BMW 1 Series facelift

Published Date: 21st Jan 2015

With radical styling upgrades, inside and out, and a new engine range for BMW’s big-selling hatch ever.

Radical styling updates, inside and out, plus a revamped engine range for BMW’s big-selling hatch

BMW has taken great care in re-sculpting the three and five-door models of its face-lift 1 Series hatchback, and also fitting new a new three and four-cylinder range of petrol and diesel engine units. This new face-lifted model will hit the shelves here in the UK in late March, after making its debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show earlier that same month and just in time for the new 15 plate.

Most notable, are changes that occur at the front end, where the current model’s dropped headlights are swapped for narrower, more angular ones that come with LED running lights, and can be added as full LED lights as an option. The M Sport model will get full LED headlights as standard. The back of the car has received a huge overhaul, with slimmer, L-shaped LED taillights that travel around and along the boot. A newly designed double grille and bigger intakes create a meaner look.

                       

In the cabin, there is new cloth fabric for the seats with a new piano black finish that has been applied to the centre console, finished with chrome surrounds on the functional buttons. If you go for the Professional sat-nav system, you get an 8.8-inch screen and climate control is standard. A new self-parking function has been developed to include bay parking, as well as the ever difficult parallel parking, while radar-based active cruise control, with stop and go function, is also now available.

This new engine line-up is taken in-part from BMW’s new modular engine range, and there’s plenty in common with the new MINI. The most efficient model is the 116d Efficient Dynamics Plus version, fuelled by the 114bhp 1.5-litre diesel, that can be found in the 116d, but with a range of aero and efficiency tweaks. It returns 83.1mpg and 89g/km.

A brand- new 2.0-litre diesel variant is available in three different states – the 148bhp 118d, the 187bhp 120d and the 221bhp 125d able to reach 0-62mph in 6.3 seconds. The 118d returns 74.3mpg, while the 125d manages 61.4mpg. A new manual gearbox is available on every model except the 120d XDrive, which gets a re-designed eight-speed auto.

                       

A new petrol range kicks off with the 118i and 120i, mutually powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with 134bhp and 168bhp respectively. The 120i uses a 215bhp 2.0-litre petrol and cover 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds, but it’s outmuscled by the M135i, now powered by a  turbocharged straight-six allowing it to cover 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds.

Browse the latest BMW 1 Series range and prices here.