We like
Enjoyable driving experience, crammed full of tech, superb road-holding and steering response, flexible 135 turbo performance, surprisingly roomy cabin and excellent driving position

Room for improvement
Wing mirror rustle, significant price increase for 135, less torque than before, jury’s out on benefits of dual-clutch transmission, HVAC might not handle Aussie summers, no spare wheel

Overview

 

IT HAS been 20 years and four generations since the F20 generation 1 Series was introduced to the BMW line-up.

 

Over the intervening years the car has become a more commuter focused offering, growing to offer ‘normal’ hatchback levels of practicality and performance, and eschewing the rear-driven setup that challenged segment rivals in the process.

 

That’s not to say the 1 Series has become less enjoyable in the process… it has not. But it has most certainly changed.

 

Like the third ‘F40’ generation 1 Series, the new ‘1er’ continues to ride on BMW’s UKL2 architecture shared with the Mini Countryman, underscoring the fact this is a heavily refreshed model and not an all-new car.

 

The five-door hatch is available locally with just two turbocharged petrol engines now, the 1.5-litre three-cylinder 118 (note the ‘i’ suffix is no longer) and the 2.0-litre four-cylinder 135 xDrive (all-wheel drive).

 

No longer is there a mid-tier 128ti and, sadly, no longer is there a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic.

 

From this month, the BMW 1 Series is available from $56,500 plus on-road costs – or $1700 more than the entry point to the outgoing line-up – in entry 118 form or $82,500 +ORC for the flagship 135 xDrive – an increase of $5900.

 

The duo is 42mm longer (to 4361mm) than the predecessor with a lower and deeper front bumper contributing most of the vehicle’s additional length. Height is reduced 25mm (to 1459mm) while width (1800mm) and wheelbase (2670mm) are unchanged.

 

Smaller kidney grilles and revised LED headlights complete the frontal makeover while at the rear the 1 Series receives a newly profiled bumper and LED tail-lights, and quad 90mm exhaust tips on the M135 xDrive variant.

 

Inside, the revised 1 Series features much of the styling cues offered in the X1 SUV, including a similarly shaped dashboard housing a single-piece curved instrument and infotainment display containing 10.25-inch and 10.7-inch screens. The system is powered by BMW’s latest OS9 software.

 

Equipment updates now see the 118 fitted with adaptive cruise control, adaptive LED headlights, automated parking, blackened trim highlights, heated front seats, a powered tailgate, and tyre pressure monitoring.

 

As noted, the 118 is powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine making 115kW (+12kW) and 230Nm (+10Nm) and paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission driving the front wheels. The 0-100km/h standard is listed at 8.5 seconds.

 

For the sporty M135 xDrive (from $82,500 + ORC) additions include front cross-traffic alert, front massaging seats, a heated steering wheel, lane centring and lane keep assist, and a premium Harman/Kardon audio system.

 

Power comes from a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine developing 233kW (+8kW) and 400Nm (-50Nm) paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (replacing the eight-speed automatic offered previously) and all-wheel drive.

 

BMW quotes a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 4.9 seconds (-0.1 seconds).

 

Optional equipment packages include the Enhancement Package ($6500) for the 118 variant comprising metallic paint, 19-inch M alloy wheels, panoramic glass sunroof, heated steering wheel, massaging front seats, Driving Assist Professional, and harman/kardon premium audio.

 

The M Sport Package Pro ($3200 on 118; $2700 on M135 xDrive) adds a black-painted roof, M Sport brakes, M Shadowline lights, M seatbelts, M Sport seats, and M rear spoiler.

 

Optional exterior finishes above Alpine White (solid) include Black Sapphire, M Portimao Blue, Skyscraper Grey, and Thundernight metallic hues ($1700), and Storm Bay ($3500), Frozen Pure Grey, and Frozen Portimao Blue ($5000) BMW Individual shades.

 

Further options extend to alloy wheel selections, upholstery types, and interior garnishing.

 

All BMW passenger vehicles are backed by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

 

Driving Impressions

 

Driving the new 1 Series through urban, highway and country roads highlights the flexibility of a model that was arguably at one time a little too ‘focused’.

 

Interestingly, that doesn’t mean the 1 Series has lost its playful handling and steadfast grip – just that it’s less of a burden in stop-start traffic than it perhaps was.

 

The now-standard adaptive dampers are part of the formula here, quelling unnecessary body movement with confidence while at the same time soaking up all but the largest of surface imperfections.

 

In a word, the ride compromise is refined, keeping tyre noise at bay and delivering feelsome and sweetly assisted steering that responds intuitively to driver input. There’s plenty of grip to be found – long before any sign of electronic intervention is required – the xDrive chassis a particular standout when stretching the 1 Series’ legs.

 

Performance is perhaps where it should be from the 118, with steady acceleration and relaxed highway cruising. But there’s not a lot in reserve, the engine working harder (and quite noisily) to keep pace in challenging terrain.

 

It’s a point we didn’t notice in the 135 xDrive. The figures show quite obviously that this is the performance model, though we did note less mid-range torque than in the predecessor, which is something we felt is lacking when pulling out to overtake at highway speeds.

 

Our all-dry course showed only a hint of torque steer in sharper cornering, the front-biased drive system otherwise well curtailed.

 

Perhaps with that additional 50Nm returned to the mill we’d have noticed a fairer comparison between new and old, but as it stands, the chassis outshines the predecessor considerably, meaning the lack of grunt is somehow rarely missed.

 

What we did miss, though, is the intake and exhaust note that seemed to be more evident in the F40 generation. Sure, it means the car is quieter – well, except for some wind rustle from the wing mirrors –but it also means it’s less involving, and in the full-fruit M pack we’re not so sure that’s a good thing.

 

The cabin is typically BMW – but not so typically 1 Series. To us, the cockpit feels more spacious than before, the less cluttered dash and console providing a sense of ‘openness’ that is at the same time more premium than before, with improved attention to detail across the areas you see, and even those you don’t.

 

It’s a décor that is very hard to fault, and one that is as cossetting as it is appealing. The relationship with the steering wheel and primary controls is excellent with driver vision likewise a strong suite.

 

Ancillary controls are easy to operate, though the touchscreen-for-everything arrangement may take some getting used to, particularly for those trading up from the previous model.

 

We also found the climate control system a little short of breath in dealing with a mild Melbourne summer day, the cabin borderline cool against an ambient temperature of just 27 degrees Celsius. As we noted in our 7 Series review last year, the German idea of air-conditioning seems at odds with our own, and is something we fear many premium buyers will come to realise too late…

 

Away from the climate control we note an acceptable level of passenger comfort in the second row of seats, again with a good view out. BMW says there’s as much as 42mm more 1 Series than in the predecessor, and from the back seat, we certainly believe it.

 

Further back again, the 1 Series offers 380 litres of cargo space that may be stretched to 1200 litres with the 60:40 split rear seats folded flat – both numbers unchanged from those of the outgoing model.

 

The BMW 1 Series does not come with a spare wheel of any description, instead providing a pointless can of goo.

 

Assuming you can live with the noted shortcomings of the 1 Series – and handle the not inconsequential price hike – we reckon you’ll agree that the smallest Bimmer is indeed a fun thing to drive.

 

With plenty of tech, and personality, it’s a fun-loving car that’s as rascally as it is refined; and from where we sit, that’s a damn good reason to buy one.