Car of the Year: BMW 1 Series

Readers in the UK voted the BMW 1 Series the best car overall in the 2010 poll from What Car Magazine.  And I couldn’t agree more.  Not a single user gave less than 4 out of 5 stars for the car.  It is a brilliant car to drive, a car that is built for driving pleasure and puts smiles on people’s faces.

The BMW 1 series is return to BMW’s roots following the tradition of the 2002 and the original 3 Series.  Its styling cues are directly from the 2002.  But is a ‘lightweight’ 2 door coupe (also available as a 2 door convertible, 3 door and 5 door hatchback) that bring back the focus on the joy of driving.

But it has also won awards; the 118d (available in Europe) is a diesel that brings 50 US MPG.  Compare that to a hybrid such as the Toyota Prius that also gets 50 US MPG.  So you can see that BMW is committed not only to the joy of driving but also to the future sustainability of driving.

In the US you have available the coupe and convertible in two engine trims, the 128i and the 135i.  Both are powered by a six cylinder inline engine.  The 135i has the addition of turbo power to supercharge the engine up from 230HP in the 128i up to 300 in the 135i.  The base price is $29,450.  However, Kelley Blue Book has awarded BMW the best resale value luxury brand for 2011.  So while your initial cost may be higher, your total cost of ownership may be lower than expected.

Runner Ups:  Ford Fiesta, Chevrolet Volt, Mercedes-Benz SLS