The new BMW 1 Series has just been revealed - and we’ve got all of the important information
you need to know about it. But before we get stuck into it, don’t forget you can buy
a 1 Series through whatcar.com and hopefully save some money in the process - head to our
New Car Buying section to find out more. And subscribe to our channel, because we’ve
got a full video review of the 1 Series coming up very soon.
The BMW 1 Series always stood out from the crowd. While the majority of its family car
rivals were front or four-wheel drive, the 1 Series was offered with a more sporty rear-wheel
drive set up since its launch in 2004.
Not anymore.
The all-new 1 Series has gone mainstream in its third generation and joined the front-wheel
drive masses. But despite losing its unique selling point, BMW is hoping the 1 Series
will be as sporty as ever to drive.
It’s only available as a five-door model, and is wider and taller than the car it replaces.
It’s slightly shorter in length and has less space between its front and rear wheels.
But, don’t start thinking there’s less space inside for your passengers - because
there’s more room head, knee and elbow room, and more space in the boot, too. In fact,
the new 380-litre 1 Series boot is bigger than you’ll find in its Audi and Mercedes
rivals, and matches the big-selling Volkswagen Golf.
Elsewhere inside you get analogue instrument dials as standard with a 5.1in screen in the
middle for infotainment and navigation information. Upgrade to the Live Cockpit Professoinal and
that will all turn into a 10.25in digital screen which puts a whole host of information
right in front of your eyes. You also get a separate infotainment screen running BMW’s
excellent iDrive system. And we are pleased to inform you that there is still a rotary
dial to control it all with - but you still have the option to use touch, voice or gesture
controls, depending on specification.
As for the exterior design, it sports a substantially larger grille - although it’s still not
quite on the same level as the X7 and 7 Series grilles - and on the side of the car you can
see that traditional low forward bend at the back, which BMW calls the ‘Hofmeister kink’.
But, after these exterior changes, which family car do you think looks best?
The BMW 1 Series?
Audi A3?
Mercedes A-Class?
Or Volkswagen Golf?
Cast your vote.
The UK engine lineup kicks off with a 138bhp 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine in
the 118i. But, diesels are still expected to account for a big chunk of sales. Buyers
have 116d, 118d and 120d diesels to choose from. Lower-end models get a six-speed manual
or seven-speed automatic, with an eight-speed auto as standard on the 120d.
At the top of the range there is the 302bhp all-wheel drive M135i hot hatch to rival the
Volkswagen Golf R and Mercedes-AMG A35. However, the 335bhp 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine used
in the previous generation M135i can’t actually fit in the new car. So, it gets a 2.0-litre
four-cylinder engine instead. It might be down on power and torque, but BMW says it
real-world performance will be similar because the new car has a stiffer chassis that’s
also 20kg lighter. It’s 0-62mph time is only 0.2seconds slower than before, with an
equal limited top speed of 155mph.
And while the 1 Series will launch with only petrol and diesel engines, a hybrid version
is expected to join the lineup in 2021, using the same 1.5-litre petrol engine and 87bhp
electric motor as the existing plug-in hybrid Mini Countryman - although BMW is targeting
a full electric range of closer to 50 miles, rather than the 26 miles the Countryman can
manage.
Now for the important bit: pricing. The 1 Series starts from £24,430, which is a slight
increase on today’s five-door 1 Series. That makes the BMW more expensive than both
of its key German rivals, but discounts should level the playing field, especially if you
buy on a PCP finance deal.
So, head to whatcar.com to see how much you can save on a new BMW 1 Series.
So, what impact will this switch from rear-wheel drive to front-wheel drive have on the 1 Series?
We’re driving the car soon, so make sure you subscribe to our channel to find out first.