Personal Car Lease:
£305.42 (inc. VAT)
Initial payment: £2748.74 (inc. VAT)
Business Car Lease:
£254.38 (exc. VAT)
Initial payment: £2289.42 (exc. VAT)
MUST be delivered by 31.12.23
Excess mileage charges apply. Full Maintenance & Tyre quotes available on request
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Disclaimer: The Standard Equipment, Colour and Trim, Options and Technical Data shown below is provided by a 3rd party. We therefore encourage you to check this information at the manufacturer's website before you place an order. E&OE.
| Active guard plus | Driver Convenience |
| Attentiveness assist | Driver Convenience |
| BMW ConnectedDrive online services | Driver Convenience |
| BMW Teleservices | Driver Convenience |
| Check Control warning system for monitoring of lights and door/luggage compartment open warning | Driver Convenience |
| Cruise control with speed limiter | Driver Convenience |
| Eco pro mode | Driver Convenience |
| Front axle single joint with specific axle kinematics to minimise drive influences on steering + provide increased rigidity agile driving behaviour | Driver Convenience |
| Integrated owners handbook | Driver Convenience |
| Lane departure warning system | Driver Convenience |
| Oil sensor for level and grade | Driver Convenience |
| On board computer | Driver Convenience |
| Optimum shift indicator | Driver Convenience |
| Personal Profile | Driver Convenience |
| Pull away assistant | Driver Convenience |
| Rigidly mounted rear subframe - Multi link construction with separate spring / damper configuration and excellent driving characteristics | Driver Convenience |
| Speed limit Info including no-overtaking indicator | Driver Convenience |
| Aluminium lightweight construction | Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension |
| Anti roll bar front and rear | Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension |
| Balancer shaft | Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension |
| Double VANOS twin scroll turbocharging system | Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension |
| Drive Performance Control | Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension |
| Electronic differential lock | Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension |
| High precision injection | Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension |
| M sport suspension | Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension |
| Petrol Particulate Filter | Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension |
| Twin tube gas filled shock absorbers with degressive characteristic curve | Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension |
| VALVETRONIC engine management | Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension |
| DAB Digital radio | Entertainment |
| Auto dimming rear view mirror | Exterior Features |
| Automatic headlight beam throw control | Exterior Features |
| Automatic windscreen wipers and automatic headlight | Exterior Features |
| Body colour door handles | Exterior Features |
| Body colour mirror caps | Exterior Features |
| Body colour roof trims | Exterior Features |
| Chrome 'M' logo side designation | Exterior Features |
| Chrome exhaust twin tailpipes round 90mm in left | Exterior Features |
| Chrome kidney grille frame with Satin Aluminium struts | Exterior Features |
| Direction indicator side lights in exterior mirrors | Exterior Features |
| Electrically adjustable exterior mirror with mirror adjustment switch on drivers armrest and aspheric on driver side, convex on passenger side | Exterior Features |
| Fading support | Exterior Features |
| Folding side mirrors with auto dimming/folding wing mirrors with auto dimming | Exterior Features |
| Follow me home headlights | Exterior Features |
| Front and rear bumper system with replaceable deformation elements | Exterior Features |
| Front and rear electric windows with open and close fingertip control, anti trap facility and comfort closing | Exterior Features |
| Front door sill finishers in black plastic with M designation in metallic look | Exterior Features |
| Green tinted heat protection glazing | Exterior Features |
| High gloss shadowline window frame, Recess cover mirror frames and B/C pillar embelisher trim | Exterior Features |
| High level third brake light | Exterior Features |
| Integrated front windscreen with washer jets | Exterior Features |
| LED daytime running lights | Exterior Features |
| LED eyebrow turn indicators | Exterior Features |
| LED front fog lights | Exterior Features |
| Lightweight engineering | Exterior Features |
| Matt black air guide grilles | Exterior Features |
| Matt black wheel arch trim | Exterior Features |
