BMW 1 Series 2017 Review

BMW has promoted its products as 'ultimate driving machines' in the past, but a small, four-cylinder hatch hardly fits that description… does it?

If M3 is a synonym for 'ultimate driving machine', then the BMW 120i Urban Line tested recently won't measure up.

For sheer breadth of ergonomic 'driving' ability, however, the 120i is right up there with more illustrious models from the same stable; it's very easy to drive and also very enjoyable, no matter how much (or how little) bravado from the driver.

But one element of the 120i's driving demeanour that let it down was the car's ride. The suspension was firm... to a fault.

Picture a 10-metre stretch of suburban road heavily used by trucks and resurfaced over ground that had subsided badly. At the speed limit (60km/h), the BMW dropped and then catapulted up, to the metabolic distress of two passengers on board and the driver.

The 120i's 18-inch alloy wheels are shod with 40-series Bridgestone Potenza run-flat tyres, which sharpen up the ride and amplify road noise.

But that's the concession for a mean-looking set of wheels and respectable cornering.

In respect of the latter, the BMW was everything one would expect. It was pleasingly precise in its steering (except on-centre, when it was a little prone to wander at speed).

Roadholding was impressive, with the 120i delivering grip to rival bespoke hot hatches. There was no hint of understeer at any time. The 120i turned in with verve and threatened to slip the tail out, until the stability control reined it all in.

With power applied the 120i just digs in and accelerates out of corners. The engine was responsive in the right sort of measure, whether balancing the car or just slotting into heavy traffic from a give-way sign.

Even from launch, the 2.0-litre powerplant responded quickly to a stab of the throttle and pulled hard, particularly in Sport mode. With the throttle wide open there was a bit of a burp from the exhaust on upshifts. It was an easy car to drive swiftly, with decent torque available in the mid-range, but a significant lift in power was apparent at speeds above 4000rpm.

And the engine was highly refined as well. While it sounded sporty under load and from the mid-range up, the turbocharged four-cylinder was subdued at low speeds, and would restart with very little cranking and associated rumble. There was the slightest hint of labouring at low engine speeds, but that was below 1500rpm and on hills. Even closing in on the redline the engine remained unfussed.

In fact, the 120i was exceptionally quiet across the board. Only at open-road speeds did driver and passenger notice any noise penetrating the cabin – and then it was tyre noise, not drivetrain.

Around town, the engine (posting a fuel consumption figure of 8.4L/100km for the week, according to the trip computer) offered commendable torque at even low revs, to hold higher gears with little trouble, which conserved some fuel.

The eight-speed automatic transmission was responsive and nicely geared to take advantage of the engine's power delivery traits. It was so good, in fact, that it felt short-changed without shift paddles. Sequential shifting was available through the lever and in manual mode the transmission shifted up automatically at the 6500rpm redline. It delayed downchanges until the road speed had dropped sufficiently to avoid the revs reaching for the sky, but always provided that lower gear eventually, without prompting from the driver.

The test vehicle was smartly presented in a lustrous colour BMW calls Midnight Blue metallic, complemented by the light-toned Dakota leather upholstery inside and the switchable ambient lighting that comes with the Urban Line trim.

Particularly impressive was the faithful reproduction of Melbourne's CBD – including the Punt Road Oval and the MCG – presented in wide-screen 3D through the car's Navigation System Professional, which comes bundled up with the optional Innovations Package ($3150).

But for all the good work, some of the BMW's comfort and convenience features didn't quite uphold the car's 'mini grand tourer' theme. The driving position in the 120i was not entirely to my liking. I felt the seat was a little flatter than I would have preferred, the seat base lacked shape, and it was either slightly misaligned or the pedals and footrest were skewed to the right. Whatever the case I couldn't get comfortable behind the wheel.

Furthermore, the manual height adjustment shifts the seat back when lowered or forward when raised. Although I understand the thinking – drivers longer in the trunk will likely be longer in the legs as well – I find it annoying nonetheless. If you first set up the seat for the optimal distance from wheel and pedals, you then have to readjust that length after adjusting the seat height.

And another reason to dislike BMW's fuel-saving ECO PRO facility – apart from anaemic power delivery in four-cylinder cars – is the climate control's inadequacy as soon as the ambient temperature climbs above 27 degrees. When the weather's warmer, just keep the Driving Experience facility set to Comfort or Sport.

In the rear there was adult-level headroom, but the knee-room was marginal even for taller teens. There were vents in the rear, but even in Comfort mode the climate control didn't live up to its promise, with a need to punch up the 'MAX' setting at temperatures starting from below 30 degrees.

Other than the issue with seat comfort, the 120i's helm was a very commanding post. Everything was easy to read and the switchgear was where one expected it to be (although buttons for the lane-departure warning and forward collision alert systems were out of sight, low on the dash to the right of the steering wheel).

BMW persists with a lever handbrake for the 120i, and it's placed very close to the driver's left leg, for those occasions nothing less than a handbrake turn will suffice. I like that it's there, and the iDrive controller is closer to the front passenger, but still within relatively easy reach of the driver.

The halogen headlights picked out objects in the distance, but the low-beam was yellowish after xenons and LED lights fitted to other cars driven recently, some cheaper than the BMW.

For a relatively small car, the 120i's boot is usefully large, easy to access and quite boxy for loading bulkier goods. Both the rear seats flip forward for even more load volume. But there's no spare at all under the floor – just battery – explaining how BMW designers have liberated so much space in such a small package.

After a week in the 120i, I concluded that it's an enjoyable drive – thoroughly agile and fun in the right sort of scenario. The test vehicle was very presentable and featured plenty of surprise-and-delight items. To cap it off, the 120i is a practical urban runabout that's easy to drive.

But the optional sports seats at $769 are probably well worth specifying.

2017 BMW 120i Urban Line pricing and specifications:
Price: $49,154 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 135kW/270Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 5.8L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 133g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP (2011)

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