I have been doing quite a few long journeys recently and when the trip computer registered 600 miles between fill-ups, I thought I was doing well, but that was just the start.

I finally filled up after 700 miles with still some left in the tank, meaning our 177bhp estate returned an average of 55mpg, just a whisker short of its 57.6mpg claimed figure.

This is better than some superminis and shows that all of BMW’s work on EfficientDynamics – a combination of aerodynamic improvements, energy efficient tyres and an innovative stop-start system to ensure maximum efficiency – has paid off.

With so many miles being added, I was keen to sort out a problem I was having with the tyre pressure warning system, which I couldn’t turn off despite the pressures being okay.

The helpful people at Sycamore BMW in Peterborough politely showed me how to manually reset it. Lesson – always read the handbook.

While I waited – and despite having no appointment – they fixed a rear ashtray which had been knocked out of its holder.

The work was carried out without charge and I was waiting less than 30 minutes.