BMW
Engine: petrol.
Displacement — 1995 cc
Output — 129 hp at 5750 rpm
Peak torque — 180 Nm at 3250 rpm
Top speed — 204 km/h
Sprint to 100 km/h — 10.1 seconds
Gearbox: 6-speed automatic
Drive — rear-wheel drive
Brake system:
front — ventilated discs
rear — solid discs
Fuel consumption:
city — 10.7 L per 100 km
highway — 6.1 L per 100 km
combined — 7.8 L per 100 km
Curb weight: 1335 kg
Tires: 205/55R16
Alfred, behind the wheel for 11 years.
BMW is, without exaggeration, one of the most expressive and therefore easily recognizable cars in the world. You can love it or not, criticize it or praise it, but it is impossible to accuse it of lacking its own identity. Every Bavarian is similar to its relatives in driving manner and fighting spirit, yet each has its own character. The 1 Series has been plying our roads for a long time, but it hasn't lost its appeal. In my opinion, it's one of the most successful designs in the current BMW lineup. See for yourself: the lines of the flat sides are precise to the millimeter, the narrow side windows visually compact the silhouette. The front with its unusual headlights somewhat resembles the brand's roadsters. And the long-hood profile adds sportiness and, I dare say, provides excellent weight distribution — the driver sits almost in the center — and therefore, superb handling.
The interior is done in the signature "1 Series" style. This applies to the curves of the dashboard and the door handle line. I'd also note the impeccable build quality and the thoughtfulness of the instruments and controls. The seating position is sportily low, legs stretched far forward, the beltline at shoulder level. You immediately notice that visibility front and rear is limited — the mirrors are a bit narrow, though this doesn't affect driving. The secret is that the engineers made the side mirrors panoramic. Overall, the interior creates a special, unique mood.
Enough of the lyrical digression, time to get behind the wheel. I open the glovebox — and there, in the branded document folder, the BMW badge is again on display. A small thing, but nice. Despite its modest dimensions, it's not cramped behind the wheel, but rear passengers won't have too much room — the cabin is noticeably shifted back. But who cares about rear passengers? This car is made for the driver. At idle, the engine emits a quiet, raspy rumble — it's immediately clear that it's ready not only for calm driving but also for active driving. Starting, by the way, is done via a button, like in many older models.
In motion, the 1 Series didn't surprise me — it's a classic BMW. With smooth steering inputs, reactions are calm, but if you act more sharply, the car becomes sharp and aggressive. In the urban battle for a place in traffic, the 1 Series can play first fiddle. Lane changes are precise, without body roll. Even with a full cabin and an automatic, the car shoots off like a cannon; driving it is pure pleasure. At decent speeds, the engine is almost inaudible, which is even a pity: the pleasant rumble goes to others, not the driver. The car happily dives into corners, holds its line like iron, and making it roll is no easy task. A funny observation: potholes on the road became interesting! They're like slalom gates — it's exciting to dodge them at full speed. The car is perfectly ready for such maneuvers; behind the wheel is true delight. It's a small fighting fish — urban, though not alien to long distances — that, despite its modest size, hasn't lost its thoroughbred traits and remains 100% BMW. And the very status of BMW means a lot, and I'm even willing to agree that it's worth the asking price, but... I think it won't become the daily transport of a respectable man or lady — it's a bit cramped. Rather, it will be given to an elegant blonde or a young man for his birthday by his parents.
Vadim, driving experience 9 years.
I'll admit honestly, I'm getting behind the wheel of a rear-wheel-drive car for the first time (not counting, of course, the 4 Series and 6 Series). The main question that tormented me: do I need to lift off the throttle in corners? But before moving off, I carefully inspect the 1 Series outside and inside. Outside — an ordinary C-class car, but with BMW's striking looks. This design can't be confused with anything else. I mentally give it a big plus: few will bother to figure out if it's a 1 Series or a 3 Series, but everyone will note — it's a BMW. In the driver's seat, it's comfortable and everything is intuitive; in the front passenger seat, it's comfortable. But in the back, knees might be a bit tight, about like in an Opel Astra. Talking about material quality and interior design is uninteresting — it's clear everything is top-notch. The standard audio will suit everyone except avid audiophiles. Passive safety is also in perfect order: 8 airbags, rigid body, steel impact-absorbing elements — in short, 5 stars in NCAP. Of course, there are no "poor" trims here.
