In 2004, BMW decided, belatedly, to stand up to Audi and its best-selling A3. Although the BMW Serie 1 it was almost eight years late, it soon made its niche in the market. The sporty DNA of the house made it the ideal alternative for lovers of four wheels. Thanks in part to a structure that is no longer with us today.
We have tested this car:
Test BMW 1 Series M Sport 118i 140 CV Steptronic 7vToday there are already three generations of the Series 1 that have stepped on the asphalt. The last one presented in 2019 represented an important change in many aspects. The third generation has arrived loaded with maturity and good work. With a different aesthetic, a different concept, much more quality and also much more technology.
Technical characteristics of the BMW 1 Series
Unlike previous generations the new BMW 1 Series is only able to wear a body, the compact five-door of all life. Although at first all the bodies were collected under the umbrella of the 1 Series, BMW long ago chose to divide the range and today the special versions are brought together under the name of the BMW Serie 2. Despite the fact that they all carry the same MINI-derived platform.
This platform, called UKL2, has changed many aspects in the Series 1. Its measurements have been altered until reaching the 4,3 meters long, 1,8 meters wide and 1,43 meters high. Its wheelbase reaches 2,67 meters, which considerably improves the levels of habitability of previous generations, one of its weak points.
The space of the rear row has not been the only object of improvement, it has also been the capacity of the trunk. Thanks to the fact that it is no longer a propulsion car, the 1 Series now offers better levels of capacity. 380 liters is the minimum capacity, a figure that can be increased to 1.200 liters if we lower the second row of seats.
Mechanical range and gearboxes of the BMW 1 Series
The important thing about the 1 Series and all BMW is the experience that you get behind the wheel. Though the compact has said goodbye to its rear-wheel drive we have two thrust systems; front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive via an xDrive package. As for the mechanical range, three diesel and two gasoline options are included.
La diesel range features Twin-Power Turbo four-cylinder engines that develop between 116 and 190 horses. Shift options are manual for the 116d and 118d, and automatic as standard for the 120d and optional for the other two. In none of these cases can an xDrive drive be included, which will only be reserved for the most powerful gasoline variant.
This unit is collected under the name M135i xDrive. It shows the most powerful four-cylinder engine ever developed by BMW with 306 horses. You only have the possibility to join an automatic exchange. Totally opposite is the case of 118. Its three-cylinder engine develops 140 horses, and comes standard with a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed Steptronic automatic.
Equipment of the BMW 1 Series
One of the most significant jumps of the third generation of the BMW 1 Series has been in equipment and interior qualities. All brands struggle to be a technological reference and therefore choose to equip their cars to the top regardless of size. This has allowed a democratization of systems for models that used to be very far from their older brothers. Today the difference between a BMW Serie 3 and a Series 1 is very short.
The BMW 1 Series has various equipment lines: Base, Sport, M Sport and M. At each step, access to a greater technological load is given while the mechanics are limited. It must be recognized that the Base finish is somewhat scarce, it has elements such as: 16-inch wheels, air conditioning, cruise control, LED headlights, digital radio and connected services.
From there we can add much more equipment. Sunroof, leather upholstery, 18-inch wheels, keyless entry and start, digital instrument panel, 10,25-inch touch panel, connectivity for mobile devices, electric and heated seats, etc. Nor can we forget a large team of active safety elements and driving assistants.
The BMW 1 Series in video
The BMW 1 Series according to Euro NCAP
Thanks to its equipment of driving assistants and the robustness of its structure, the BMW 1 Series has been certified with five stars in the Euro NCAP tests. This note raises him to the top positions in the segment. Especially good and notable have been the results in protection for child and adult passengers, with scores of 87 and 83 respectively. Somewhat weaker have been the evaluations in pedestrian safety, 76 out of 100, and in the functioning of the assistants, 72 out of 100.
The BMW 1 Series of Km 0 and Second Hand
Having been on the market since 2004, the three generations so far have conquered the streets based on many sales. That leaves us with a very extensive offer of second-hand and occasion models. It is enough to take a look at the buying and selling portals to realize this. Many disparities in versions, bodies and generations mean that we have a model for each buyer. Its low depreciation makes prices high, not less than 3.000 euros.
If we move to the Km 0 market the current units in stock take us to the last of the generations, the third. Although there are still models of the previous generation waiting to be hunted by buyers looking for low prices. The new models have a slightly lower price than those offered at the dealership. Most of the versions refer to the mechanical access range, that is, to the 118i with manual gearbox.
Rivals of the BMW 1 Series
Given its premium character, the BMW 1 Series has only a handful of rivals to go head-to-head with. Those rivals come from their own homeland, Germany, and they are the Audi A3 and Mercedes A-Class. The three form the Holy Trinity of premium compacts on the European market. To them we can add other models of aspiration such as the Volkswagen Golf or Mazda3, without forgetting of course the great leaders of the segment such as the SEAT Leon, Peugeot 308, Ford Focus and Renault Mégane.
Highlight
- Behavior
- internal quality
- Equipment
To improve
- Base price
- expensive options
- No hybrid options
Prices of the BMW 1 Series
Nothing suggests that the 1 Series is an accessible car despite being the access model to BMW. The premium character of the brand, added to its behavior, the quality of its finishes and the extensiveness of its equipment, make it not a cheap car. In the least cases the BMW 1 Series has a starting price of 31.700 euros. On the other hand, the most expensive in the family is the M135i xDrive whose starting price is 55.800 euros, without offers or promotions.
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