BMW’s xDrive system does add a degree of extra ... The cheapest diesel model, the 316d, starts at £27,620 and the least money you can get away with spending to net all-wheel drive is £29,415 ...

Only the 114bhp 316d fails to crack 0-62mph in less than 10 seconds (10.7 seconds, or 11.2sec as a Touring) while 318i petrols, which kick off the range, are brisk enough to deliver an 8.9-second ...