BMW 1 Series 2026 review | Still the best family car for those who love driving

What is the BMW 1 Series?

Since the original BMW 1 Series arrived twenty-odd years ago, this nameplate has been BMW’s smallest and most affordable model. That trend continues with the latest fourth-generation car, released at the back end of 2024, and as a result, it’s job is the same as ever: to give customers a reasonably affordable route into BMW ownership.

And it’s a job that the 1 Series has done very well over the years. Since the original model’s 2004 arrival, around 3 million have been sold globally, with around 560,000 of those finding homes in the UK. It would appear, then, that the car-buying public have plenty of love for BMW’s most affordable offering.

Now, let’s get the elephant in the room dealt with pretty sharpish. Yes, while early 1 Series models adhered firmly to BMW’s traditional rear-wheel-drive ethos, the third-generation model that came before this version changed to a front-wheel-drive layout, and that remains the case with this fourth-gen car (although the majority of versions are actually all-wheel drive).

That similarity is no surprise really, as the latest car shares a platform with its predecessor, albeit a heavily revised one. That might leave you to wonder whether this really is an all-new car or merely a facelift, but BMW has seen fit to give it a new internal designation code (F70, for all you BMW boffins out there), and so who are we to argue?

Now, that whole abandonment-of-rear-wheel-drive thing might have those same BMW boffins hopping up and down with abject outrage, but the truth is that many buyers don't really care, and the 1 Series is still a tremendously entertaining car to drive, better than the vast majority of family hatchback rivals. It’s also a more practical car than early 1 Series models as a result - although still not desperately practical by today’s standards, as we’ll discover - and it still has all the prestige clout you’d want from that little round blue and white badge.

Perhaps the biggest contributing element to the 1 Series’ success over the years has been that, although it’s the firm's cheapest model, it’s never felt like a poor relation. That’s certainly the case in the new BMW 1 Series, which has a gorgeously trimmed interior, swish design and plenty of tech.

In terms of rivals, it competes with its traditional bitter foes, the Audi A3 and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. Mind you. it’ll also have to fend off competition from models at the glitzier end of the mainstream hatchback market, cars like the Volkswagen Golf and Honda Civic.

How practical is it?

One of the main reasons that BMW swapped the last generation of 1 Series to being front-wheel drive where it had previously been rear-wheel drive was to improve the packaging of the cabin for better practicality. It worked, and there was certainly more rear space and a bigger boot than before, even if it still wasn’t exactly class-leading for space and versatility. And it’s the same story with the new fourth-generation car, which is extremely similar in size to its predecessor.

Space is fine in the front seats, and the driving position is spot-on. But, although there’s enough headroom and legroom for six-foot passengers to fit in the back seats behind a driver of the same size, they won’t have much space to stretch out. Foot space is also a little bit limited in the back, and that’s especially true for whoever ends up in the middle pew of the three-seat rear bench, because there’s a big hump in the floor immediately in front of it. The middle seat itself is also rather narrow, so this is definitely a car better suited to carrying two in the back, rather than three.

The boot space of the 1 Series is 380 litres, which is pretty much identical to what you get in an Audi A3, along with a lot of other cars in the class, so it looks competitive. However, that includes the deep extra storage area that you get underneath the moveable boot floor of the M135 version. In the other versions, however, which have mild hybrid technology, around half that space is taken up by batteries, so the total you get amounts to just 300 litres. The space you get above the boot floor remains pretty much the same, though, and it’s a useful square shape, although there’s a bit of a load lip to contend with and the access is a bit narrow.

More unforgivable is the fact that BMW charges you a couple of hundred quid extra if you want a split-folding rear seat to boost your cargo-carrying capacity for bigger loads. These drop down in a versatile 40/20/40 split, which is better than the 60/40 split you get in many rivals, but so they jolly well should given the extra cash. However, the folded backrests lie at a slight angle, so there’s a bit of a slope to your extended load area.

In terms of interior quality, the 1 Series is largely what you expect. We haven’t encountered an entry-level Sport-trimmed car yet, which has cloth upholstery made from recycled plastic bottles, but the vegan leather and suede upholstery in the M Sport cars we drove looked and felt good. These cars also had several metallic flashes to brighten things up, plus a piece of M-inspired illuminated trim immediately below the infotainment screen, and some M-style Tricolour dashboard stitching immediately behind it.

Indeed, most of the surfaces and finishes you come into contact with feel appropriately posh, but if you root around a bit more in the lower reaches of the cabin, you might find one or two panels that aren’t quite up to the same uniformly high standard.

What’s it like to drive?

