This is a review that i did for another site so thought I would share it here. At the time of writing I had lived with the car 3 months. Since pics/writing I have put the summer wheels back on (style 386 M shod with PZero run flats).
Anyway, here's the review.
Design
It's but ugly………
In all seriousness, much like the last 1 series (and nearly every new BMW for that matter) the new F20 is a bit of a marmite car or for some a grower. I doubt many people could say they loved it from the first time they set eyes on it and I will happily admit that when the f20 was first released I thought it was horrible. My opinion on it's looks changed somewhat when they brought out the M Sport. As always the additional styling gave the car a more purposeful look with lower suspension, gloss grey rear diffuser, 18" alloys and more aggressive front spoiler as standard.
I've mentioned a few times on here that I'm a designer so i could waffle on for hours with a flowery design rational which i know you would all appreciate but sadly I've just not got the time.
Interior
Having owned a previous 1 series this was perhaps the biggest surprise for me. Both in terms of quality and design. It also feels like quite a step up from the 2006 e90 that i had.
The dash has the classic BMW driver focussed feel to it with the centre console turned slightly towards the driver. The centre console running over the transmission tunnel sits quite high which gives both front occupants a very cosseted feeling more akin to what you get in a coupe. As usual the BMW sport seats are excellent. I suffer from general back issues and often find on long journeys my lower back can get that strange feeling like it's going numb. I suffer none of this in the f20 even on long journeys and at 6'1" with long legs I find no problem in getting a perfect driving position. My car is a manual and unlike many of the other cars i looked at the pedals are not offset to a noticeable degree (why is this so common now?)
Standard equipment is good. The usual lovely chunky M Sport steering wheel and now iDrive is standard. The cruise control has now been added to the steering wheel rather than the stalk. In my opinion the function of this isn't as intuitive as the old stalk. The one criticism from the driving seat would be that the centre/airbag on the wheel is too chunky. It is almost impossible to find a good driving position where you can see the bottom of the dash. this really bothered me at first but it's just the mileage that is obscured so there really isn't much need to see it.
In terms of space it is larger in every way than the previous 1 series. i felt it almost as large as my e90, it certainly seems as wide. Rear leg room is just enough for adult passengers although I would imagine it would be uncomfortable on a long journey. The boot is plenty big enough and I would say they could have sacrificed 1inch of boot space to more rear leg room.
On the road
Despite having sport suspension (non adaptive) and 18" run flats the car is very comfortable. When out on an initial test drive in a 118d i winced when I spotted a pothole too late to avoid. I was amazed at the lack of thud as we hit it. However, when pressing on the car does not wallow or roll in bends, quite the contrary.
In my opinion the chassis is very good. On my initial test drive I found that the 50/50 weight distribution of the car was very noticeable and the rear wheel drive shove very distinct. This was the first time that i had noticed this to such an extent in any BMW.
The car features the drive dynamic thingy that all BMW have now. This gives Eco pro, comfort, sport & sport + modes. Eco pro is akin to swimming in custard, comfort is fine for every day driving, sport and sport + makes the car very responsive in terms of throttle response and also weights up the servotronic steering. Some feel it can be too heavy but i find it is just about right for me and wish it could be set to this with the other modes.
The engine is the N47 lump so sadly it's missing 2 cylinders, the timing chain will probably snap and it's about as refined as a night out with Gaza. Thankfully it does come with 2 borg warner blowers attached so that makes up for it a bit. The engine produces 218bhp and 450Nm of torque. The power is spread very evenly throughout the rev range, you don't get that usual big lump of power then a top end wheeze that is common with 4 pot diesels. Torque maxes out at around 4700 rpm but it still pulls up to the red line.
Quite a few owners have commented that the car doesn't feel quick and i was inclined to agree with them until recently. A drive last Friday on some amazing twisty roads in the sunshine has completely changed my mind. The thing with the car is that it really rewards you when you wind it up and throw it about by the scruff of the neck. On a motorway it will drive along very civilised but hit a back road, wind it up a bit like a NA petrol, keep it in that sweet spot and I defy you not to have fun. I also had a play with an 05 modified WRX the other day (on a private motorway style track of course) and the 125 kept up no bother until triple figures where it actually crept ahead.
Economy
Unlike the 123d which this car replaces this car actually is economical. Around 90% of my driving is my commute which is 60 miles per day 50/50 motorway/town in traffic. Over 4200miles in 3 and a bit months I have averaged 49.5mpg using Fuelly. The computer is showing 51.7mpg so pretty accurate. The worst i have managed was 40mpg driving like an absolute dick and the best has been 62mpg driving like a nun but without using eco pro.
Here are a few dodgy pics. The car is wearing it's plastidipped winter wheels/tyres in these pics (the plastidip keeps them good and means I don't have to clean them so often).