| Model designation on electric bootlid | Exterior Features |
| Nearside reverse light in rear light cluster | Exterior Features |
| Preparation for high beam assistant | Exterior Features |
| Rear fog lights | Exterior Features |
| Rear side wing doors | Exterior Features |
| Rear window wiper | Exterior Features |
| Shark fin antenna | Exterior Features |
| Trailer stabilisation logic | Exterior Features |
| Visible VIN plate | Exterior Features |
| Welcome lighting | Exterior Features |
| 12V power socket in front centre console with blanking plug | Interior Features |
| 3 rear seat head restraints | Interior Features |
| 3 seat bench in 2nd row | Interior Features |
| 3 spoke sports leather steering wheel in black leather with black stitching and decorative finisher in pearl chrome, specific M badge + leather knob | Interior Features |
| Anthracite headlining | Interior Features |
| Black boot net with lashing eyes | Interior Features |
| Cargo function on 2nd seat row | Interior Features |
| Child seat ISOFIX attachment for two outer rear seats and front passenger seat with anchorage points | Interior Features |
| Conditioned based service | Interior Features |
| Driver and front passenger backrest net on rear | Interior Features |
| Driver and front passenger seat heating | Interior Features |
| Driver side folding compartment in instrument panel | Interior Features |
| Folding rear clothes hook | Interior Features |
| Four grab handles integrated in roof lining | Interior Features |
| Front and rear door pockets with bottle holders | Interior Features |
| Front and rear side armrest integrated into door trim | Interior Features |
| Front armrest | Interior Features |
| Front sports seats | Interior Features |
| Gearshift lever with M designation | Interior Features |
| Glove compartment | Interior Features |
| Height adjustable front head restraints | Interior Features |
| Luggage compartment for bag hooks on left and right, foldable luggage compartment liner and four lashing eyelets | Interior Features |
| Manual adjust steering wheel | Interior Features |
| Multi-function controls for steering wheel | Interior Features |
| Single front passenger seat | Interior Features |
| Storage compartment in centre console | Interior Features |
| Storage compartment in luggage compartment | Interior Features |
| Stowage of the parcel shelf in luggage compartment trim | Interior Features |
| Sun visors with vanity mirrors and insert tab | Interior Features |
| Two front centre console cupholders | Interior Features |
| Two zone automatic air conditioning | Interior Features |
| Type C two USB ports in rear centre console | Interior Features |
| Velour floor mats | Interior Features |
| Additional interior lighting pack - 1 Series | Packs |
| BMW live cockpit professional pack- 1 Series | Packs |
| Connected pack professional - 1 Series | Packs |
| Interior lights pack - 1 Series | Packs |
| M Sport exterior styling aerodynamics pack - 1 Series | Packs |
| 2 tone horn | Passive Safety |
| 3 point seatbelts on all seats, front pyrotechnic belt tensioners, stopper and belt force limiters, rear coded belt buckles | Passive Safety |
| Airbags - Front driver/passenger, front and rear curtain head protection, front side, manual deactivation of front passenger airbag | Passive Safety |
| Anti lock braking system (ABS) with brake assist | Passive Safety |
| BMW emergency call | Passive Safety |
| Brake drying | Passive Safety |
| Braking readiness | Passive Safety |
| Child proof locking system in rear door | Passive Safety |
| City braking function | Passive Safety |
| Comfort modes | Passive Safety |
| Cornering brake control | Passive Safety |
| Crash sensor activating of airbags,Unlocking doors,hazard warning lights,fuel cut off,interior lighting+activation of safety battery terminal clamp | Passive Safety |
| Driver and front passenger seat belt security check | Passive Safety |
| Dynamic stability control + (DSC+) | Passive Safety |
| Dynamic Traction Control - DTC | Passive Safety |
| Electrically operated hand brake | Passive Safety |
| Front and rear disc brakes | Passive Safety |
| Seatbelt warning | Passive Safety |
| Side impact protection | Passive Safety |
| Tyre pressure monitoring system | Passive Safety |
| Warning triangle and first aid kit | Passive Safety |
| Central locking switch for all doors, fuel filler cap and luggage compartment | Security |
| Deadlocking function system to all doors | Security |
| Drive away locking system on all doors and luggage compartment with de-activated in iDrive settings | Security |
| Locking wheel bolts | Security |
| Remote control with integrated key with High-gloss Black inlay and M designation and 1 button for open/ close lock, window, open luggage compartment | Security |
