Written by Luke Wilkinson Updated: 11 December 2024

Overview

BMW updated the 1 Series in summer 2024. The tweaks were quite extensive, stretching to a new front end, some fresh interior technology and a new badging strategy that saw the brand cull the ‘i’ suffix from its petrol cars. Because ‘i’ means electric now.

We’ve already driven the revised 1 Series, and we saw that it was good. And now, we’ve spent some time getting to know the new M135 – BMW’s entrant for the hot hatchback race, that’s designed to rival everything from the do-everything Volkswagen Golf R to the barnstorming Honda Civic Type R.

Like the old car, this updated model is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine but, with European emissions regulations tightening their grip around car manufacturers’ necks, it now produces six fewer horsepower and 50Nm less than the old car. We’re now making do with just 300hp and 400Nm of torque.

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This is a problem, because the pre-facelift M135i was never the most entertaining car in its class. It was fast, but it was also too clinical and far too sensible, which pushed our petrol-swilling staffers towards the more exciting Honda Civic Type R and Hyundai i30 N. The fact this updated car is slower means BMW isn’t off to a great start.

Scroll down to read our thoughts on the new BMW M135. In this review, we’ll assess the car’s practicality, interior technology, running costs and all-important driving experience to tell you whether you should bother with it or opt for one of its rivals. If you’d like to learn more about how we reached our verdict on the car, check out our how we test cars page.

What’s it like inside?

A lot like a normal 1 Series, which is no bad thing. But, to set the M135 apart from its common or garden siblings, BMW gave it some sportier seats, a few M badges and a chunky leather steering wheel with a red 12 o’clock marker.

It also has BMW’s rather brilliant Curved Display infotainment system. It comprises a 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster and a 10.7-inch central touchscreen mounted under one sheet of glass. It’s crisp, logically organised and responsive, but we sorely miss the iDrive rotary controller found in the larger 3 Series. It’s far safer to use on the move.

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And no amount of BMW M badges can fix the M135’s practicality limitations. Like the standard car, space in the rear is at a premium and the narrow rear doors limit access. Plus, those wide sports seats and heavy rear tints block out more daylight for those sitting in the back. The Golf R is a far more usable hot hatchback for families.

Interestingly, the M135 has more boot space than the standard 1 Series. Even though there’s an extra differential hiding beneath the boot floor, the lack of a bulky mild hybrid battery lifts the car’s luggage space from 300 to 380 litres. That’s six litres more than the Volkswagen Golf R, but a whopping 220 litres behind the enormous Skoda Octavia vRS.

Comfort

The M135 is a hot hatch with sporty suspension and big wheels, so it’s never going to be as comfortable as the standard 1 Series. Considering how focused it is, though, it’s not bad. It certainly has a firmer edge than the Volkswagen Golf R, but it’s more than comfortable and refined enough to cover massive motorway miles in.

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However, you can make it the M135 more uncomfortable by specifying BMW’s M Dynamic Pack. This £3,000 option pack adds bigger alloy wheels, more heavily bolstered front seats and track-optimised suspension. Unless you’re planning to do a spot of track work, we reckon you’ll better appreciate the standard setup.

Safety

The 1 Series hasn’t been crash-tested since 2019, but it scored a full five stars when it last passed through Euro NCAP’s proving ground. And, because the M135 shares the same platform and safety equipment as the standard hatchback, it shares the same rating.

We won’t bore you with all the details of the crash test here. Just know it does a good job (overall) of protecting its adult and child occupants. It also comes with plenty of standard safety tech, such as cruise control, traffic sign recognition and lane-keeping assist.

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The latter system is a little annoying on a twisty road but, mercifully, you can disengage it quickly by prodding one of the buttons on the centre console to jump directly to the safety assist menu.

What’s it like to drive?

We can sum the M135’s driving experience up in two words – fast and predictable. Despite the downgrade in performance, it can still sprint from 0–62mph in 4.9 seconds and it still has ample mid-range grunt to overtake most things short of an M3 on the motorway.

Still, if you’re looking for outright thrills, we think you’d be better served by the Volkswagen Golf R. It’s interesting how the times have changed – when the M-powered 1 Series was first launched in the early 2010s, it was the hot hatchback for lairy skid enthusiasts, while the Golf R was the sensible option for fast families. Now, the opposite is true.

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The latest Golf R comes from the factory with a drift button, whereas the M135’s four-wheel drive system and grippy tyres tie it down almost too well. It’s simply too composed for its own good – and that saps a lot of the fun from the experience.

It’s the same story with the controls. The steering is wonderfully sharp and responsive off-centre but, good grief, is it numb. You get very little indication of the state of the road surface through your palms.

The engine, while punchy, is also characterless. For the first five miles, we were fooled into thinking it was rortier than it was, until we unearthed the button for BMW’s synthesised engine noise. After turning that off, it didn’t sound any more impressive than a 120.

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We were utterly disappointed by the car’s actual exhaust note, which has been stifled by strict EU noise regulations. In our book, that sort of defeats the point of a hot hatchback. It should be loud and offensive – and it saddens us that this one isn’t.

Still, if all you want from your hot hatch is a tool that can get you from A to B very quickly regardless of the prevailing weather conditions, you might have found your soulmate.

What models and trims are available?

There’s just one. But BMW will encourage you to spec up your car with its many and varied range of optional extras. These include fancy metallic paint (at least £650 – but you can spend more than £2,000 if you want), bigger alloy wheels (£600) and performance and technology packs that add items such as adaptive LED headlights and stronger brakes.

Be careful with your choice of options. Fully deck out your M135 with all the extras and you’ll be spending as much as £55,000. On a 1 Series! That’s madness, especially when the (objectively better) Honda Civic Type R costs £5,000 less.