BMW F20 118d Reviewed

Finally the day has come,
our first WhatAboutCars video-review.

Full of excitement for our first video we drove to Lochristi to pick up our test-vehicle, a brand-new F20 118d.
Bmw-Mini Verstraeten gave us the opportunity to test-drive the newest member of the premium-bunch.
At first we were a bit skeptic about this new 1-Series because the previous model wasn't really our kind of thing.
It was a bit to small to be very practical and the looks weren't a killer also.

But all that changed with the birth of the F20 Bmw 1-Series.
The smallest Beemer gained a bit in size which improves the seating-comfort for the rear-passengers.
Also that bit of extra space is very noticeable in the boot, this new 1 has a spacious luggage-department and a bunch of small storage compartments inside the car.
The newly designed headlights and the wider kidneys make the 1-Series look more classy and grown up, that way the model leans closer to the new 3 and 5-Series.
New fog-lights and a distinctive white front inserted in the front bumper really lighten up the front.
The mirror-caps can be painted separately depending on the chosen setup.
In the back freshly designed tail-lights and a white diffuser integrated in the new rear bumper make the picture complete.
The 118d test model we had was fitted with a standard single-tailpipe, but honestly for a diesel this car made a very sporty sound!
Inside Bmw really spiced up the place, the new instrument-cluster is easy to read and overview-able.
It also provides the driver with all sorts of information such as the perfect shift-moment or the real-time fuel-consumption.
The test-model was also fitted with the professional navigation system which is displayed on massive screen on top of the centre console.
It provides all information you can think off, Sat-Nav, telephone, radio/cd, and a whole Efficient Dynamics animation-system which tells you how to reduce fuel-consumption or displays digital power-gauges that show the real-time torque and kW when you select the Sport-Mode.
The iDrive system is optimised and is really user-friendly now.
The pre-select buttons (back,tel,nav,option and cd) make it easy to work with for everybody.
The possibilities are unlimited, turn on your phone's BlueTooth and you're off.
Go to Facebook, read the latest tweets or accessing the Internet this multimedia-unit supports all.
Just keep in mind that the data-costs can build up in no time!

The interior is made from high-quality materials and looks really crisp.
You won't find any hard plastics or serious design-issues in this Bmw.
The piano-black dash-trim in combination with the two-tone coloured seats looks fresh and classy at the same time.
The seats are perfectly adjustable as always in any Bmw and provide good support in the lower-back section.
The standard audio-system fitted to the 1-Series blasts away your eardrums while the automatic climate control keeps the temperature right no mater what the weather-condition is.
In the back there is a lot more leg-space than in the previous model, a massive improvement for what was a huge stumbling-block for many potential 1-Series buyers.
As said above this model has a spacious boot which easily swallows 2 travel-bags and some hand-luggage.

Under the hood is an electronically squeezed-down version of the 2.0L four-cylinder diesel-unit that develops 143hp and 320nm of torque.
Enough to get the 118d from 0 to 100km/h in just 8,6 seconds
( measured) while Bmw officially puts 8,9 seconds on its technical data-sheet.
The maximum torque is available at 1750rpm and never lets you down in any gear.

The 1-Series starts of with the 116d that produces 116hp and 260nm and costs 24.400€.
This entry level Bmw manages to get from standstill to 100 km/h in just 10,3 seconds before reaching its 200km/h top-speed. It needs only 4,3L/100km and has a CO2-output of 114g/km.

Next is the 118d which leaves the dealership for 26.050€.
It has an average fuel-consumption of 4,4L/100km and a CO2-emission of 115g/km.
And as said above has 143hp and 320nm of torque.

And at the top of the diesel-range is the 120d that develops 184hp and 380nm of torque.
A lot of power for a small diesel-powered hatchback.
The massive torque paired an 8-speed automatic transmission enables the 120d to get from 0 to 100km/h in just 7,3 seconds (7,5 for the manual-version) before hitting a top-speed of 228km/h.
The 120d asks 4,4L/100km and releases 116g CO2/km into the atmosphere.
Price-tag for the 120d is 28.000€.

If the mighty 123d will show up on the scene is still a mystery but sadly enough nothing indicates that it will be found in the new 1-series engine line-up.

For the petrol-heads there is the entry-level 116i with a turbocharged 1.6L four-cylinder power-plant that puts down 136hp and 220nm.
Good for a 0 to 100km/h time of 8,5 seconds and a top-speed of 210km/h and an average fuel-consumption of 5,5L/100km.

And last but not least the 118i that develops 170hp and 250nm.
The standard sprint is over in just 7,4 seconds and the fun lasts until 225km/h is on the clock.
In exchange for these superior performances the 118i asks 5,8L/100km and has a CO2 output of 134g/km.

Our conclusion

This new 1-Series gained some size and to be honest it's a huge improvement.
It's become a functional as well as a stylish car.
The engines were already top of the bill, and now the new styling really ranked up the 1-Series again.
And ok it's not cheap, but look what you get for tour money.
A top-quality Premium 5-door hatchback with an engine that is powerful as well as it is economical whatever version you take.
And we keep hopping in silence for a new 130i or the torquey 123d.
But if Bmw will hear our prays is still a mystery.
We hope you like our first video-review and stay tuned for more news on WhatAboutCars.com

Presentation:
Kenny de Bruycker

Camerawork:
Volckaert Yannick

Copyright:
www.whataboutcars.com

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