BMW 1 Series review
The latest, front-wheel drive BMW 1 Series is fun on the road and comes with a good choice of engines. They are equally at home commuting between your home and city office, or loading the kids and all their bags in for the school runs. Keep reading for our full road-tested BMW 1 Series review for more detail.
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Pros
- More practical than previous generations
- Good to drive
- Economical engines
Cons
- Can be more expensive than rivals
- Ride can be firm
Interior
Our rating: 9/10
From the driver’s seat, it doesn’t matter which version of BMW 1 Series you end up choosing – you’ll get a well-built interior that’s going to stand the test of time.
Tech and features
As standard on the 1 Series, you get sat-nav, all-round parking sensors and auto LED headlights.
Higher trims (Sport and M Sport) add climate control, electric seat adjustment, leather and carbon fibre, and a larger infotainment screen. It’s all rather nice no matter which 1 Series you choose.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available on the most recent cars, as is a Harman Kardon upgrade to the audio system, which bumps up the speaker count to 16 – wind down the windows and blast out your favourite Meatloaf song for all to hear.
Performance
Our rating: 8/10
Handling and ride comfort
BMW is well known for making cars that are enjoyable to drive, and the 1 Series is no exception.
Expect good handling and refinement, a firm but well-judged ride and steering that actually lets you know what’s going on beneath the front wheels.
The latest model switched from rear- to front-wheel drive (more powerful models are four-wheel drive), which actually made little difference to how the 1 Series performs, despite purists being aghast.
Engines and power
The entry-level petrol engine (the 118i) is a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder unit. It can get the 1 Series from 0-62mph in just under nine seconds, so you can imagine just how good the M135i is.
There’s nothing sloth-like about the diesel engines, either.
Practicality
Our rating: 6/10
Storage solutions
The 1 Series has room ahead of the gear lever for your phone, while there’s space for bottles and larger cargo in the door bins and glovebox, plus a cubby between the front seats – so you’ll have a spot for everything.
The rear doors have narrower bins, and there are nets on the backs of the front seats.
Boot space
Boot space is par for the class at 380 litres – that’s enough for several bags of shopping or a family trip to the beach.
The split rear seatbacks (60/40 on the earlier 1 Series and 40/20/40 on some of the newer cars) fold to expand the boot to a maximum of 1,200 litres, which isn’t the best in class but isn’t far off.
Rear seats
Rear legroom in the older 1 Series is at a premium for tall adults, with room similar to that of a budget airline.
The newer car’s switch to front-wheel drive allowed BMW to free up more than an inch (33mm) of extra legroom, although headroom back there is still a little tight for the tallest.
Running costs
Our rating: 8/10
Fuel economy
Of the petrol engines, the 118i is perky yet will average 47.1mpg, according to the latest WLTP figures.
The 120i is a more conventional four-cylinder engine, and is slightly less efficient. The later M135i dips into the low 30s if you take things easy.
BMW's diesel engines tend to be able to achieve up to around 60mpg on a long run, but don't expect this around town.
The verdict
Interior
9/10
Performance
8/10
Practicality
6/10
Running costs
8/10
We love how BMW’s smallest hatchback is every bit as fun to drive and has the same quality interior as its larger siblings.
In fact, if passenger-carrying isn’t a priority there’s no reason why you shouldn’t choose the 1 over them.
The 1 Series has the maximum five-star rating from crash safety experts Euro NCAP, which makes it ideal for young families, commuters and couples.
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