WHEN the first press pictures of BMW's second-generation 1-Series were issued, I have to admit that I had a distinct feeling of deja vu.

To me, it looked just as ungainly as the first 1-Series. But just as the looks of that car grew on me, I'm beginning to warm to the new one.

In fact, I think I'm going to like it better. What's more, it's bigger and more luxurious inside and the engines, variously utilising High Precision Direct Injection and Brake Energy Regeneration to deliver outstanding levels of economy and performance, are even more efficient than before.

It'll be interesting to see how the car's image develops as more are seen on the road.

At the moment it's positioned as a more sporting alternative to cars like the Audi A3.

Unlike most of its rivals, the 1-Series is rear-wheel drive, and one consequence of running a transmission tunnel through a compact hatch is inevitably rather compromised accommodation.

So BMW has loosened the 1 Series' belt a little.

It's 83mm longer, 14mm wider and 30mm longer in the wheelbase than the car it replaces.

This means that rear-seat passengers benefit from a further 20mm of legroom. In addition, there's a good deal more storage space, with large front door pockets, two cup holders on the centre console and a roomy glove compartment.

And there's 30 litres more luggage space compared to its forerunner, taking the total to 360 litres. Fold the 60/40 split rear seats flat and this can be increased to a maximum of 1,200 litres.

Build quality seems to have improved as well, with more substantial plastics used throughout.

BMW's much-improved iDrive system features on all models from SE level and now features a higher-definition, 6.5-inch flat screen.

The shark-nosed exterior styling takes a bit of getting used to, but most would agree that the profile now looks a lot cleaner, with the banana curve of the old car's sills being straightened while the rear end looks a good deal more muscular with tidier detailing.

You've got used to the styling, you can live with the car's dimensions and you love the way it drives.

Here's the big but.

The 1-series isn't cheap. Prices start at £19,375 for the petrol-engined 1.6 ES and BMW's entry-level trim specs have never been particularly generous, but the latest 1 Series isn't too bad in this regard.

Expect to find satin silver interior trim and Move cloth seats, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, chrome exhaust and keyless start.

Step up to SE specification and highlights include iDrive, a Bluetooth hands-free facility with USB audio interface and a multi-function leather steering wheel with a speed limiter function.

The Sport trim level features sports seats, a leather sports steering wheel, high-gloss black interior trim with Coral Red or grey accents, 17-inch star-spoke alloy wheels, dark chrome exhaust pipe and high-gloss black kidney grille, a central air intake trim, side intake surrounds and rear bumper trim.

Another badge that might not be so familiar is Urban, which relates to the model with Metro cloth/leather seats, leather sports steering wheel and an acrylic glass interior trim in black or white with Oxide Silver accents.

The exterior is finished with 17-inch V-spoke alloy wheels and a chrome kidney grille with white slat sides and trim bar for the central air intake.

There are many bigger, cheaper and quicker cars than BMW's 1-series but few that feel quite so polished without entering into the realms of silly money.

It feels like an Apple iPod, expensive but reassuringly solid and something worth looking after.