BMW has launched its 4th-gen 1 Series and 2nd-gen 2 Series Gran Coupe premium hatchback and sedan in South Africa. Although evolutions of their predecessors, the new models remain stylish and tastefully updated entry points to the Bavarian brand.
Relationships are complicated at the best of times. Discordant needs, expectations, change and baggage are like emotional speedbumps that demand careful negotiation… The BMW 1 Series and 2 Series Gran Coupe (GC), which only appeal to some markets, have a lot in common with their Mini cousins, and seem under constant threat of being axed to make way for EVs, invariably divide opinion.
Suffice it to say, BMW tested the relationship with its customer base when it began producing compact hatchbacks in the mid-Nineties and further annoyed traditionalists by adopting front- and all-wheel-drive thanks to its shared use of the large Mini platform (UKL2, in the case of the 1- and 2 Series GC) in 2014.
The BMW 1 Series predates that departure from the norm as far back as 2004, when the Munich-based brand built its 1st “glitzier version of the Golf”. Its breadvan silhouette doubtlessly furrowed a few purist brows, but at least power was sent to the rear set of wheels and an inline-6 motor still topped the range.
The BMW 1 Series has now come of age, though 21 years later, the automotive universe is a somewhat more alien place than it was in 2004, and the latest (F70) interpretation personifies that progression.
Or regression, if you are 1 of the very few remaining die-hards who still lament BMW’s decision to ditch rear-wheel drive for its compact cars… or spin the models from a platform that underpins Mini products.
Stylish, if challenging, exterior execution
BMW SA, which launched the F70 1 Series and the mechanically identical F74 2 Series GC this week, is at pains to paint the debutants are all-new models, although in truth, they’re heavily revised iterations of the F40 and F44 models that debuted in 2019 and 2020. The body has swollen by 42 mm and 25 mm in length and height, respectively, while the wheelbase and the luggage capacity are unchanged.
More angular shapes have made their way to the bumpers and (standard LED) light clusters at both ends, along with a mishmash of somewhat confusing horizontal, diagonal and vertical lines in the grille.
Abbreviated engine line-up for BMW 1 Series & 2 Series GC
The Munich-based company has taken a chainsaw to the engine line-up, reducing it to just 2 available options: Mini’s front-wheel-driving 1.5-litre 3-cylinder turbopetrol (115 kW/230 Nm, with a claimed 0-100 kph time and top speed of 8.5 sec and 211 kph), and the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol that produces 233 kW/400 Nm, which is 8 kW more and 50 Nm less than before, in conjunction with all-wheel drive.
The flagships are said to sprint from zero to 100 kph in 4.9 sec and go on to top speeds of 250 kph.
These motors do duty in the 118 and 218, the 118- and 218 M Sport, plus the M135 and M235, with, of course, a labyrinthine arrangement of wallet-wilting tech, tyre and feature upgrades available at extra cost. Note, however, there is no diesel, no 128/220 variants, and no hybrid or electric options either.
So, what else is gone?
At the rear, badge spotters (South Africans do love bootlid- or tailgate lettering) will notice that the 1st letter of the range designator is larger than the remainder of the text, and may be disappointed that the long-serving i-suffix has been re-appropriated for exclusive appearance on BMW’s electric models.
The silhouette is much as before, if a little more elegant, owing to the nose section being slightly longer.
By far the most significant revisions are found inside, though. So-called (and try not to chuckle) vegan leather is standard across all derivatives, while M Sport and “35” variants get sportier suede-like trim.
All BMW 1 Series and 2 Series GC derivatives are equipped with a reverse-view camera, automatically activated headlamps and wipers, built-in satnav and cruise control. Six airbags are fitted as standard, with the M135 and M235 additionally equipped with lane-keeping assistance and a blind spot monitor.
Bye-bye, iDrive selector wheel
Gone is iDrive selector wheel; so is the conventional transmission lever, which has been replaced by a circuit-breaker-style selector; ditto any physical button (apart from on the centre console): they have all been moved to the 10.7-inch touchscreen, which is flanked by a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster.
This digitisation drive, owing to more parts being housed in a single component, is most likely in aid of cost-saving, and veiled as the now-tired trope of “customers demand more tech” that car companies continue to trot out while gutting cabin ergonomics to prop up their margins.
Annoyingly, that touch- or voice-based only interface includes the controls for the climate control, which, as in the BMW X1 and X2, requires you to scroll through 2 menus to adjust the cabin temperature!
