Looks can be deceiving. Such is the case with the 1 Series in hand.

Viewed square-on, the front evokes a facade that appears to be that of the typical BMW sedan.

But it presents itself as a hatch once you start eyeing it from other angles.

Think BMW and it’s usually its range of sedans and coupes that spring to mind. Some are even surprised that the German company makes hatches.

Oh yes, it does, alongside SUVs, roadsters and the fiery M cars. The line-up will only get more diversified as BMW pokes its proverbial finger into every pie – heck, even front-wheel drive MPVs are coming as well.

Let’s not even go into its other sub-brands.



The 1 Series range used to include coupes and convertibles, until BMW decided of late to make them bigger and call them the 2 Series.

So now the 1 Series is all about hatches – 3 or 5-door, please.

For whatever reason, BMW Malaysia has been late in bringing in the F20 1 series, as it was already selling elsewhere in 2011.

Launched locally only in September last year, the 1 Series comes in five variants and all are five-door hatches, priced from RM170,800 to well past RM200,000.

As the entry-level model, the hatch takes some getting used to.










The front with its upright grille looks decent enough, if not as character-ful as the bestseller 3 Series or even the 2 Series that arrived in Malaysia last month. Black-out grille slats and chrome lines along the fog light level add a dab of sporty sophistication to the 125i Sport Line tester.

No complaints about the side view that has crisp surfacing and natty 17-inch alloys coupled with a roofline that slopes ever so gently to the rear.

The back is where one starts to gripe after taking in the whole proportions of the car. Despite tail lights that are spaced wide apart to impart the sporty effect, the rear looks, well, ho-hum. The compact snout begs for a protruding rump to complement it instead of one that is roundly sliced off.

The rear, in short, undercuts the cohesion of the exterior styling. But maybe such knackered view is because we are so used to seeing Bimmers with fleshed-out butts.

In contrast, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo do a better styling job with their respective A-Class and V40.

On the bright side, the 125i hews to the Munich car maker’s credo, featuring wheels with short overhangs, and rear-wheel drive that it has always touted as being so intrinsic for great driving dynamics.

In fact, the 1 Series is the only rear-wheel drive car in the segment as BMW is quick to point out in its 1 Series list of unique selling points.

As a premium compact hatch, the interior shows that off nicely. Dashboard and instrumentation have a clean layout. The centre console is oriented towards the driver and meter cluster has large, clear dials with chrome surrounds.

The ubiquitous iDrive keeps clutter to the minimum. But mister, RM240K doesn’t buy you sat-nav; you have to cough up RM15K more to get that feature in the M Sport-kitted 125i.

Both fully imported by the way. The cheaper 118i Sport, 118i Urban and 116i are locally assembled.

Cabin space in the second-generation 1 series is a little bigger, giving ample room for front row and a tad more head and legroom in the back. The car can seat five people, but a centre transmission tunnel messes up comfort for the middle guy in the rear.










Rear-view vision is great though the thick C-pillar is a major blind spot when reversing the car.

In tune with the Sport Line trim, the dash has glossy black paneling and front row gets figure-hugging sports seats (albeit in fabric).

The cabin is also replete with red highlights that appear on dashboard, dials, seats, steering wheel and even the key fob, energising a space that would otherwise look sombre. Ambient lighting softens the mood at night.

Glove box is small, but the 1 Series compensates with numerous nooks and crannies to store knick knacks. In addition, the boot space is generous and can be enlarged further via the 60/40 foldable rear seats.

Fit and finish get top marks and everything looks nailed down for perceived quality.

On to the driving experience.

The turbocharged 2.0L engine drums up 218hp at 5,000rpm and 310Nm of torque from a lowly 1,350rpm to 4,800rpm. It goes from 0-100kph in 6.2s and tops out at 243kph.

EfficientDynamics means there’s four drive modes – Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport and Sport + – auto start/stop and an eight-speed auto gearbox, that bring about a reasonable fuel economy of 6.3l/100km.

A competent engine delivers acceleration that is smooth, rapid and linear. Unfortunately, there’s none of that snarly exhaust note to cause the heart to skip a beat.







The four-cylinder petrol mill sounded disconcertingly like a diesel at low tick, but the roughness fades away at higher speeds.

As the main touchpoint, the leather-wrapped, multi-functional steering wheel feels meaty in the hand. Paddle shifters are available to play with if the driver is so inclined.

Suspension is on the firm side. Coupled to a light accurate steering, the car can be tossed around corners in a controlled manner, with some oversteer thrills in Sport+ mode.

Ride quality is supple; the dampers absorb most road irregularities except for the bigger potholes.

Enhancing comfort levels is a well-insulated cabin that screens out most road and wind noises.

The auto start-stop feature is not as refined as we had hoped, with the whole car feeling as if it had been shaken up from slumber every time it is driven off at the stop light or when turning the steering wheel at idle.

If it proves bothersome, switch it off. This is a small car so perhaps you can’t shake off that “shaken feeling” until better technology comes along.

The 125i caters to those with a youngish mindset who gravitates to such a bodystyle.

They can live without sedan-size practicalities, placing priority on performance and fun in small packages. It also speaks to the step-up crowd looking to upgrade from their Japanese or Korean makes.

No car is above reproach.

There are quibbles about the 125i as stated earlier, but if you can live with them, it’s one of several able models from various premium marques that deliver a nimble ride while serving as a daily-use city car.

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