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BMW kick-started the premium small-hatch sector in 1993, with the E36 3 Series Compact. But that car never really captured buyers’ imagination, and while it sold in reasonable numbers, it didn’t match the popularity of the 1996 Audi A3.
As a result, that arch-competitor is often credited with creating the premium small-hatch sector, even though BMW got there first. On the back of its rival’s tremendous success with the original A3, BMW came back for more with the first 1 Series in 2004, and the model’s instant acceptance led to the second-generation, more cohesively designed 1 Series of 2011. When the Mk3 arrived in 2019, it was the best yet, despite (or maybe because of) BMW switching from rear to front-wheel drive.
History
THE third-generation 1 Series arrived in September 2019, as a five-door hatchback. Petrol choices included the 118i, with a 138bhp 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine, or the
