BMW has – by its own admission – fallen short of market leadership in the premium small-car segment, left in the wake of Audi's A3 and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

But the revamped 1 Series has been priced and equipped to change that, with a mild facelift also bringing gains to value, thanks to the inclusion of new standard gear, as well as a a rejigging of variants.

Sports-minded buyers are also being targeted by the brand, which plans to drive home its rear-drive advantage, while they still have it.

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