BMW M140i, MG ZS
Hot hatch gets an update, with improved infotainment and a new special edition On sale Now Price from £33,150
Revised hot hatch and cut-price small SUV
IF YOU’RE CURRENTLY squinting your eyes trying to work out what’s new about the M140i pictured, let me put you out of your misery. Because this is the Shadow Edition, it has dark grey wheels, a black-framed grille and dark surrounds for the headlights.
The majority of the changes are inside. Here, you get some faux-stitching on the dashboard, nicer trims and redesigned cupholders. But the big news (if the cupholders didn’t rock your world) is that, like the regular 1 Series, the M140i now gets the latest version of BMW’S idrive infotainment system, with a larger 8.8in screen an option.
It’s still a doddle to use, thanks to its rotary controller, but it now looks sharper and can be operated as a touchscreen. You can also customise the homescreen to display the features you use the most. Still, it gets a black mark for Apple Carplay being a £235 option and only after you’ve already spent £775 on the upgraded Professional infotainment.
All in all, the changes are small, but they’re enough to keep the interior looking classy. Only Audi’s S3 and RS3 do better in the hot hatch class. Although we’d have liked to see a couple of tweaks to the M140’s chassis (mainly to give the steering more feedback from the front wheels), it’s still very enjoyable to drive. The straight-six engine up front dominates the experience; it’s wonderfully refined while cruising yet emits a cultured howl if you work it hard.
With 335bhp, it also makes the M140i exceedingly quick, especially when coupled with the smooth eight-speed automatic gearbox. We’d also recommend the optional adaptive dampers, which make the ride significantly comfier in normal use and give you the choice of firming up the suspension for enthusiastic driving.
Overall, the M140i is still a great choice if you want a hot hatch you can use every day. Even so, we’d recommend checking out the more exciting Ford Focus RS and razor-sharp Honda Civic Type R before setting your heart on one.
SAYS The M140i is no longer a classleading hot hatch, but there’s still an awful lot to like about it