BMW 1 and 2 Series 2016 review | first drive video

Richard Berry road tests and reviews the BMW 1 and 2 Series with specs, fuel consumption and verdict at their Australian launch.
See more at the CarsGuide.com.au 1 Series hub: carsgui.de/2enRLvJ
And also check out the 2 Series hub: carsgui.de/2eWDE2o
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BMW's 1 and 2 series are the brands more affordable models. The 1 is a five door hatch and the 2 is a two door coupe which also comes as a convertible. Now every few years car companies upgrade their models to keep you interested which is what they've just done with the 1 and 2 series - these are the updated cars. But what you and I want to know is there really anything new and improved about them? Let's go...um....that one.
First the styling changes. Um, there are none. No the exterior design of updated cars is the same as the previous ones. The 1 series still looks a bit awkward - it's more hunchback than hatch back, but the 2 looks perfectly proportioned with its long bonnet, short tail and coupe roofline. The convertible is still beautiful with the top down but not so much with it on - that wig just doesn't looks like it fits.
Right so what's new. Let's start at the top. BMW has introduced a new big daddy or the big mama of the line-ups. It's the M240i in the 2 2seires range and the M140i in the 1 series and they replaces the M135i and M235i. What you need to know is the engine - and it's the same six cylinder engine in both cars is more powerful and torque and the previous model. We're talking 0-100 in 4.6 seconds - 0.2s faster. They're also cheaper - about $2500 cheaper.
What else is new with the big kahunas? A lot. The M140i, the M240i coupe and the convertible, now come with a harmon kardon stereo, proximity unlocking and power adjustable front seats. The M240i coupe and M140i also pick up heated front seats. The coupe and convertible get adaptive headlights and BMW's Driving Assistant - which is a small man named Klaus. No it's not. It's actually cool safety stuff like lane departure and pedestrian warning - the 1 series already has this.
Prices have gone up for the hatch and down for the coupe and convertible.
Ok below those big 2 series kahuna is the 230i which replaces the 228i and it has a new gen four cylinder which has slightly more powerful and it's more efficient. The big deal about the 230i though is that it gets a truck load of additional features - for example it comes standard with the M-Sport pack.
The 230i costs a couple of grand more than the old 228i, but it's the best deal of the update because you're getting some choice things as standard that you had to pay a lot more for before.
Stuff like an M Sport package which is more than just tough looking - it actually improves the performance with better brakes and sports suspension. There's also the new navigation system which is so much faster, proximity unlocking, power adjustable seats and Driving Assistant.
And then there's the 220i which gets that new four cylinder as well, which is a bit more powerful and efficient.
New things include - bi-xenon headlights and Driving assistant.
Don't worry we haven't forgotten about the 1 series. So below the big daddy is the 125i and the 120 and they have those new gen four cylinders too with more oomph
And there's the 118i and 118d same cars as last time - the i is a petrol and d is a diesel - and they have the same price as before.
The standard features 118i, 118d, 125i and 120i stay the same as they were before this update - these variants were given an upgrade quite recently and it was actually the 2 Series which needed to catch up. Now both the 1 and 2 Series are more or less in alignment.
What's it like to drive? Well I'm in the M240i now, I was a big fan of the M235i and they just made that good thing even better. You can really feel that mumbo. It's now actually over taken the M2 in the torque and it's only behind by about 20 odd kw in power. But it's a lot less hard-core than the M2 - you could live this this far easier - it's ride is comfy but the handling is sharp as a butchers knife. It's a driver cars that's a daily drivable car.
There's nothing worse than when a car company updates there product by just changing the styling but not the innards of their beasties. BMW has done the opposite with the 1 and 2 series. They've added more grunt, made them perform better, improved efficiency, thrown in more toys and made them cheaper. I think they're actually listening to the people who buy them now.
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[@bosede-nage8467]

Well done. You managed to review two cars and tell me almost nothing about them that I could not see in a brochure. Don't quit your day job!

[@victorlazo238]

Actually the BMW 1 series did change a lot from the previous model. Both the headlights and the tailights (for starters) are way different.

[@samsara3694]

That happened in 2015. This report is on the new engine variants (B58), no external changes, though agree that to say it was a refresh rather than simply an update was a bit misleading.

[@Whiponized]

Which one should I buy?

[@gymbuddy32]

I don't know what's worse; the review, or his voice

[@acs_88]

0:01-0:03

[@bobstarr]

only a 4 out of 5 ?

[@gymbuddy32]

And how many times is he going to use the word Kahuna in this review???

[@ZatariMC]

4

[@michaelsmyers1973]

I absolutely love my 228i
Elegance Simplified
Yet, superb performance
Don’t go challenging those men children in Texas pickup trucks, nor child-men in their over-powered, under engineered Mustangs and Camaros. Just let them burn rubber and gasoline

[@Alex-nz6et]

Hehe voice crack

[@benloveridge8833]

tw tw twenty sixteen