BMW M2 Competition review

The perforated-leather seats are strongly bolstered jobs with fixed head-restraints. Racy – the backrests adjust for width to clamp you into the action – but multi-adjustable for comfort too. Splashes of tricolour stitching and M regalia decorate the cabin, and BMW's classy black-panel digitised-analogue instruments are standard-fit.

But basically it's top-end 1-Series/2-Series in here. That means a good driving position, solid German quality and fine ergonomics, but not quite the style of an A-Class or the obsessive attention to detail of an RS3.

Instead the money went on the purist six-cylinder drivetrain. You get navigation as standard with excellent live traffic mapping. Online music is standard, but CarPlay extra, oddly.

That drivetrain means rear seat space isn't as good as some hot-hatches, and it's got only two rear seats not a three-seatbelt bench.

The decent-size boot is extendible by folding the seats, but obviously won't gulp tall objects like a five-door can.