BMW 118i 2020 Review

Meet the cheapest BMW on sale in Australia today, priced below $46K but with a nagging question: is it worth it?

When BMW launched the original 1 Series back in the early 2000s its positioning as one of very few – and eventually the only – rear-wheel drive compact hatchbacks was seen as a positive. But over time it clearly became a burden, prompting BMW to swap driving wheels for the third generation launched in Australia in late 2019. Here we’re testing the entry-level model, the 118i, complete with a triple-cylinder turbo-petrol engine.

The cheapest BMW

The third-generation BMW 118i five-door hatchback earns the distinction of being the cheapest BMW you can buy.

Priced at $45,990 plus on-road costs it undercuts entry-level versions of the X1 and X2 small SUVs by small amounts. That makes sense considering it shares the same front-wheel drive platform and 103kW/220Nm triple-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with them.

The 118i’s price has jumped considerably since its launch last December. Back then it was $42,990 – already a $4000 rise over its rear-wheel drive F20 predecessor.

But in May it was hiked a further $3000. BMW blamed that on “exchange rates, inflation and changes to material costs”. Clearly, there was plenty of that going on for such a substantial increase in one hit!

Mind you, you can spend substantially more on a 1 Series by buying the $68,990 M135i xDrive. That’s a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol with all-wheel drive.

The 118i is undercut on pricing by logical opponents such as the Audi A3 – although we are waiting on a new generation of that car – and the entry-level Mercedes-Benz A180 hatch. The underwhelming Lexus CT200h also starts cheaper.

The 118i also has some high-quality mainstream small cars to contend with like the Mazda3. But that’s a problem for all premium minis and not just this Bimmer.

The 118i comes standard with an M Sport package that includes 10mm-lower sports suspension, more aggressively sculpted front air intakes, a multi-function leather steering wheel, sports seats and some cloth and anthracite trimmings.

On top of that, standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels, sports seats, single-zone air-conditioning, dual 10.25-inch display screens run by BMW’s latest 7.0 operating system, BMW ConnectedDrive with its online services and emergency call feature, a six-speaker audio, digital radio, navigation, Apple CarPlay connection and wireless smartphone charging.

There is no spare tyre as the 118i rolls on run-flat tyres. Android Auto is due to become available as an over-the-air update this year.

The BMW 118i is protected by a three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and servicing is condition-based. There are two service packages available: basic and plus. Pricing starts at $1550.

Safety first

Standard BMW 118i safety equipment includes six airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), cruise control with a braking function, approach control warning, lane departure warning, lane change warning, rear cross traffic warning and rear collision prevention.

A further driver assistant is ARB (actuator contiguous wheel slip limitation) which comes from the BMW i3 electric vehicle. It works with stability control and a mid-corner inside-wheel braking function to reduce front wheel slip and spin.

A head-up display is standard, as is a reversing camera and a parking assistant. Headlight and tail-lights are LED, as are fog lamps.

A neat trick is the reversing assistant that can reverse the 118i for up to 50 metres by steering it along the same line it took when moving forward.

The 118i comes with a 2019 five-star ANCAP safety rating.

Known technology

While the exterior shape of the BMW 118i is brand-new, the technology underpinning and powering it has been around for a little while.

At its core is the front/all-wheel drive UKL2 platform that is used by a variety of both BMW and MINI models as well as something called the Zinoro 60H made by BMW’s Chinese partner Brilliance.

Sitting transverse in the 118i’s engine bay, the now-familiar B38 triple-cylinder engine is an inline design, employing a single-scroll turbocharger, direct injection, 12 variable-timed valves and double overhead camshafts, also with variable timing.

BMW claims outputs of 103kW at 4200-6500rpm and 220Nm at 1480-4600rpm on 95 RON premium fuel, a 0-100km/h time of 8.5 seconds, a top speed of 213km/h, average fuel consumption of 5.9L/100km and CO2 emissions of 135g/km.

The engine mates exclusively to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The 118i chassis includes a MacPherson strut front end, multilink rear end, electric-assist power steering, vented discs with single-piston floating callipers front and rear and 225/40R18 rubber (Bridgestone Turanzas on the test car).

The new 118i is five millimetres shorter than the outgoing model at 4319mm, while it is 34mm wider and 13mm higher.

Increased use of aluminium includes the bonnet and tailgate. Combined with high-strength steels, this shaves 30kg of weight from the new 118i. The claim is now 1320kg unladen.

BMW says these measures also increase the body structure’s bending and torsional stiffness.

Sensible front-wheel drive

Making the BMW 118i front-wheel drive might not be music to the ears of purists, but it makes a hell of a lot of sense for compact hatchback buyers who value packaging efficiency.

The rear seat of the 1 Series was previously a pretty squishy place. But with the engine now sitting east-west and no drivetrain gubbins running to the rear wheels it all works much better for a family buyer. BMW claims an extra 33mm of knee-room and 13mm of elbow-room back there.

You can actually fit tall-ish people in the rear seat now. And thanks to the theatre-style seating, the view out is decent for people of most sizes.

There is still a substantial transmission/exhaust tunnel that compromises the middle seat, but fitting in there would be a squeeze under any circumstances.

Luggage space is up 20 litres to 380 litres – which is competitive in the class. Split-fold the 60:40 rear seat down and storage grows to 1200 litres. That’s enough to take a large mountain bike with the front wheel removed.

On this model the tailgate is manually operated. It’s one of a number of equipment shortcuts that stand at odds with the price. For instance, there is no smart key unlock function, no rear air-con vents or fold-down armrest and the front seats are only manually adjustable.

Mind you, they are bloody good seats, both comfortable and supportive. And the latter helps because the 118i is a fun little car to generate some side-loads in through the corners.

Okay, it’s no M2, but it is nicely enthusiastic – once you dial up sport in the ‘driving experience control’. The engine works hard and the transmission snaps to attention. The dual-clutch avoided the annoying tip-in throttle hesitation that still blights VW’s DCT.

This is a smoother engine than triples are generally reputed to be. Happily, it maintains the distinct and enthusiastic growl they are also renowned for. Unwanted noises are muted in the cabin, bar tyre noise on very coarse surfaces.

The passive suspension slightly favours handling over ride, but that’s helpful if you want body control in the corners. Steering is direct and light and there is no obvious front-drive corruptions.

Roll back to comfort mode and the edgy drivetrain response is lost, but that’s fine for cruising around town.

Two issues though: the turning circle is 11.4m, up from the rear-driver’s very useful 10.7m; but far more annoying is the stop-start system. It’s agricultural and intrusive and is to be avoided, as should the limp eco pro drive mode.

Speaking of fuel consumption – sort of – the average after a week’s testing came out at 7.8L/100km. Very acceptable.

From the driver’s seat there is a lot familiar from other BMWs, including the small, chubby steering wheel, the presentation of the dashboard, the iDrive controller and the useful amount of storage spaces. USB sockets front and rear are useful features you wouldn’t have always found in a BMW.

All up, this is a nice and functional place to be, not as upmarket as usual, but not as expensive either.

Importantly, even if it is the cheapest BMW, the 118i still feels solid and prestigious. There’s a solid thunk when you close the door and a planted feel on the road.

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