[msej449]

I'd say give it a chance and see what it's like in the flesh. I took a serious look at the Euro M135i while I was shopping for my M235i Convertible and really, the 1 Series is a good all-rounder and DD. 4 people can sit comfortably inside and with the rear seats down, it can carry a respectable load. And you can get a powerful engine and MSport model if you want that as well. The upside of the consistent interior design is that the environment isn't very different to the much bigger models.

I recently had a new 118d xDrive MSport as a hire car (thanks, Hertz Geneva!) and I was very impressed with it as an AWD cruiser and carrier: I'd rather have it than an X1/2/3. Yes, the Euro 1 Series handling isn't quite on a par with the 2 Series coupé but that may not be a factor if you do mostly urban/freeway driving.

For anyone new to the design, the 1 Series can look oddly foreshortened compared to the other Series. But once you start to see them in numbers on the road, they actually end up making the 3/5 Series look overly long for the interior space i.e. in the 3/5 you don't get that much extra internal space for the relatively longer external length (other than in the Touring).

So if you're shopping for a 2 Series then I think it's worth at least giving the new 1 Series a look too. In fact, I'd say that applies if you're looking at a 3 Series sedan as well.