BMW 120d M Sport Review | A Comprehensive Car Review by Wagonex

Running Costs and Road Tax

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First Impressions

The BMW 120d is the most powerful version of the popular 1 Series. It also makes you wonder why more manufacturers haven’t stuck with diesel power. Okay, all conventional power will end in 2030, but when you have a powerplant as good as this why not stick with it for as long as you can.

Throw in the fact that this is a versatile 5-door hatchback with a seriously premium feel, and you can easily understand why it’s found itself outside so many UK homes.

Exterior

The shape of the BMW 1 Series has always meant that it’s been a bit of a Marmite car…love the shape or hate it. Thankfully, as the 1 Series has been updated, we reckon it’s become rather stylish.

It’s also distinctive, which is something you can’t say about a lot of cars on our roads these days. M Sport means you get colour-coded bumpers, M Sport styling, seriously smart 18-inch alloy wheels and slightly stiffer suspension.

Interior

When you see the M Sport level of trim next to the name of any BMW, you know that you’re getting plenty of goodies thrown in. Satellite navigation, automatic air conditioning, leather upholstery, sports seating, heated front seats and cruise control.

The sat nav is worthy of special mention. BMW have stuck with using a rotary dial situated between the front seats to control everything on the TFT screen. You turn a wheel and press it to make it scroll through words and letters.

It’s excellent….unlike some cars where you have to try prodding the screen as you go along. Try doing that on a bumpy road and hitting the right letters every time! The cabin is roomy and the hatchback makes for easy loading.

Out on the Road

Power comes from a terrific 2.0 litre diesel engine churning out 187bhp. Everything goes via an automatic gearbox and…surprise surprise for BMW aficionados…power goes to the front wheels. It’s actually better to drive than the previous generations which were rear-wheel drive.

This means the bonnet can be shorter and more space can be devoted to the cabin. Go easily and you’ll manage, according to BMW, 47.9mpg. Don’t worry about the sports-tuned stiffened suspension. This BMW is still well controlled over all surfaces and doesn’t feel overly firm. We like it…there’s a real feel of control over lumps and bumps or when pushing along on a twisty road. And once the diesel engine is warmed-up, it sounds really good.

Verdict

The latest BMW 1 Series cars look really smart. Put the latest model next to an older one and you easily spot the styling differences. If you are a driver who enjoys having some fun yet still needs to have the versatility of a family hatchback, this BMW 1 Series ticks the boxes.

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