Engine: 1.6 Litre 16-valve Petrol. Power: 100kW @ 4400rpm | Torque: 220Nm @ 1350rpm
Transmission: Eight-Speed Torque Converter Automatic
Fuel Consumption listed: 5.7 l/100km | Tested: 6.8 l/100km
Price (as tested, exc. on roads): $39,593
Overall Rating: ★★★★
Plusses: Punchy, frugal engine, unbelievable 8-speed transmission, roomier interior than before, delightful steering and handling.
Minuses: Interior quality issues, slightly cramped interior, expensive to buy, options can quickly inflate the price even more, awkward styling.
OVERVIEW
BMW have delivered the a revamped second-generation 1-Series hatch, a car that has come in leaps and bounds from the cramped and somewhat flawed original. It is packed with more equipment and the range features superb frugal petrol and diesel engines. It is an enjoyable car to drive, thanks to being the only car in the segment to feature rear-wheel drive. Any keen driver will feel right at home in BMW’s smallest car.
There's also more room inside the cabin and a bigger boot, too – making the current car a rival for cars like the VW Golf and Ford Focus, as well as upmarket alternatives such as the Audi A3 and Mercedes A-Class.
Whilst many of the original model’s problems have been fixed, the new car is not perfect – it’s still cramped in the back, the styling of the front is a tad polarising and, although the 1-Series packs a premium feel, it isn’t exactly cheap to buy. Finally, with such tough competition from the brilliant new Golf 7, the 1 Series is going to have to be special, very special.
DESIGN: ★★★★

Although bigger, the new car is 30kg lighter than the old one. The chassis is completely new, meaning that the car’s body-in-white is now more than 30 per cent more rigid than before. That should help ride and handling. The new 1-series, like the last, has all-independent suspension – MacPherson struts up front and a five-link rear end.
Chief Designer Adrian Van Hooydonk’s styling hasn’t completely neutralised the unwieldy proportions of the 1 Series, but the styling is a clear improvement. The new car looks leaner and vastly more aggressive than the last. The biggest aesthetic bugbear remains the car’s profile, though. Short, tall and backward leaning, it still looks awkward from many angles, especially from the side.
THE INTERIOR: ★★★★


And how is the quality? The material quality of BMW’s fixtures and fittings certainly seems good. From the tactile, silver painted audio and ventilation knobs to the glossy black air vent surrounds; some of the interior trim is genuinely appealing. However, on closer inspection, many of the cabin’s elements don’t spell premium at all. The door trim looks rather cheap and the dashboard features some harder plastics lower down. But by far the worst part of the whole interior package is the pedal placement, they are all too far to the right meaning that you will always feel somewhat to one side.
PERFORMANCE: ★★★★★
Even with this entry level 1-Series, BMW has delivered an unbelievable drivetrain combination that works perfectly in all conditions. The 116i’ s torque arrives extremely early thanks to the twin-scroll turbocharger, throttle response is crisp and the car revs very nicely all the way to the redline. The engine so sweet, cultured and refined that it really is one of the best power plants on offer in any car. The powertrain is all the more exceptional because, when fitted with ZF’s excellent eight-speed automatic gearbox and BMW’s Efficient Dynamics fuel-saving ancillaries as standard, it makes the car so smooth to drive and amazingly frugal. The transmission slurs gearshifts, concealing them behind a veil of precision, so much so that you never know when they occur. It never “hunts” between gears, downshifts instinctively, quickly and holds onto gears without hesitation. This really is an amazing transmission mated to a brilliant engine, making for outstanding performance in the real world even if the engine doesn’t provide much punch on paper.
RIDE AND HANDLING: ★★★★
When BMW conducted some early market research, it came out that the majority of 1-series owners wanted better refinement. Thus BMW says that they focused squarely on providing the second-generation car with a more absorbent ride.
The brakes are sharp and responsive and overall the chassis electronics work well, complementing the chassis, be it during braking or during cornering.
VALUE AND FEATURES: ★★★

SAFETY: ★★★★★
The BMW 1-Series comes full of passive and active safety features. ABS, brake-force distribution and brake assist with ESP and TCS are standard. The car has 6 airbags and achieved a 5 star EuroNCAP rating.
VERDICT:
BMW has addressed the main criticisms of the old 1-Series. It might not set any class benchmarks, but for the first time it is spacious enough to meet most expectations. It’s well mannered to make for perfectly comfortable everyday use. And although the materials still leave something to be desired in places, the cabin quality is now on par on with other premium compact car offerings.
Overall better dynamics, greater refinement and usability, the superb powertrains and a more appealing driving environment make this a 1-Series that is not only much more complete than before, but also much more appealing to buyers.