2025 BMW 1 Series review: 1 for the road
A facelift for BMW’s 1 Series dials down the luxury but brings a sharper front end and handling to match
[MUNICH] There’s nothing like a sudden tail slide on a rain-slicked road to jolt a driver awake faster than if they’d just sat bare-bottomed on a frozen cactus. Still, I gathered up the wiggling rear of the new BMW M135, and after a bit of fishtailing, carried on with eyes the size of hard-boiled eggs for a while.
The main reason I didn’t end up putting a hole through the scenery the size and shape of a compact hatchback was that I could feel it all unfolding, with plenty of feedback coming through my fingertips from the BMW’s steering wheel. That, and a heaped portion of dumb luck.
It all suggests to me that BMW engineered its new hot hatch for people with steady hands and a healthy appreciation for how much trouble 300 horsepower can get you into.
I use the term “new” lightly, because the latest 1 Series is really the result of a heavy facelift. The standout difference is a lower nose and a grille that leans forward just a tad, evoking the shark-like prow of BMWs past.
Interestingly, after years of steadily enlarging the grilles to mammoth proportions on most models, BMW seems to have dialled things back with this one, but the newly slimmed-down grille design works in the 1 Series’ favour, especially since it now lights up at night like Rudolph leading the pack.
With the new nose comes a distinct shift in character. The previous generation seemed to lean into offering a touch of BMW’s luxury in compact form. The latest model (code-named F70) feels more youth-oriented, ditching the chrome trim in favour of high-gloss black. Perhaps that’s why the grille isn’t as imposing this time around.
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But step inside, and it really becomes clear that the car has leaned back from traditional luxury. The interior feels like an exercise in cost-cutting, thinly veiled as a move towards modern minimalism.
Physical controls for the air-conditioning and sound system have been banished to the touchscreen, while the gearlever and rotary iDrive controller are nowhere to be found. What’s left is a minimal cluster of switches for the most essential functions, leaving the cabin a touch barren. And while the slender central air-con vent looks tidy, I have my doubts on how well it would keep you cool on a scorching day.
The cabin itself is now free of animal products except for the steering wheel, which is still wrapped in leather – some things are sacred (though not cows, in this instance). The nicest thing about the new 1’s interior is the dashboard trim, which houses a matrix of LEDs in a stamped aluminium panel. It’s the one thing that looks expensive and complicated to make, and it adds a nice, colourful flourish to the cabin, along with a welcome bit of tactility.
At its core, the F70 is pretty much carried over from the previous model, so the space in the back remains the same, meaning to say, two adults would fit just fine and three would require some intimacy between them.
It does feel like BMW did lavish a bit of attention on making the range-topping M135 version a hoot to drive, however, especially if you opt for the M Technology Package. That brings some worthwhile enhancements to the table, starting with stronger pistons for the suspension dampers and extra body bracing to stiffen up the car’s shell. That gives the M135 the kind of taut, responsive feel that keen drivers crave.
The package also borrows brake calipers from the brutish M3, which will feel like money well spent the next time you’re diving down the inside of a rival at Sepang’s first corner.
Come to think of it, strong brakes are useful anywhere, especially if your car sprints to 100 kmh in a speedy 4.9 seconds. Mind you, while the M135’s engine pulls hard, it’s more capable than charismatic, with a rather ordinary voice, although some crackling from the exhaust does add spice to the soundtrack.
I’ve always had a soft spot for small cars that pack big power, but drivers are spoilt for choice in today’s hot hatch market, with the Audi S3, Mercedes-AMG A 35 and Volkswagen Golf R all vying for your money alongside the M135.
If anything, it will be the upcoming 116 version that brings home the bacon for BMW in Singapore. With a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder engine that musters just 122 horsepower, and the legs to hit 100 kmh in a leisurely 9.8 seconds, the 116 isn’t designed to make the heart beat faster, but it does have an important role to play as BMW’s smallest and cheapest car: It’s meant to be the 1 that people here know and love.
BMW M135 xDrive Engine 1,998 cc four-cylinder turbo Power 300 hp at 5,750 to 6,500 rpm Torque 400 Nm at 2,000 to 4,500 rpm Gearbox 7-speed dual-clutch automatic 0 to 100 kmh 4.9 seconds Top speed 250 kmh Fuel efficiency 7.6 to 8.1 L/100 km Agent Eurokars BMW or Performance Motors Limited Price To be confirmed Available To be confirmed
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