BMW 1 Series Coupe 120i ES 2dr Car Review - February 2012

REVIEW
List Price: £23,310
Tax Band: G
Insurance Group: 25
MPG: 43.5
CO2: 152
0-62 Mph: 7.8 secs
BHP: 170 BHP
Range: 507 miles
CarSite Verdict:  3.75/5
The 1 Series Coupe 120i ES 2-door is a really enjoyable car to drive; thanks to the superb driving position offered, the excellent feedback through the steering, its poise and precision while cornering and not too firm ride. It’s now smoother and more spacious than before and with strong residual values and many improvement over the original Series 1; it’s sure to be very popular as a first time BMW.

PROS:  Superb driving position, great steering gives an entertaining drive, tremendous fun on back roads, class beating fuel economy.

CONS:  The petrol engine needs to be worked hard to get the best from it, some of the interior trim looks basic.

Behind the Wheel

The interior is full of typical BMW architecture and the instruments are clear and fuss-free as you’d expect. All controls have the same feeling of quality as any of the more expensive BMW models.

The cabin provides ample room up front for both heads and legs. There’s plenty of steering wheel and seat adjustment, and even the tallest driver won’t have a problem finding the ideal driving position.

This 120i ES model comes with BMW’s 4 cylinder, 16V, 120i petrol unit and 6-speed manual transmission. The engine is capable of churning out 170bhp, and taking you from 0-62mph in a respectable 7.8 seconds, and to a top speed of 139mph. While the performance doesn’t quite match that of an Audi TT or VW Scirroco, opting for one of the more powerful engines in the range will put it on a par.

If you need more power then the 120 diesel engine offers the best balance of additional power with economy, and there is also an appealing twin-turbo 123d version.

The ride is less firm than the Series 1 hatch and is excellent except when you coma across some of the roughest roads. The splendid body control is evident especially on those twisty back-roads, where it really shows what it can do. Being rear wheel driven, pushing it a bit too fast into a tight corner will see the front of the car running wide. The suspension is quiet but road noise can be heard around the wheel-arches, and on the motorway it’s even more obvious, with added wind noise too.

Looks & Equipment

It is undoubtedly a BMW with the sporty lines and elegant presence on the road. The entry-level ES version is fitted with stability control, alloy wheels, electric windows and mirrors, CD system plus MP3 connectivity, air-conditioning, automatic headlamps and wipers as standard. Add-ons include climate control (£400), metallic paint (£515), cruise control (£220), rear-parking sensors (£350), leather seats (£1,115), Bluetooth (£400).

The Sport trim option gets you 17-inch alloy wheels, sports seats and fog-lamps upfront. The M Sport version comes with bodykit, larger alloy-wheels and firmer sports suspension.

Practicality, Safety & Reliability

It’s no surprise with its compact size that the rear does not offer as much space as upfront. There are only two seats and leg room is a little limited, but acceptable for its class. There's a boot offering a good 370 litres of useable space, which can also be enlarged thanks to the 60/40 split-folding rear seats.

The usual six airbags, anti-lock braking and stability control system come as standard kit on every 1 Series. Deadlocks, alarm and an immobiliser are also standard to keep thieves out.

The 1 Series now feels and looks like a bigger BMW with many of the characteristics of larger models. Its build quality and reliability match the bigger versions too. For peace of mind BMW offer an unlimited mileage warranty for 3 years. You can also choose between the 3-year and 5-year servicing packages at fixed prices, so you’ll have no nasty shocks. These are also transferrable to a future owner which will help resell values and appeal for used buyers in the future.

Value for Money

Priced at £22,650 - this entry-level model is cheaper than some of its rivals yet delivers on style, prestige, reliability and comfort. If you want more performance for your money, you’ll need to check out one of the bigger engine options in the range.

Being a BMW, resell values will be better than average. Economy is helped by the incorporation of stop-start engine technology returning 43.5mpg, which is one of the best in its class; with CO2 emissions at 152g/km (VED band G) it’s the greenest in its class and all diesels versions are below 120g/km. Being in insurance group 25 and the fixed price servicing options from BMW make overall running costs very competitive with its rivals.

BMW 1 Series Coupe 120i ES 2dr Car Review - by 
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