Another (more inadvertent) cost saver was that BMW conveniently forgot to move the engine start/drive mode selector panel to the driver’s side when it configured right-hand-drive iterations of the models.
Interestingly, all variants have dropped the 8-speed conventional automatic ‘box in favour of a 7-speed dual-clutch unit, which is why the “35” has had to shed 50 Newton-metres compared with its forebear.
7-speed dual-clutch auto is standard
This, and other elastokinematic updates such as revised suspension geometry, stiffer anti-roll bars and a mechanical locking front differential, have made the M135 and M235 both better and worse than before.
There’s just no way of clawing back that lost torque during in-gear acceleration; the M135 (that I drove during the ride-and-drive section of the launch) felt noticeably slower than its predecessor.
On the other hand, the flagship variant feels more planted to the road than before, thanks to adaptive dampers that keep the Teutonic hatchback upright in almost all conditions, and completes its Jekyll-to-Hyde transformation in Sport mode, when it can “flex its muscles” through corners even further.
All-wheel drive isn’t a big plus
The all-wheel-drive configuration is less pleasing. There’s an excessive front-wheel bias in the torque distribution, with noticeable torque steer almost on demand, which is almost unheard of in an AWD.
The soundtrack, most of which is real (although some of it is still enhanced by the car’s audio system), is the typical turbocharged 4-cylinder warble, but at the red line it becomes thrashy – and soulless.
Combined, the AWD and torquey 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol makes the M135 safer to drive quickly; the Bimmer would murder a slippery mountain pass. And yet it feels almost too protective or forgiving: there is no “edge” to its character. For what it offers (apart from sheer speed), it is, well, unremarkable.
That’s not helped by the fact that, apart from red marking at 12 o’clock on the helm and some weirdly-splattered M-coloured stitching over the dashboard (the one-piece sports seats are excellent, though), there simply aren’t enough visual clues inside to remind you that you’re driving the apex 1 Series.
A Volkswagen Golf 8 R, by comparison, pulls harder from the get-go and is livelier at the limit, too.
Best BMW 1 Series or 2 Series GC? 3-cylinder FTW
Balancing love and logic, it’s probably just as well, then, that if you’re keen on acquiring a BMW 1 Series or 2 Series GC, the 118 (go for the M Sport version if you can make the stretch), or 218 with its bolted-on boot, is the more attainable and convincing attempt at an entry-level BMW model.
While far from cheap, it’s all there: the best driving position this side of a Porsche 911, an overly fat-rimmed steering wheel and a solid, progressive brake pedal feel. The 218 that I drove was whisper-quiet at highway speeds with near-zero mechanical noise other than from the wind and 17-inch tyres.
What’s more, the BMW 1 Series and 2 Series GC possess a visual and emotional solidity that’s lacking in the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class and CLA equivalents (the latter of which it bests in the rear legroom stakes), even if the stoic Bavarian’s cabin lacks the look-at-me allure of its rivals’ interiors.
How much does the F70 BMW 1 Series cost in South Africa?
| BMW 1 Series 118 | R713 395 |
| BMW 1 Series 118 M Sport | R753 395 |
| BMW 1 Series M135 xDrive | R982 768 |
New BMW 1 Series specs & prices in South Africa
Find a new/used BMW 1 Series listed on Cars.co.za
How much does the F74 BMW 2 Series GC cost in South Africa?
| BMW 2 Series 218 Gran Coupe | R733 559 |
| BMW 2 Series 218 M Sport Gran Coupe | R773 559 |
| BMW 2 Series M235 Gran Coupe | R1 043 099 |
New BMW 1 Series specs & prices in South Africa
Find a new/used BMW 1 Series listed on Cars.co.za
All prices (correct in May 2025) include a 2-year/unlimited km warranty and 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan.
Summary
For aspiring buyers looking to get into the BMW experience, the unpretentious 118 is a great entry point. It still makes you feel like you’ve won the lottery without spending all your winnings on a shiny new BMW.
It’s lightyears removed from the original 1 Series, which means to say it’s no longer lairy, but that’s not to say it’s given up any of its usability (BMW’s switch to FWD for the 3rd-gen model improved practicality), or, indeed, loveability. And since when have relationships stopped being about compromises, anyway?
Related content:
F20 BMW 1 Series (2011-2019) Buyer’s Guide