What interested me most was how the "choked" two-liter engine in the BMW 118 (129 hp and 180 Nm) would behave — how good it is for city and highway? Let me remind you that the modern 1.8 engine in Opel and Honda now produces 140 hp and 175 Nm, while the BMW 120's 2.0 engine has 150 hp and 200 Nm. So, we drive around the city. In "D" mode, the smoothness of the ride and excellent low-end torque, allowing quick lane changes, are appealing. If the road is freer, I switch to "S" mode: the car becomes lively and aggressive. Sometimes manual shifting is also useful. The automatic is 6-speed, modern, with honest logic: if you select "3", it will indeed engage third gear. Plus two automatic functions: at 1000 rpm, a lower gear engages; in the red zone, a higher gear.
By the way, here the "plus" is located closer to the driver — this is convenient if you've switched from a manual, but this arrangement of "+" and "-" makes you confuse them at first after other automatics. I've long noticed that any car dictates a driving style: in a fast car, even a calm person tries to "step on it", and vice versa — in a slow car, even a "racer" will enjoy smooth driving. The BMW 118 stands out from this rule: both aggressive and calm driving are equally pleasant in it. Another big plus. The engine here is magnificent. First, the Doppel-VANOS system — variable valve timing, independently for intake and exhaust valves. This provides optimal torque characteristics across the entire rev range. Second, the Valvenronic system, which allows more air to be supplied. The result is more power with less fuel consumption. BMW engines have always been the benchmark to emulate.
And what about corners — do you need to lift off the "gas" here? At 200 km/h — probably yes. Although even here, CBC (Cornering Brake Control) and DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) will work. In corners, the BMW 118 is more stable than a typical front-wheel-drive car, aided by the ideal 50:50 weight distribution.
Sadykov Lenar, head of the site www.autokazan.ru. Driving experience 9 years.
The first question that arose when looking at the car: "Who is it for?".
No aggression, compactness — I assumed "probably for women", and with that thought, I proceeded to inspect the interior.
The first thing that caught my eye was the very harmonious combination of the gray interior with the exterior; everything looks like a single whole. In the driver's seat, everything is convenient and well thought out. The instrument panel is not as strict as in its older siblings, which again confirmed the idea that the car is feminine. In general, the interior didn't evoke particularly vivid emotions — everything is done solidly and thoughtfully, without complaints. But I didn't like the mirrors: they're a bit small, and I never got used to them during the whole test.
I move to the rear seat and note how cramped it is here: two people is the maximum, and when I clarify that the car is C-class, it becomes a bit sad.
So, let's go. 30 minutes of driving in the back seat convince me that I wouldn't put my family in the back seat of this car — it's stiff, bumpy, and tiring.
Finally, it's my turn. I get behind the wheel — and immediately feel at home: no unnecessary fiddling with settings, just sat down and drove, as if I'd been driving this car all my life. After being shaken around on the back seat, the front feels quite cozy. At first, I'm getting used to the automatic. We hit the highway, I press the gas in my usual manner, rev the engine — and... nothing. It's like there's no dynamics. I add more gas, wait for a reaction — same feeling. We approach a 70 sign, and then I'm told that traffic cops often hang out here. For the first time, I glance at the speedometer and freeze: the needle has passed 140 km/h. My first thought — the gauge is lying!
By my feelings, I was doing at most a hundred. I slow down: 120, 100, 80. And I start to truly feel sorry for whoever will own this car. Because driving on the highway at 80 km/h in this car is like moving in a funeral procession.
We enter the city — and the picture completely changes. It's like I wake up, and so does the car. I start maneuvering through narrow streets, and the car turns into a predator just waiting to be given gas — to overtake someone sharply and swiftly or to fly into a corner at a decent speed. This is great! The engine pleases with excellent dynamics, in corners the car holds like glued: not a hint of roll or drift. The steering wheel is perfection itself, every movement gives exactly the result you expect.
We head back, and my first question resurfaces: "Who is this car for, after all?" Aggressive character in the city, stiffness that rear passengers suffer from... For women? I doubt it.
Pros:
Dynamics and handling — this is a BMW, and nothing more needs to be added here.
Cons:
The mirrors are a bit small. In the C-class, there's frankly little room for rear passengers.