BMW 1 Series 2019 Review

A reality check before we start: Are you reading this review prepared to pile on the new BMW 1 Series because its engine is mounted sideways in the engine bay?

Do you think every 1 Series variant should be an M-fettled BMW M140i?

Sorry, might as well say it right now: this car is not for you. Nor is the review.

BMW has essentially admitted it will forsake the roughly 30 per cent of buyers who purchased the M140i in the superseded (F20 generation) 1 Series. The new F40 generation of BMW 1 Series is at least a match for its existing transverse-engined rivals like the Mercedes A-Class and the Audi A3 in the areas where it counts.

Consider, for instance, the all-wheel drive flagship, the BMW M135i xDrive. It is not only more affordable than the Mercedes-AMG A 35 and the Audi S3, it also outguns the S3 and matches the A 35 for power, and produces more torque than both the rivals.

The story is much the same at entry level, with Audi's A3 undercutting the price for the new BMW 118i, but at the expense of engine output or equipment.

So the product planners at BMW appear to have their sums right, but what are the two new cars like to drive? Pretty good, as it turns out.

The three-cylinder engine powering the 118i is remarkably refined. When most other three-pot powerplants are labouring and grinding away at low speeds, the BMW triple is mostly as smooth as any prestige four-cylinder.

Many drivers wouldn’t pick this engine to be down a cylinder until it’s under load and revving harder. On light throttle it’s just so free of vibration and harshness.

It’s also a responsive engine, a little slow to get away from a standing start but quite lively once the turbo is on boost. Up to the 6500rpm redline, it’s still hauling and sounds more muscular than the 1.3-litre four-cylinder in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

Like its A-Class counterparts, the 118i drives to the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Apart from one instance, rolling back briefly on a slope, BMW’s DCT was very competent, shifting without any vices – no thumping or any other nastiness often associated with this type of transmission.

On a drive from Melbourne’s central business district to the north-eastern suburb of Diamond Creek, through peak-hour traffic and spending a brief spell on the Eastern Freeway, the computer in the BMW 118i posted a fuel economy figure of 7.8L/100km. Frugal enough!

That was after we killed the idle-stop system too. Frankly it was annoying in stop-start traffic. The three-cylinder engine bounces around a bit on start-up and shut-down, and the dual-clutch transmission lacks the 'fluidity' of a conventional automatic with a torque converter, so it was difficult to bring the 118i to a gentle stop.

And if – as happened on one occasion – the traffic ahead begins to move forward, prompting the driver to throttle up just as the idle-stop system is stalling the engine, it's a whole heap of compression-induced theme-park ride.

I'm not opposed to idle-stop systems in general, but the system in the 118i was frustrating in heavy traffic.

On the plus side, the serenity in the cabin of the 118i was in evidence on the freeway even over coarse-chip bitumen sections. Noise from the Bridgestone tyres was subdued, and the wind noise present was a consequence of the blustery conditions on the day, rather than any inherent shortcoming in the 118i’s design.

The BMW M135i xDrive performance flagship is quick and enjoyable, with performance on tap for instant gratification. There's a sporty exhaust note to enrich the experience too.

Despite lower weight and more torque (for the same power) than the Mercedes-AMG A 35, the M135i’s claimed 0-100km/h time is one tenth of a second slower ( 4.8sec v 4.7sec)..

Could that be due to the difference in transmissions? The BMW runs an eight-speed automatic with torque converter, versus the seven-speed dual-clutch unit of the Mercedes.

In a case of swings and roundabouts, the BMW does improve slightly on the A 35's combined-cycle fuel economy figure. The official figure for the M135i is 7.5L/100km, but our real-world figure – on a moderately demanding run (including overtaking) on a country-road run from Diamond Creek to Yarra Glen was 9.3L/100km. Still a reasonable figure in the circumstances.

Steering is light in both new BMW 1 Series variants and any front-drive traits are well disguised.

The 118i points directly and turns in promptly and the communicative chassis underpinning both models delivers handling that’s neutral and roadholding that’s secure, encouraging the driver to push a little harder – just for the fun of it.

Neither the BMW 118i nor BMW M135i threatens to scrub the front tyres, nor will either succumb to torque steer, and the ARB (a German acronym that translates to 'actuator contiguous wheel slip limitation' in English) system works an absolute treat in the 118i, which makes do without the M135i's all-wheel drive setup. ARB is standard in both variants.

This system was developed by BMW specifically to quash power-induced understeer in front-wheel drives. Unlike a conventional stability control system, the ARB processor resides in the car's engine management control unit, rather than within the stability control unit. There it can receive and send signals three times faster, which translates to 10 times faster response in the perception of the driver.

The sporty M135i feels great flung into a corner. It rewards drivers who press on harder and keep the boot into it. Again, no hint of understeer from this car.

There is a downside to the enthusiast-oriented chassis tune, however. Ride comfort borders on firm for country-road touring in the case of both cars (but shouldn’t trouble too many owners around town). This reflects the 10mm lower M Sport suspension specified for both variants sold in Australia.

Both 1 Series models provide a reasonably commanding but comfortable driving position, with the front seats in both cars very nicely shaped – and slightly more aggressive contouring in the case of the $63,990 BMW M135i xDrive.

BMW’s Live Cockpit Professional system, which combines the infotainment system and the instrument cluster in two graphics-based displays (not including the standard head-up display), provides all the information any owner could want.

Indeed, on first impressions, the $42,990 118i is very well equipped for the money asked.

More time behind the wheel reveals that the first impressions are not mistaken. The entry-level 118i comes with wireless charging for smartphones. At the launch, BMW announced that the standard Apple CarPlay would cost buyers $479 for a three-year subscription after the first year's free subscription had expired, but the importer has since chosen to provide CarPlay for free, even after the first year. BMW is yet to offer Android Auto connectivity in its model lines, however, including the 1 Series.

As clever as the driver-assist technology in the 1 Series is, the traffic sign recognition facility didn't react to the illuminated 40km/h signs operating in school zones during the drive program.

Rear seating offers more legroom than the previous (F20) generation of 1 Series, according to BMW. It certainly feels roomier than before.

Headroom front and back is adequate for adults of average height, although anyone over 180cm tall may find the headlining too close for comfort – even though BMW has set up the sunroof to open and slide back above the roof (rather than within the headlining).

There are no adjustable rear vents back there in the 118i.

In the migration to front-wheel drive, the 1 Series boot has grown by 20 litres, for a total volume of 380 litres. It's a useful size in a car as relatively compact as this, and there's a false floor to conceal additional storage underneath. This is made all the more useful by the lack of a spare tyre residing there.

Overall, the repackaging of the 1 Series with front-wheel drive has made a heap of difference to accommodation and practicality.

BMW has not dispensed with all the driveability traits from before, however, and that's got to be worth a tick of approval from those who remember how tiny and cramped the original (E87) 1 Series from 2004 was.

Just how the 1 Series directly competes with its Mercedes-Benz and Audi equivalents will be interesting – and bound to be the subject of comparison testing here at carsales soon.

How much does the 2020 BMW 118i cost?
Price: $42,990 (plus on-road costs); $43,298 (as tested with optional M Sports steering wheel, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 103kW/220Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 5.9L/100km; 7.8L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 135g/km
Safety Rating: Five-star (Euro NCAP, 2019)

How much does the 2020 BMW M135i xDrive cost?
Price: $63,990 (plus on-road costs); $68,710 (as tested with optional auto tailgate and Enhancement Pack, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 225kW/450Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.5L/100km; 9.3L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 171g/km
Safety Rating: Five-star (Euro NCAP, 2019)