The F70 1 Series line-up comprises three turbocharged petrol engines, and all come with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox as standard: no manual gearbox option here.

The range opens with the front-wheel-drive 120 variant (this would've been called 120i under BMW past nomenclature, but the ‘i’ bit is now being dropped from the name), and this has a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine developing 168bhp. It’ll cover the standard 0-62mph sprint in 7.8 seconds, and will push on to a top speed of 140mph.

Next up is the 123 xDrive, which as the name suggests, comes fitted with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system. Under the bonnet sits a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine giving 215bhp, with 0-62mph coming and going in 6.2 seconds, while the top speed is increased to 153mph.

At the top of the range sits the M135 xDrive, which again comes with four-wheel drive, and again, has a 2.0-litre petrol engine. This time, however, it develops 296bhp, making this hot-hatch halo model capable of a 0-62mph time of 4.9 seconds, before pushing on to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

We haven’t had the opportunity to try the mid-range 123 xDrive yet, but we have had a go in the two cars at either end of the spectrum. And we reckon that for most people, the entry-level 120 engine will be plenty. It feels perky enough at the lower end of the rev range and it’s quick to build revs when it needs to, so it never feels out of its depth or lacking in response. It works well with the automatic gearbox, too, with smooth and unobtrusive shifts at all times, plus the engine makes a nice noise when you extend it, and stays quiet when you don’t.

Given the M135’s power advantage, it’s no surprise that this is a different kettle of fish altogether. As the numbers suggest, it’s very rapid when you floor the throttle - not ballistically so, but there’s more than enough pace to satisfy all but the most hardcore of hot-hatch fans - and that’s the case whether you’re scrabbling away from the mark or picking up speed on the move. At more sedate speeds, the engine feels relaxed and the controls are easy to modulate, so everything stays smooth and calm. The automatic gearbox also contributes to that smoothness at low speed, yet delivers quick, clean gearchanges when going faster.

Go for the entry-level Sport car and you get regular passive suspension, while if you choose the more popular M Sport trim, you get something called M Adaptive Suspension as standard. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that this is the same as the switchable adaptive suspension that’s available on BMW’s bigger models, which allows you to firm up or soften off the suspension dampers electronically by changing driving modes. Instead, these are slightly less sophisticated twin-chamber 'frequency-selective’ dampers, which can adapt their behaviour slightly in reaction to the nature of the road surface beneath them: that means there’s no variation in the behaviour of the suspension according to whether you select the car’s sporty driving mode, or a more relaxed one.

All of the test cars we’ve had access to have been M Sport-trimmed cars (70% of buyers choose this option), so we haven’t had a chance to try the basic suspension setup. The M Sport’s suspension, meanwhile, delivers the feeling of connection you expect in a BMW. Yes, it’s on the firm side, so some rivals will be more cosseting if that’s what you want, but it’s still comfortable on all but the very worst road surfaces, because most bumps are dealt with admirably, whether you’re plodding around town or blatting down the motorway.

Whether you’re driving a front-wheel-drive or an all-wheel-drive 1 Series, it is an impressively agile and pointy car, with strong body control, lots of grip, a neutral balance, and fast, predictable responses. And although the car’s Sport mode has no effect on the suspension, it’s still worth selecting because it adds more weight to the steering for more meatiness: it feels a bit too light and artificial in other modes.

The M135 also gets the M Adaptive setup as standard, but interestingly, while the M Sport’s suspension sits 8mm lower than that of the regular 1 Series, the M135 is actually only 5mm lower, and that slight elevation in ride height is to accommodate its chunkier quad exhaust system. In terms of ride and handling, it feels all-but identical to the regular M Sport, and it’s the engine that’s the major player in delivering its racy character.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

In previous years, BMW led the field when it came to infotainment. That's largely thanks to its sensational iDrive system, which has usually been easier and more intuitive to use than the equivalent systems in most other cars. Much of this was down to the fact that, as well as the touchscreen functionality that every other car has, BMW also gave you a rotary controller with which to scroll through on-screen menus, and using this method of operation was far less distracting from the road ahead than prodding and swiping a touchscreen.

Notice the past tense of that last statement: unfortunately, that rotary controller has now disappeared with this generation of 1 Series, like it has in a few of BMW’s other models now. And, as a result, ease-of-use has taken a significant backwards step.

Something else that has done a disappearing act are the previous car’s physical air-con controls, which sticks a further dent in the car’s ergonomics, because you have to operate the car’s ventilation through the touchscreen, along with everything else. Granted, the temperature controls are permanently displayed at the bottom of the screen, but if you want to do anything more complicated with your ventilation - like adjust the fan speed or direction of the airflow - then into a submenu you must delve. Tsk tsk, BMW.

