BMW M135i
1 Series aims to prove that outright power needn’t be key in delivering a thrilling drive
The M135i is one of the best performance cars that BMW makes – and given the company’s current line-up, that’s high praise indeed. Star of the show is the straight-six engine, which provides effortless acceleration and a tuneful soundtrack. It also boasts decent practicality and reasonable running costs, and is cheaper than the Merc.
The Mercedes isn’t the only premium hatch that has been given a high-performance makeover. With its tantalising array of racy upgrades and the heavyweight punch of its six-cylinder engine, the BMW M135i is the current hyper hatch champ. Not that you’d know from the outside.
At a glance, the understated M135i could easily be mistaken for a cheaper conventional 1 Series in M Sport trim. The only giveaways to the car’s true potential are the twin-exit exhausts and bright blue brake calipers. Any concerns that this low-key approach might limit the car’s appeal vanish the moment you press the starter button and the 3.0-litre engine barks into life.
While the rear-wheel-drive M135i couldn’t match the 4WD Merc in the sprint from 0-60mph, it proved more responsive during our in-gear tests, where the combination of a thumping 450Nm at just 1,300rpm and the eight-speed gearbox’s closely stacked ratios gave it a real advantage.
Used - available now
2021 BMW
1 Series
25,620 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £18,700
2024 BMW
1 Series
8,500 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £22,450
2019 BMW
1 Series
92,737 milesManualDiesel1.5L
Cash £9,199
2020 BMW
1 Series
100,738 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £10,999Even better, the silky-smooth six-cylinder revs all the way to 7,000rpm and features the sort of snarling soundtrack missing from the AMG. Just as impressively, the traditional auto box delivers crisp upchanges via the steering wheel paddles and accepts downshift commands more readily than the A45.
Only occasional jerkiness in auto mode lets it down. As you’d expect, the BMW doesn’t have the limpet-like traction of the Mercedes, but it’s only on wet roads that this is an issue, and even then the traction control works effectively to curb any wayward behaviour. And what it lacks in outright grip it makes up for with its beautifully balanced rear-wheel-drive handling.
It’s more adjustable and agile than the Mercedes, and you can trim your line through a corner with a blend of steering and throttle. You can also switch between EcoPro, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ settings, which adjust the throttle sensitivity and steering weighting to suit your mood and the road.
Over bumpy surfaces, the supple BMW suffers from more body movement than the AMG, but the upshot of this is a more comfortable ride, which, in combination with the low noise levels, hands the 1 Series an advantage when it comes to long-distance cruising.
An excellent driving position, well laid out dashboard and upmarket cabin help give the BMW a more upmarket feel, while standard kit includes Bluetooth, leather seats and climate control. The five-door M135i also matches the Merc for passenger space, while its 360-litre boot is actually 19 litres larger than its rival’s.
Better still, the 135i is more than £5,000 cheaper than the Mercedes, plus it benefits from BMW’s great-value fixed-price servicing. It’s also a cheaper company car choice, despite its higher CO2 emissions.