Anyway, here's the review.
Design
It's but ugly………
In all seriousness, much like the last 1 series (and nearly every new BMW for that matter) the new F20 is a bit of a marmite car or for some a grower. I doubt many people could say they loved it from the first time they set eyes on it and I will happily admit that when the f20 was first released I thought it was horrible. My opinion on it's looks changed somewhat when they brought out the M Sport. As always the additional styling gave the car a more purposeful look with lower suspension, gloss grey rear diffuser, 18" alloys and more aggressive front spoiler as standard.
I've mentioned a few times on here that I'm a designer so i could waffle on for hours with a flowery design rational which i know you would all appreciate but sadly I've just not got the time.
Interior
Having owned a previous 1 series this was perhaps the biggest surprise for me. Both in terms of quality and design. It also feels like quite a step up from the 2006 e90 that i had.
The dash has the classic BMW driver focussed feel to it with the centre console turned slightly towards the driver. The centre console running over the transmission tunnel sits quite high which gives both front occupants a very cosseted feeling more akin to what you get in a coupe. As usual the BMW sport seats are excellent. I suffer from general back issues and often find on long journeys my lower back can get that strange feeling like it's going numb. I suffer none of this in the f20 even on long journeys and at 6'1" with long legs I find no problem in getting a perfect driving position. My car is a manual and unlike many of the other cars i looked at the pedals are not offset to a noticeable degree (why is this so common now?)
Standard equipment is good. The usual lovely chunky M Sport steering wheel and now iDrive is standard. The cruise control has now been added to the steering wheel rather than the stalk. In my opinion the function of this isn't as intuitive as the old stalk. The one criticism from the driving seat would be that the centre/airbag on the wheel is too chunky. It is almost impossible to find a good driving position where you can see the bottom of the dash. this really bothered me at first but it's just the mileage that is obscured so there really isn't much need to see it.
In terms of space it is larger in every way than the previous 1 series. i felt it almost as large as my e90, it certainly seems as wide. Rear leg room is just enough for adult passengers although I would imagine it would be uncomfortable on a long journey. The boot is plenty big enough and I would say they could have sacrificed 1inch of boot space to more rear leg room.
On the road
Despite having sport suspension (non adaptive) and 18" run flats the car is very comfortable. When out on an initial test drive in a 118d i winced when I spotted a pothole too late to avoid. I was amazed at the lack of thud as we hit it. However, when pressing on the car does not wallow or roll in bends, quite the contrary.
In my opinion the chassis is very good. On my initial test drive I found that the 50/50 weight distribution of the car was very noticeable and the rear wheel drive shove very distinct. This was the first time that i had noticed this to such an extent in any BMW.
The car features the drive dynamic thingy that all BMW have now. This gives Eco pro, comfort, sport & sport + modes. Eco pro is akin to swimming in custard, comfort is fine for every day driving, sport and sport + makes the car very responsive in terms of throttle response and also weights up the servotronic steering. Some feel it can be too heavy but i find it is just about right for me and wish it could be set to this with the other modes.
The engine is the N47 lump so sadly it's missing 2 cylinders, the timing chain will probably snap and it's about as refined as a night out with Gaza. Thankfully it does come with 2 borg warner blowers attached so that makes up for it a bit. The engine produces 218bhp and 450Nm of torque. The power is spread very evenly throughout the rev range, you don't get that usual big lump of power then a top end wheeze that is common with 4 pot diesels. Torque maxes out at around 4700 rpm but it still pulls up to the red line.
Quite a few owners have commented that the car doesn't feel quick and i was inclined to agree with them until recently. A drive last Friday on some amazing twisty roads in the sunshine has completely changed my mind. The thing with the car is that it really rewards you when you wind it up and throw it about by the scruff of the neck. On a motorway it will drive along very civilised but hit a back road, wind it up a bit like a NA petrol, keep it in that sweet spot and I defy you not to have fun. I also had a play with an 05 modified WRX the other day (on a private motorway style track of course) and the 125 kept up no bother until triple figures where it actually crept ahead.
Economy
Unlike the 123d which this car replaces this car actually is economical. Around 90% of my driving is my commute which is 60 miles per day 50/50 motorway/town in traffic. Over 4200miles in 3 and a bit months I have averaged 49.5mpg using Fuelly. The computer is showing 51.7mpg so pretty accurate. The worst i have managed was 40mpg driving like an absolute dick and the best has been 62mpg driving like a nun but without using eco pro.
Here are a few dodgy pics. The car is wearing it's plastidipped winter wheels/tyres in these pics (the plastidip keeps them good and means I don't have to clean them so often).
and I couldn't get on with the interior materials at all.
Just don't tell her I offered that :lol: