The BMW M135i shifts to all-wheel drive for its most powerful version yet of the current 1 Series.

The BMW 1 Series hasn’t always had an easy time of it, and since the first model arrived it has always struggled to win over the hearts and minds of true BMW enthusiasts, with the possible exception of the limited-run 1 M Coupe. Though with BMW’s current naming system the successor is the M2 and not a 1 Series at all. The quirky styling over the years has gradually softened to what you see now, and while some (me included) will rue the demise of the three-door variants, the latest 1 Series looks as good as it ever has, especially here as the range-topping M135i. 

Much of the visual treatment that the M135i gets does improve on the car’s looks. There is a more aggressive front bumper and the kidney grille design, which is one single piece, gets a coating of Cerium Grey. That colour extends to the door mirror caps, and the sportier theme continues with a larger roof spoiler and a great looking rear diffuser that is home to two real exhausts. It’s also quite cool that a good part of the exhaust silencer box is visible, sticking out below the diffuser. 

It’s not quite so special inside though it was already a decent interior to begin with. BMW does fit some great sports seats with a tasteful blue pattern running through the centre of them. Blue contrast stitching around the edges carries through to the centre console armrest along with the doors. The BMW M colours running through the seatbelts are a nice touch too. There’s a noticeably chunky feel to the steering wheel that borders on almost being too thick rimmed. 

As all digital instrument displays go, the BMW one isn’t the easiest to read on account of its design and layout. Some will like having the map on view within the centre of the screen. The latest iDrive system is excellent to use, and it’s good that BMW has retained the rotary controller. It’s a lot easier to quickly spin and click your way through the system when you get to know it and is generally quicker to use than what Mercedes offers with its trackpad setup. For me, the jury is still out on BMW’s voice assist system, as no matter how much I used it rarely was it able to understand or perform the task to completion. 

Okay, so it’s not the full-on proper M-car that we’d like it to be, but it does put itself right into the mix with the semi-skimmed Mercedes-AMG A35 and all of the other hot hatches du jour like the ubiquitous Volkswagen Golf R, Seat Leon Cupra, Honda Civic Type-R and co. Those of you that recall the previous M135i will no doubt recall just how good it was with that six-cylinder engine in, but sadly this time around there’s a turbocharged four-cylinder under the bonnet spitting out 301bhp from 4,500- to 6,250rpm. That’s an exact match for the Mercedes-AMG A35 although the BMW generates an additional 50Nm of torque. 

As with most hot hatches nowadays the BMW drives all four wheels and uses the excellent eight-speed automatic transmission. You can toggle between a few different driving modes but if you want to hear that exhaust crackle on the overrun then leave it in Sport. The engine’s tone is helped with some added sound piped into the cabin, but it is still a far cry from a lovely hard-edged straight six. If anything it’s too synthesised and sounds more like something you’d hear playing Gran Turismo in the early days. It’s probably one of the most disappointing aspects of the car. 

Engine sound aside, the M135i can haul at quite a pace thanks partly to that xDrive transmission. It’ll sprint away from the line and blast past 62mph in 4.8 seconds and onto a top speed of 155mph. In the Sport mode each upshift has a much more noticeable shove to it, encouraging you to swap cogs manually more often just for the sheer fun of it. 

In the fast-flowing B-roads, the BMW feels nailed to the deck, and you can be confident to learn on it that bit harder. As only 50 percent of the torque can be shifted to the rear axle it never feels like you’re getting ragged of you might get the tail to slide, something that was a real feature of previous BMWs. When you get it onto tighter and narrower roads the M135i does begin to make its size and weight more obvious. Even though its engine is 35kg lighter in the nose than the old six pot, you can feel its mass quite a bit, and it doesn’t feel as agile as you might expect. The Torsen diff on the front axle does help to pull the car around corners and to be fair there’s little in the way of understeer, and this helps to make it a rapid point-to-point car. 

With so many of the current hot hatch offerings being so closely matched on performance, it’s becoming more about the smaller details of what differentiates them. There’s plenty to like about the BMW M135i, even if it is missing two cylinders in the eyes of some. Buckets of mid-range torque and that excellent eight-speed automatic gearbox are just some of the positives. 

Model: BMW M135i xDrive

Price: £27,805

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol

Power: 301bhp

Torque: 450Nm

0-62mph: 4.8 seconds

Max speed: 155mph

MPG: 41.5mpg combined

CO2: 155g/km 

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