rear pews than you do in the front, there’s still enough head room here to ensure adults of average height can sit in comfort. The M135i is four-wheel-drive (and can accelerate from 0-62mph in just 4.8s), while the 128ti is only front-wheel-drive. How fast does the BMW 128ti accelerate?

Three contenders that are also worth a look are the Volkswagen Golf, the Mazda 3 and the SEAT Leon. The Golf is a semi-premium hatch that does everything so well, it's easy to recommend it against all sorts of rivals, whatever badge they wear. The Golf is good to drive, has a superb interior and it's eminently practical too. The Leon is related to the Golf, which is why it's also dynamically accomplished. It also has a user-friendly dashboard and interior, which just like the Golf is roomy and well made. The Mazda 3 might not seem like an obvious rival, but it has excellent build quality, sharp looks and is great fun to drive. The running costs are also low, but it suffers from cramped rear seats and a boot that's not as spacious as some rivals. What to look for The powertrain is a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 that delivers a peak 301 hp. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and powers all four wheels. Simulated engine sounds are played via the car's audio system to provide further excitement for occupants, and BMW said it revised the sounds to more accurately reflect the natural sound of the engine. Deploying its many horses through that diff and into the front tyres, the 128ti records a 0-62mph time of 6.1s and tops out at 155mph. Not Slow, then. What is the BHP of the BMW 128ti? Things are a little tamer inside, but the BMW 1 Series’ minimalist dashboard and 10.3-inch infotainment display look more modern than the equivalents in the old car’s cabin. It’s easy to get the hang of and comes with plenty of bang-up-to-date equipment too, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, optional gesture controls and BMW’s personal assistant system. The latter is similar to the A-Class’ ‘Hey Mercedes’ feature.The BMW 1 Series may have made the switch to front (and four) wheel drive but this change hasn’t diluted its appeal – the smallest BMW is still great to drive. The 1 Series also has increased space inside and offers a range of efficient yet punchy engines. The entry-level 136bhp 1.5-litre petrol-powered 118i matches the Mercedes A-Class in power and performance while being slightly more frugal at 49.6mpg overall vs the Merc’s 47.1mpg. The base Audi makes do with just 110bhp, but there is also a 150bhp model which is more comparable in performance and fuel economy. In essence, these German rivals are very evenly matched when it comes to entry-level models. This also sees the 1 Series switch from longitudinal to exclusively transverse-mounted engines for the first time. One three and two four-cylinder powerplants make up the diesel line-up, in the 116d, 118d and 120d xDrive (read all-wheel drive) models, with power outputs ranging from 114bhp to 188bhp. On the petrol front, there’s the range-topping M135i xDrive and the 1.5-litre three-cylinder fitted to our entry-level 118i. In a BMW factory. Actually, two BMW factories, one in Leipzig – where the very first ‘F40’ generation 1 Series rolled off the line – and the company’s Regensburg plant. Both of these are in Germany. What’s the difference between the BMW 128ti and the BMW M135i?