| Start/stop button illuminated in centre console with keyless engine start and auto start stop deactivation button | Security |
| Thatcham Cat.1 alarm and immobiliser | Security |
| Wheel slip limitation close to the actuator (ARB) | Security |
| Contrast stitching on instrument panel | Trim |
| 18" Burnished M double spoke bi-colour alloy wheels finished in orbit grey - style 819M | Wheels |
| Electrically powered 12V compressor | Wheels |
| Reduced rolling resistance tyres | Wheels |
| Individual metallic paint - Storm Bay |
| Metallic - Black sapphire |
| Metallic - Melbourne red |
| Metallic - Misano blue |
| Metallic - Skyscraper grey |
| Solid - Alpine white |
| Cost (exc VAT) | VAT | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Comfort access system | £0.00 | £0.00 | |
| Electric bootlid | £0.00 | £0.00 | |
| Electric front seat adjust - drivers with memory | £0.00 | £0.00 | |
| Heated steering wheel | £0.00 | £0.00 | |
| Registration Fee | On The Road | £55.00 | £0.00 |
| Delivery | On The Road | £708.33 | £141.67 |
| Twelve Months Road Tax | On The Road | £255.00 | £0.00 |
| Bluetooth / WiFi interface for wireless connection of mobile terminal devices and audio streaming | Driver Convenience | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Electric bootlid | Driver Convenience | £458.33 | £91.67 |
| Electric power steering with Servotronic steering optimised at all speed ranges | Driver Convenience | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Enhanced bluetooth with wireless charging and Wi-Fi hot spot | Driver Convenience | £320.83 | £64.17 |
| Front and rear parking sensors | Driver Convenience | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Head up Display | Driver Convenience | £687.50 | £137.50 |
| M Sports steering | Driver Convenience | £137.50 | £27.50 |
| Park assist including reversing assistant, lateral parking aid and reversing assist camera | Driver Convenience | £320.83 | £64.17 |
| 42 Litre fuel tank | Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Larger fuel tank capacity (50 litres) | Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension | £45.83 | £9.17 |
| Harman/Kardon surround sound audio system with 464W amplifier power, 9 channels and 16 speakers | Entertainment | £687.50 | £137.50 |
| Stereo speaker system with 2 mid range speakers in the front door trims and rear parcel shelf + 2 central bass speakers underneath the front seats | Entertainment | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Adaptive LED headlights with high beam assist | Exterior Features | £458.33 | £91.67 |
| Electric panoramic glass sunroof | Exterior Features | £916.67 | £183.33 |
| Individual metallic paint | Exterior Features | £495.83 | £99.17 |
| LED Headlights | Exterior Features | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Metallic paint | Exterior Features | £495.83 | £99.17 |
| Solid paint | Exterior Features | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Sun protection glass | Exterior Features | £275.00 | £55.00 |
| Towbar with detachable ball | Exterior Features | £687.50 | £137.50 |
| Dakota leather upholstery with perforation and contrast stitching | Interior Features | £958.33 | £191.67 |
| Driver + front passenger electric lumbar support | Interior Features | £137.50 | £27.50 |
| Electric front seat adjust - drivers with memory | Interior Features | £687.50 | £137.50 |
| Heated steering wheel | Interior Features | £137.50 | £27.50 |
| Luggage compartment separating nets | Interior Features | £137.50 | £27.50 |
| Manual adjust driver/passenger seats | Interior Features | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Rear seat backrest with manual 60:40 split folding with 3 top tether clips integrated on rear of seat panels | Interior Features | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Split folding rear seats | Interior Features | £137.50 | £27.50 |
| Trigon cloth/Sensatec leather upholstery | Interior Features | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Comfort pack 2 - 1 Series | Packs | £1,312.50 | £262.50 |
| Individual metallic paint - Storm Bay | Paintwork | £495.83 | £99.17 |
| Metallic - Black sapphire | Paintwork | £495.83 | £99.17 |
| Metallic - Melbourne red | Paintwork | £495.83 | £99.17 |
| Metallic - Misano blue | Paintwork | £495.83 | £99.17 |
| Metallic - Skyscraper grey | Paintwork | £495.83 | £99.17 |
| Solid - Alpine white | Paintwork | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Comfort access system | Security | £458.33 | £91.67 |
| Dakota leather - Black with blue highlight | Trim | £958.33 | £191.67 |
| Dakota leather - Black with grey highlight | Trim | £958.33 | £191.67 |
