BMW 125i M Sport auto 2017 review

The 1 Series range is a big one, starting at the sub-$40k three-cylinder 118i, stretching to the marvellously over the top (for a hatchback) M140i, which retails at $64,900 and packs a turbocharged 3.0-litre six cylinder.

In the middle and above the lower-powered 120i is the 125i, which can be had only in M Sport spec for $48,900. That buys you a six-speaker stereo, auto LED headlights, auto wipers, M Sport brakes and suspension, up-spec sat nav, reversing camera, dual-zone climate control, variable ratio steering, front and rear parking sensors, cloth and Alcantara trim and 18-inch M wheels with run-flat tyres.

Plucked from the lengthy options list was a glass sunroof ($2000) and the Comfort Package ($2100) which adds electric heated front seats with memory as well as keyless entry and start.

I say this every time, but there is no better control system in any mainstream car on the market.

Apple CarPlay is available (hooray!) but you have to spend $1600 on the Innovations Package to get it (boo!). It also comes with an extra speaker and the next step up the sat nav ladder. Seems... excessive.

The six speaker stereo is fine for the smallish cabin and is controlled with the small-dial version of BMW's iDrive. I say this every time, but there is no better control system in any mainstream car on the market. It's intuitive, easy to learn and won't confuse you.

The two options fitted take the price of this particular car to $51,900. If we'd had one with premium paint, it would have been a further $1190.

It's a small car, so the 1's storage options are by necessity limited. Nevertheless, front seat occupants have somewhere to put a phone (although plus size phones are less easy to accommodate), a pair of cupholders and bottle holders in each door. Under the sliding armrest is a small bin and the glovebox is a tiddly offering.

Rear seat passengers get an armrest with another pair of cupholders but one must be mindful that the those occupying the back bench will be of the Cory Bernardi kind - restless and complaining of a lack of room up front to air their ideas. Smaller kids will be perfectly happy but early teens will feel the pinch. Entry and exit to the rear seats does require a little care to avoid bashing your head on the C pillar.

The 1's RWD architecture and multi-link rear suspension mean the boot is a smallish 360 litres, expandable to 1200 litres with the seats down. There's no spare tyre, the run flats take care of most puncture events.

BMW's designers have trouble getting the 1 Series right. The original E87 was polarising enough but when the second-generation F20 landed, with its goofy front end and oddly blank stare from the rear, the company probably wished for a return to the E87 days. A facelift came quickly and fixed the top and tail without having to change too much else.

In profile, it's clear that BMW wants you to know the 1 is RWD, a truncated rear-end working with a proportionally long bonnet - with very short overhangs at each end - to enforce the idea. The 125's double-spoke 18-inch wheels are just right and the slightly lower suspension helps draw the car down over them to make it look solid and purposeful. The M aero bits and pieces add a bit of aggro, so it looks the business.

Nobody will complain about the Alcantara - it's a terrific material that won't get hot or cold and helps hold you in place.

Inside isn't exactly an oil painting but stylish enough. The dash design is much the same as the 3 Series, slimmed down to help create the illusion of space. The dodgy plastic wood of the lower-spec cars is abandoned in favour of some lovely textured aluminium trim pieces along the dash and on the doors. The M wheel is the usual delight (this is a hobby horse of mine), looking and feeling good.

The standard cloth and Alcantara trim is a nice combination, although not everyone will be a fan of the metallic blue hexagon motif in the cloth panels. Nobody will complain about the Alcantara - it's a terrific material that won't get hot or cold and helps hold you in place.

The diminutive 1 is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine, producing 165kW and 310Nm. Sending power to the rear wheels via an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission, BMW reckons you can hit 100km/h in 6.1 seconds. Not bad considering it's a slightly chunky machine, with a kerb weight of 1400kg.

The claimed combined cycle figure for the 125i is a scant 5.9L/100km. Admittedly, we drove the 125i reasonably hard and the weather was deeply unpleasant requiring constant use of the climate control, leading to a 10.1L/100km average. Still, that's a wide gap.

BMW's Efficient Dynamics package includes stop-start and an energy recovery system that juices up the battery under braking, as well as an EcoPro mode to reduce consumption.

And you have to run it on premium, although that's hardly a surprise at this level.

First a reminder/confession - I personally have owned three 1 Series, all of them E87s. Each of them were completely different in character as one had the sluggardly 2.0-litre petrol, another the sprightly 2.0-litre diesel and the third the sublime 3.0 straight-six. What tied them together was the terrific steering and fun chassis.

BMW's uncorrupted steering has survived the transition to electric-assistance and is light and direct.

The F20 was unappealing to look at but shared the same DNA as each of the E87s, from 116i to 130i it was and is a terrific car to drive.

BMW's uncorrupted steering has survived the transition to electric-assistance and is light and direct, working with the tons of front-end grip and mostly neutral behaviour of the chassis. Press the console-mounted button to shift to Sport+ and the electro-nannies delay their intervention letting you get on with it while making sure nobody loses an eye.

It's an easy car to drive quickly and if you can't stretch to the M140i, it's a good compromise.

The chassis won't deliver the world's smoothest ride, but given how little travel there is, particularly at the rear, the 125i copes quite well in the city, ensuring as much of the tyre is on the road as possible. Rear occupants will notice extra firmness but the driver will love it. On the freeway there's a bit of road noise from both ends but engine and wind noise are well suppressed.

The eight-speed transmission and 2.0-litre twin-scroll turbo both deal with whatever you throw at it - around town you'll get smooth changes and ready torque, easy overtaking on the motorway and plenty of punch out of the corners when you're in the boondocks.

Standard safety tech includes six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, brake assist, driver attention detection, lane departure warning, speed sign recognition, front autonomous emergency braking, and two ISOFIX points.

The 1 Series was awarded five ANCAP stars in 2011, the highest available rating.

BMW offers a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty along with three years roadside assist. Servicing is based on condition and driving but the official figure is every 25,000km.

 It's loaded up with useful things if you're a fan of the driving experience over the toys.

A five year/80,000km service package is available for $1340. Called 'Service Inclusive' it covers all inspections, oil and various filter changes, spark plugs and brake fluid, which is reasonably generous when you look at a number of other fixed-price regimes. You can purchase the plan within 12 months of buying the car.