2013 BMW 125i Reviews

We turn the spotlight on the car world's newest and brightest stars as we ask the questions to which you want the answers. But there's only one question that really needs answering -- would you buy one?What is it?The is the 1-Series you'd have if you couldn't run to the six cylinder 135i. It's a classy, quick five door hatch.How much?The price is $49,500 for the 125i with M-Sport package that includes eight speed auto transmission and premium satnav. It's right on the money with competitors.What are competitors?Plenty of new (front drive) cars coming through including the Benz A250, Audi A3, Volvo V40.What's under the bonnet?It's a petrol four cylinder with variable valve timing both side as well as variable valve lift, twin scroll turbo and direct fuel injection. Power is 160kW with 310Nm of torque. Drive is to the rear wheels.How does it go?Zot. Quick no matter how you look at it, this is a quick little device with zip off the mark and strong pull right through to engine redline. Great dynamics too, sporty and comfortable, excellent steering with variable sport steer system, strong brakes.Is it economical?OK at around the 7.0 mark, better if you're careful on at least 95 RON petrol.Is it green?Fairly, Has auto stop/start, EcoPro drive mode and other techy stuff.Is it safe?Five starsIs it comfortable?Well featured with Bluetooth phone and audio, leather sports seats, dual zone climate,voice control, on board computer, rain sensor, keyless entry and ignition. Seats for four adults and some luggage.What's it like to drive?Sharp. Enthusiast drivers will like this one. The wheel feels good in your hands and there are plenty of choices to customise the drive feel. The eight speed auto is superb and comes with paddle shift and multiple modes.We had to continually remind ourselves we were in a 1-Series and not a 3-Series. It has a sporty feel to the dynamics, excellent steering thanks to the variable sport steering system, strong brakes and even sounds pretty good.Is it value for money?You'd have to have it on the short list. Feels like a 3-Series from behind the wheel, Goes like a sports sedan in a straight line and around corners.Would we buy one?Maybe. Not really fans of the new 1-Series styling particularly the frontal treatment. But it's great to drive and has plenty of kit spoiled a tad by the cost of options and packages. It is after all a small five door hatch, albeit, a supremely safe and well built one.BMW 125i M-SportPrice: from $49,500Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kmService Interval: 12 months/15,000kmSafety: 6 airbags, ABS with EDB, TC, ESCCrash rating: Five starsEngine: 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder, 160kW/310NmTransmission: 6-speed manual, 8-speed automatic, rear-wheel driveBody: 4324mm (L), 1765mm (W), 1421mm (H), 2690mm (WB)Thirst: 6.6/100km, 154g/km Co2

Stepping down from a $240,000 car into a $40,000 one takes some discipline. Of course it's not going to be as good, not by any stretch of the imagination. But you know what? BMW's little 116i hatch ain't half bad either. VALUE Launched in 2011 the 116i is priced from $37,300. The only option fitted to our test

