The new BMW 1-Series will surely tell us. It is central to a BMW's being that it should have a front engine, rear-wheel drive (the odd 4x4 notwithstanding) and a roughly equal front/rear weight distribution. That way driving delight lies, and we shall erase BMW's front-drive Mini from our minds as rather spoiling the argument. Or perhaps we should view the rear-drive philosophy with more pragmatism: in a class bound by convention, and in a world containing few genuinely duff cars, anything that sets a product apart from its peers is a USP to be cherished, and will surely generate sales to those bored with sameness.

So it doesn't matter that it has cramped rear quarters, an intrusive (make that cocooning) transmission tunnel and a compact boot. That long bonnet, beneath which the front wheels are pushed well forward, looks oddly old-fashioned on a hatch, but it suggests an emphasis on engine and motion that should please us. Which leads on to the vexed question of the styling, the product of one Chris Chapman (his was chosen out of ten proposals). It looks disjointed and possibly about to melt in most pictures, but in the metal it looks about 300 per cent better (thank goodness).

It looks, in fact, as if it could be a Z4 hatchback. The interior has a similar angular simplicity with an aluminium slash across the dashboard and the same curved crescents to form the door-pulls. And in an ironic piece of volte-face, the centre console is angled a little towards the driver as it was in the past. BMW dropped that idea a while back as being too driver-centred and passenger-excluding, but then it remembered who it was and what it purported to make (Ultimate Driving Machine and so on).

A 3-Series or even a Z4 driver would feel right at home in the 1-series. But how would, say, a Focus graduate feel? The high sill and low seat give an immediate air of dynamic intent, bolstered by the feeling of front wheels far ahead. That's the key difference; the sense of aiming as much as steering. But don't expect the sonic ecstasy of a smooth straight six, because there aren't any yet. BMW won't be drawn on their arrival, but we should probably expect them first in the 2-Series coupe in about two years' time. That could lead to an M2, but we are assured there will be no M1 - they've done that already.

With starter button pressed, one of four possible engines will come to life. These are a 1.6-litre with double VANOS and a paltry 113bhp (the 116i); a 2-litre with Valvetronic and 148bhp (120i); a 2-litre turbodiesel with 120bhp (the 118d, don't ask); and another 2-litre turbodiesel with more fuelling and boost pressure to make a petrol-beating 161bhp (120d).

That mega-diesel also has a splendid 251lb ft of torque, which cements its place as the hot-rod of the range. It is this one, in Sport spec with optional 17in wheels, and thus the stiffest test of ride quality, that I try first. First impression? Turbo lag; where's all that torque? This is swiftly followed by a fine surge of acceleration, punctuated by smooth, tight shifts through the six-speed 'box. The driveline is a model of good behaviour (not always the case in BMWs) and yes, all that torque makes for ankle-flexing overtaking effortlessness.

Something is missing, though. The cornering balance is impeccable, the sense of rattle-free structural integrity is admirable, the way the suspension tracks a bend is uncanny, the way the tyres find grip on a damp surface is a paean to the tyremakers' art. But where is the promised steering feedback? True, there's no intrusion from front-drive forces, but on first steering movement there's no intrusion from anything else, either. Just blind precision and a cosmic turn-in. This makes the 120d curiously hard to position at first, although once in a bend the steering's weighting does correspond with the forces felt by other body parts.

Good, then, but not a religious experience from the god of rear-wheel drive. (Strange, as some 3-Series BMWs - most notably the four-cylinder Compact - steer so naturally.) The ride feels promising, too, albeit on smooth tarmac. So I try the 120i, lighter in the nose, crisper of accelerator response, obviously much keener to rev, sweeter on the ear.

That's better. Not as fast but more pleasing, especially as the steering's power assistance fades into credible feedback more naturally. The feel of this 1-Series is indeed a unique treat in this class, but is it actually better than that of a Golf, an A3 or a Focus? Not better, no. Just different, and good in its own way. And that's reason enough to give it a try.