| Dakota leather - Magma red with grey highlight | Trim | £958.33 | £191.67 |
| Dakota leather - Mocha | Trim | £958.33 | £191.67 |
| Illuminated Berlin interior trim | Trim | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Illuminated Boston interior trim | Trim | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Trigon cloth/Sensatec leather - Black sensatec with contrast blue stitch + centre back/base panels in Trigon cloth with blue detail | Trim | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| BMW mobility system | Wheels | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Space saver spare wheel | Wheels | £137.50 | £27.50 |
| HC+NOx | Emissions - ICE | Not Available | |
| Particles | Emissions - ICE | Not Available | |
| Standard Euro Emissions | Emissions - ICE | EURO 6 | |
| WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb | Emissions - ICE | 134 | |
| WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb - TEH | Emissions - ICE | 150 | |
| WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb - TEL | Emissions - ICE | 134 | |
| WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Extra High | Emissions - ICE | 136 | |
| WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - High | Emissions - ICE | 115 | |
| WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Low | Emissions - ICE | 178 | |
| WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Medium | Emissions - ICE | 131 | |
| Camshaft | Engine and Drive Train | DOHC | |
| Catalytic Convertor | Engine and Drive Train | Yes | |
| CC | Engine and Drive Train | 1499 | |
| Compression Ratio | Engine and Drive Train | 11.0:1 | |
| Cylinder Layout | Engine and Drive Train | IN-LINE | |
| Cylinders | Engine and Drive Train | 3 | |
| Cylinders - Bore (mm) | Engine and Drive Train | 82 | |
| Cylinders - Stroke (mm) | Engine and Drive Train | 94.6 | |
| Engine Code | Engine and Drive Train | B38A15M1 | |
| Engine Layout | Engine and Drive Train | FRONT TRANSVERSE | |
| Fuel Delivery | Engine and Drive Train | TWIN TURBO | |
| Gears | Engine and Drive Train | 6 SPEED | |
| Number of Valves | Engine and Drive Train | 12 | |
| Transmission | Engine and Drive Train | MANUAL | |
| EC Directive 1999/100/EC Applies | Fuel Consumption - ICE | No | |
| WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb | Fuel Consumption - ICE | 5.9 | |
| WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb - TEH | Fuel Consumption - ICE | 6.6 | |
| WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb - TEL | Fuel Consumption - ICE | 5.9 | |
| WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Extra High | Fuel Consumption - ICE | 6 | |
| WLTP - FC (l/100km) - High | Fuel Consumption - ICE | 5.1 | |
| WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Low | Fuel Consumption - ICE | 7.8 | |
| WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Medium | Fuel Consumption - ICE | 5.7 | |
| WLTP - MPG - Comb | Fuel Consumption - ICE | 47.9 | |
| WLTP - MPG - Comb - TEH | Fuel Consumption - ICE | 42.8 | |
| WLTP - MPG - Comb - TEL | Fuel Consumption - ICE | 47.9 | |
| WLTP - MPG - Extra High | Fuel Consumption - ICE | 47.1 | |
| WLTP - MPG - High | Fuel Consumption - ICE | 55.4 | |
| WLTP - MPG - Low | Fuel Consumption - ICE | 36.2 | |
| WLTP - MPG - Medium | Fuel Consumption - ICE | 49.6 | |
| Alternative Fuel Qualifying | General | No | |
| Badge Engine CC | General | 1.5 | |
| Badge Power | General | 136 | |
| Based On ID | General | Not Available | |
| Coin Description | General | i [136] | |
| Coin Series | General | M Sport [LCP] | |
| Generation Mark | General | 3 | |
| Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07 | General | 20E | |
| Manufacturers Corrosion Perforation Guarantee - Years | General | 6 | |
| Manufacturers Paintwork Guarantee - Years | General | 3 | |
| NCAP Adult Occupant Protection % | General | 83 | |
| NCAP Child Occupant Protection % | General | 87 | |
| NCAP Overall Rating - Effective February 09 | General | 5 | |
| NCAP Pedestrian Protection % | General | 76 | |
| NCAP Safety Assist % | General | 72 | |
| Did at least one aspect of this vehicle's safety give cause for concern? | General | No | |
| Service Interval Frequency - Months | General | 24 | |
| Service Interval Mileage | General | 18000 | |
| Special Edition | General | No | |
| Special Order | General | No | |
| Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage | General | Unlimited | |
| Standard manufacturers warranty - Years | General | 3 | |
| Timing Belt Interval Frequency - Months | General | Not Available | |
| Timing Belt Interval Mileage | General | Not Available | |
| Vehicle Homologation Class | General | M1 | |
| 0 to 62 mph (secs) | Performance | 8.9 | |
| Engine Power - BHP | Performance | 136 | |
