BMW 1 Series
Hatch is proving thirstier than anticipated
I’M loving life with the new BMW 1 Series. It’s been a pleasure to drive, it’s the most practical version ever, and the high-quality interior means the cabin is a great space to spend time in. However there’s an elephant in the room that needs addressing – the economy.
When I first took delivery of our 118i M Sport I was averaging around 33mpg, but I expected that figure to rise as I went on some longer trips instead of just cruising around town. But, well over 3,000 miles later, that hasn’t been the case and I’m still struggling to get above 34mpg.
It’s particularly disappointing because BMW quotes fuel-consumption figures of between 42. 2 and 47.1mpg for this car. That’s quite a big difference from what I’ve been managing, and it means that, despite our car having a larger 50-litre touring fuel tank, I have to make regular trips to the pumps to fill up.
It’s not as if the 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine provides blistering pace, either, as it can often feel underpowered on the motorway. It’s by no means slow, but the performance simply doesn’t offset the mpg figures I’ve got so far.
And, it appears I’m not the only one having issues with 1 Series economy. Auto Express reader Dean Maisey recently got in touch to say he’s been left disappointed with an average of just 38mpg from his 118i M Sport manual.
Despite the economy woes, it remains hard to fault the 1 Series in most other areas. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the amount of rear space on offer, and the relatively large doors mean it’s pretty easy to get my twoyear-old son, Hugo, in and out. Yes, I have to stoop a bit, but I’ve never bumped his head on the roof. And once he’s inside there’s plenty of room for him to stretch his legs; even with the front seat slid back, but I’m yet to feel any kicks on the back of the seat.