The $50,000 question. Neither BMW nor Benz has played here. Neither has had a properly hot hatch that could be got on road under the ludicrous luxury car tax without undue deprivation of luxury.These turbo Teutons start at -- or not much above -- the norm for a European quick compact such as RenaultSport's Megane or Volkswagen's Scirocco. Indeed the entry Mercedes-Benz A-Class and BMW 1 Series variants have never been cheaper. It's at $50,000, however, they warm up. Benz's A250 Sport is the range topper until September when the A45 AMG arrives to take on the BMW's 135i. The 250's true rival is the 125i.VALUEUnadorned, both cars start just shy of $50K. Optioned to the extent of our test cars they're just shy of 60. The 125i's $46,100 starting price is illusory. Manual sales are next to zero and BMW want all of $3077 for its eight-speed auto.That's $49,117 to the auto-standard Benz's $49,900. The latter includes bi-xenon headlamps, reverse camera, parking assist software and a panoramic sunroof. For these, the 125i buyer drops $4000.  Both gouge for metallic paint. It’s $1308 on the BMW, $1190 on the Benz.As driven, the Bimmer is $58,116 -- the balance of that sum reached with the sunroof ($2246); sat-nav system ($1385) and the M Sports kits which includes taut suspension, 18-inch wheels and negligible visual adornment ($5385).Our Benz is $59,060 before charges, the cool red-cut leather upholstery and lurid seatbelts being standard. The "COMAND" pack with eye level screen and multi media set up including voice control and digital radio is $2990.An AMG Exclusive pack which brings real visual lustre adds $2490 with the same sum again for the Driver Assist kit's array safety warnings. You're getting into a fully equipped, fast and fun prestige cars for well under the starting point of an interesting 3 Series or C-Class.TECHNOLOGYIndeed, in terms of sophistication these little luxury cars lose little except space to a full-size 5 Series or E-Class. Both engines are 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo with direct fuel injection. BMW uses an eight-speed torque converter (i.e.: conventional) automatic to transmit 160kW and 310Nm to the rear wheels. With all of the latter turning up from about 1300 revs, the 125i returns 6.2L/100km and 0-100km/h time of 6.4 seconds.The Benz's auto is of the twin clutch type (strictly speaking an automated manual, much like Volkswagen's DSG) with seven ratios to pluck its 155kW/350Nm for the figure of 6.6-litres in juice use and 6.6 seconds in the sprint. Drive goes to the front wheels.DESIGNNext to the lustrous 'look-at-moi' Benz, the BMW is a sombre Mormon. The barely discernible sports kit does nothing to lift it. Even the five-spoke 18-inch alloys somehow look undersized in a construct that remains visually and functionally awkward in its second generation.Unremarkable without, underdone within. This interior is worth 30 grand, not the double charged. BMW's much-vaunted dynamic advantage of rear-wheel-drive is a design dead end in a small hatch, the transmission tunnel rendering useless the centre rear seat. The other back pews are intolerable for anyone over average height. Not for nothing is this to be the last rear-drive 1 Series.By polar, shining contrast the Benz's cockpit could be that of a $150K sports car. It's one of the interiors of the decade to date, an outstanding interface of function and cool; sophisticated yet simple. In exterior terms there's hasn't been a more striking five door hatch. Each time you approach it will gladden your heart.SAFETYStaggering levels of front end grip and neutral handling are the best means of ensuring you never trigger the Benz's nine airbags. So it is with the BMW's intuitive and progressive driving character. Naturally both cars have the maximum crash rating.Unfortunately both have run flat tyres without a spare. The Merc has a proper colour reversing camera to the 125's dated colour coded proximity graphic. Only the former leaves no doubt as to when a child strays into your path. The BMW also lacks the Benz's digital speedo and blind spot warning lights.DRIVINGHere the 125i regains ground. With the crown of the 3 Series slipping, this has become the brand's default driver's car.Yet the expensive sport suspension is crucial to its full enjoyment, disciplining the ride without making it impossible as have previous combinations of M Sport and runflats. It's a tasty engine, one from which this intuitive transmission gets the best whether urban grinding or dashing from apex to apex.In Comfort mode, but particularly Sport, delivery is hot, strong and smooth in a way the Merc's twin clutch auto is not. That not the fact power goes to the nose is the Benz's shortcoming. In Eco mode it climbs the gears as rapidly as revs allow. In Sport it holds gears interminably. Manual selections made through the shifting paddles are too readily refused. It can be irritating.The ideal setting would be somewhere between Eco and Sport. So it is with the forthcoming CLA. We bet someone in Stuttgart is tweaking the software even now.It's almost a matter of indifference that front wheels have to steer and drive. The Benz is supremely sorted. The DNA of the AMG tuning arm is felt everywhere, not least through the tiller. If the ever terse ride is too a high a price to pay for body control of this order, try the cheaper A200.That said, the BMW's unadulterated steering feel — light at low speed, firm when needed — is delicious. Such trueness of feel made BMW's rep and the hardcore will consider this worth the compromises the 125i otherwise entails. But they will be alone.Mercedes-Benz A250 Sport4.5/5 starsPrice: From $49,900Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo petrol; 155kW/350NmTransmission: 7-speed twin clutch auto; FWDThirst: 6.6L/100kmBMW 125i Auto3.5/5 starsPrice: From $49,177Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo petrol; 160kW/310NmTransmission: 8-speed auto; RWDThirst: 6.2L/100km