BMW 325ti Sport Compact

Is it a whole month since my last stab at irony went over so many heads? Let's redress the balance with a bit of seriousness, then. Last month we took our BMW 325ti Compact on a group test with a few other hot hatches like the Ford Focus RS and the Subaru Impreza Turbo. And this has thrown up an interesting point. It has to be said that using the criteria we did for said group test, the BMW didn't come out too well. Sort of last, in fact. Which is a bit tough on a car that was thrashed all the way up to Anglesey and back, mashed around the circuit there and still has to deal with day-to-day life as a Top Gear long-termer. Which it does exceptionally well. It still feels tight, sorted and quick, and driven in isolation is a damn fine car. And this is the whole point of having a long-term car, to see what they're like when you have to live with them. And I like this one. A lot. Colin Ryan