Having said all that, while this is all a bit of a backward step ergonomically compared to what went before, it is still one of the better systems out there. The menus on the glossy-looking 10.7-inch central touchscreen are still quite logically arranged, so if you take some time to familiarise yourself with the operating system, you can find your way around with reasonable effectiveness, which is pretty impressive given its complexity. The screen sensitivity is good, too, and the graphics are sharp and stylish.

What’s more, the additional 10.25-inch screen behind the steering wheel that delivers all of your essential driving information looks good and works well. Both screens sit under a single piece of glass known as the curved display, which looks cool, and all the functionality you expect is supported, including navigation, DAB, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.

The entry-level trim grade in the 1 Series line-up is called the Sport, and this comes with standard equipment including the full infotainment system, cloth upholstery made from recycled bottles, heated seats, single-zone climate control, power folding door mirrors, LED headlights and rear lights, cruise control, parking sensors and a reversing camera.

The racier M Sport trim is far more popular, though, and this brings sports seats, the adaptive suspension, bigger wheels and more aggressive styling inside and out. There’s also an M Sport Pro model, which gives you even racier add-ons, including uprated brakes with red calipers, a bigger spoiler, and seatbelts with M Sport stripes on them.

A few bits of key kit are missing from all three specs, though: If you want wireless phone charging, or an automatically dimming rear-view mirror, or adaptive cruise control, then you’ll have to add an additional option pack at extra cost. The options list also includes availability for things like a head-up display, augmented-reality nav instructions, a panoramic roof, and an upgraded Harman Kardon sound system.

BMW 1 Series running costs

Buying a BMW 1 Series might not cost as much as you might think. Prices for the entry-level 120 petrol version start at around £33,000, while the 123 xDrive costs from £38,000 and the M135 xDrive from £45,000. It’s certainly not cheap, then, and will still cost you more than most mainstream family hatchbacks, but importantly, it undercuts its main rivals from Audi and Mercedes by a useful amount, version-for-version.

Your fuel bills shouldn’t be too bonkers, either. Thanks to their 48-volt mild hybrid systems, the 120 and 123 xDrive petrols have respectable WLTP fuel economy figures of 53.2mpg and 47.9mpg, respectively. Unsurprisingly, the non-hybridised and far-more-powerful M135 is a fair bit juicier, with an official figure of 37.1mpg. And that’s if you’re gentle with it: give in to the temptation to unleash its full power, and you’ll do well if you reach the low twenties.

If you’re buying a 120 or 123, make sure you’re sensible with your choice of optional extras. If you get too carried away, then the purchase price of your car can easily spiral, and if you let it spiral north of £40,000, then you’ll land yourself - and whoever you sell the car on to - with a hefty chunk of additional VED road tax to to pay each year, due to the VED system’s luxury car surcharge. On top of the flat rate of annual tax, currently charged at £190, you’ll also be lumbered with an additional charge of £410 per year between years two and six of the car’s life. Go for the M135, meanwhile, and you’ll be stuck with this extra outlay regardless, because it costs more than £40,000 before you’ve added any options.

BMW 1 Series reliability

For used cars: try to identify any common problems and the costs for rectifying them. How has the car performed in reliability surveys? Search forums for info from owners etc. We can talk in a general way so we don’t need to quote which surveys/forums we are referencing, eg ‘some owners have found the sunroof can leak. Replacement seals cost £40 and fitting is an easy DIY job’. Also list any recall work and what owners should do about it (contact a dealer). Could be worth mentioning approved used warranty if it’s particularly impressive. For new cars: if there’s no info on common problems focus instead on the warranty offering and how it compares with rival cars. You can also talk about the brand’s reliability in general, crediting the What Car? Reliability Survey.

There was a time when the Big Three German prestige brands were very disappointing in this area, languishing towards the bottom of the various reliability and customer satisfaction surveys doing the rounds. Take a look at the manufacturer rankings of the latest What Car? Reliability Survey, though, and it looks like things might be changing slightly. Unfortunately, Mercedes and Audi are still down there, both placing 22nd equal out of the 30 carmakers considered overall. However, BMW has managed to claw its way up to a very creditable 6th in the table, which is a vast improvement on its performance of recent years.

The news gets even better for 1 Series drivers. The 1 Series came a very impressive 4th out of the many models considered in the Family Car category. Hopefully, that bodes very well for the mechanical dependability of the new car.

Like many manufacturers, BMW only offers a three-year warranty, which lags behind the likes of Kia, Hyundai and MG. However, at least there’s no mileage cap on BMW’s cover, like there is with many other brands.