| Engine Power - KW | Performance | 100 | |
| Engine Power - RPM | Performance | 4500 | |
| Engine Torque - LBS.FT | Performance | 162 | |
| Engine Torque - MKG | Performance | 22.4 | |
| Engine Torque - NM | Performance | 220 | |
| Engine Torque - RPM | Performance | 1500 | |
| Top Speed | Performance | 132 | |
| Emissions Test Cycle | Test Cycles | WLTP | |
| RDE Certification Level | Test Cycles | RDE 2 | |
| Alloys? | Tyres | Yes | |
| Space Saver? | Tyres | No | |
| Tyre Size Front | Tyres | 225/40 R18 | |
| Tyre Size Rear | Tyres | 225/40 R18 | |
| Tyre Size Spare | Tyres | TYRE REPAIR KIT | |
| Wheel Style | Tyres | M DOUBLE SPOKE STYLE 819M | |
| Wheel Type | Tyres | 18" ALLOY | |
| Height | Vehicle Dimensions | 1434 | |
| Height (including roof rails) | Vehicle Dimensions | Not Available | |
| Length | Vehicle Dimensions | 4319 | |
| Wheelbase | Vehicle Dimensions | 2670 | |
| Width | Vehicle Dimensions | 1799 | |
| Width (including mirrors) | Vehicle Dimensions | 2081 | |
| Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres) | Weight and Capacities | 42 | |
| Gross Vehicle Weight | Weight and Capacities | 1845 | |
| Luggage Capacity (Seats Down) | Weight and Capacities | 1200 | |
| Luggage Capacity (Seats Up) | Weight and Capacities | 380 | |
| Max. Loading Weight | Weight and Capacities | 555 | |
| Max. Roof Load | Weight and Capacities | 75 | |
| Max. Towing Weight - Braked | Weight and Capacities | 1300 | |
| Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked | Weight and Capacities | 680 | |
| Minimum Kerbweight | Weight and Capacities | 1290 | |
| No. of Seats | Weight and Capacities | 5 | |
| Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb | Weight and Capacities | 11.4 |
BMW is a company that always used to try and do things differently, a refreshing trait in a sea of automotive sameness. The Bavarian brand's reputation as the purveyor of 'The Ultimate Driving Machine' was once fundamentally built around rear wheel drive but this third generation 1 Series is defiantly front-driven. A package that's claimed to be optimum in the base petrol 118i guise we test here.
Why the change away from front wheel drive here? Well, lots of reasons really. BMW wanted more return for its investment in front-wheel drive architecture. And at the same time, the brand was uncomfortably aware of just how much the packaging limitations of rear wheel drive - cramped space for luggage and back seat passengers - were hobbling the 1 Series in comparison to its more conventional Audi A3 and Mercedes A-Class rivals. All of which seemed a bit pointless given BMW's own research showing 80% of 1 Series owners not knowing what end their cars were driven from - and not caring either. The deal was sealed when the Bavarian maker's engineers assured the board that new technology could allow for a switch to front-wheel drive for this car without any real dilution in driving pleasure; we'll see. What's certainly true is that the change in drivetrain format has, as intended, freed up significantly more interior space than the previous 'F20' version of this car could offer, despite the fact that this 'F40'-series design's roadway footprint is much the same. Sounds promising. Time to put this car to the test in volume 118i form.
The switch from rear-driven to a front-driven powertrain might be the headline story here but there's plenty else that's new with the engineering of this third generation 1 series design. The Bavarian maker's aim was to repackage this model to a more conventional formula but deliver that in a very BMW kind of way - and that's essentially how this car has turned out. On the move, you get a grippy, confident sense of purpose that rivals can't quite match, with precise, accurate steering and an agile willingness to change direction. All of it aided by near-perfect weight distribution, a clever new 'ARB' traction control system that more precisely meters out torque and a new 'FAAR' chassis that saves around 25kgs of weight. The ride is somewhat firm, but BMW fans won't mind that, particularly as there's now the option of adaptive suspension on top-spec models. It's quite likely that you'll opt for the base 1.5-litre petrol model we tried, the 140hp 118i variant we're trying here - not least because there aren't any other options if you want a reasonably affordable version of this car that fuels from the green pump. Just as well then, that it's a decent all-round package which offers as much performance as most buyers will probably need, the 62mph sprint occupying 8.5s en route to 132mph. To be frank, we've heard more charismatic three cylinder units, but at least this one's decently refined, bettering a comparable Mercedes A-Class in this regard at highway speeds.
We always wondered what kind of 1 Series BMW's stylists would have come up with if they hadn't been constrained by the need to package around rear-driven mechanicals. In this MK3 model, we have our answer, a hatch that offers a similar roadway footprint to its 'F20' predecessor (it's a mere 5mm shorter), but one delivered to an otherwise very different dimensional formula. Up-front, you're served up a premium slice of cabin architecture borrowed from the current 'G20' 3 Series model, which means it's very nice indeed. Soft-touch surfaces and the solid feel of all the fixtures and fittings is matched on plusher models by things like contrast stitching and intricate 'Extended lighting' door panel strips. There's plenty of luxury segment technology too, particularly if you pay more for the 'Live Cockpit Professional' package, which matches a 10.25-inch virtual instrument binnacle screen with a classy centre-dash iDrive monitor of the same size. There's some clever stuff incorporated into this extra-cost set-up, including what BMW calls an 'Intelligent Personal Assistant', which is there to answer questions you can voice to the car as you drive it. Out back, there's reasonable rear seat space (for two anyway) and a decent 380-litre boot.
Prices open at just over £27,000 for this 118i and you'll choose between the brand's familiar 'SE', 'Sport' and 'M Sport' designations. A 6-speed manual gearbox is standard, or you can pay £1,350 more to get a dual-clutch 7-speed auto. Even the thriftiest 'SE' trim level gives you plenty; to be specific, 16-inch Star-Spoke alloy wheels, LED headlamps, LED front fog lights, Park Distance Control front and rear parking sensors, heated power mirrors, an alarm and auto headlamps and wipers. There's also a package of 'Active Guard Plus' camera-safety features. Inside, there's automatic air conditioning, cruise control with a braking function, an auto-dimming rear view mirror and a 'Sport' multifunction leather-trimmed steering wheel. In addition, there's the 'Drive Performance Control' system that, via 'ECO PRO', 'Comfort' and 'Sport' modes, allows you to alter throttle response, steering feel and, on an auto model, gearchange timing, all of it better suiting the way you want to drive. You'll want to know about infotainment and media stuff too - there's lots of it. Let's start with the fact that all mainstream 1 Series models come as standard with the brand's 'BMW Live Cockpit Plus' package, which gives you an 8.8-inch centre-dash display, your access point for a navigation system, Bluetooth with audio streaming, 4G LTE connectivity, an on-board computer and a decent quality six-speaker 100-watt DAB stereo. There's also a 5.1-inch display in the instrument cluster and an Intelligent Voice Assistant.
The engine range on offer across this third generation 1 Series line-up may not look very different to what was on offer before, but BMW is keen to point out that every single TwinPower Turbo unit has been subjected to significant efficiency fettling - as was necessary to match a class standard vastly improved since the days of the previous 'F20'-generation model. The three cylinder petrol unit we're trying here in this 118i variant for instance, is 5kgs lighter than it was previously. It all explains why the fuel and CO2 stats delivered by mainstream 1 Series models are now virtually identical to those of directly equivalent Mercedes A-Class variants - we know, we checked. Which is another way of saying that the stats of this BMW are difficult to better in the segment - which wasn't previously the case with this model line. Let's get specific with figures, all of which, as usual, are based around the WLTP readings for fuel and CO2 that see this car in manual form managing up to 49.6mpg on the WLTP combined cycle and up to 130g/km of WLTP-rated CO2. Get it as an auto and figures are much the same.
We can't help being impressed by the way that the Munich maker has managed to retain so much of this car's eager, dynamic character, despite the fundamental engineering changes visited upon it. This model will still beat most of its rivals for driver appeal. Just not by such a significant margin as before. But we'll take that, given that this is the first 1 Series with reasonably sleek looks, proper rear passenger space and a decent boot. The cabin's far smarter than it was. And this model is certainly far better prepared than its predecessor in terms of media connectivity and camera-driven safety provision. Now, you'd be able to down-size into it far more easily if it was necessary to do so from a larger BMW model. In summary, 'der Einzer' has become a whole lot more competitive, especially in this 118i guise. About to choose a Mercedes A-Class, an Audi A3 or even a plusher VW Golf? You really ought to try one of these too. You might be surprised just how much you like it.
Fill out the simple form below to get a quote for this Bmw 1 Series Hatchback
118i [136] M Sport 5dr [live Cockpit Professional] lease.
