2013 BMW 1-series India review, test drive

There’s plenty of grip too. Wide 225/45 R17 tyres keep the car planted on the road and this allows the driver to carry lots of speed into corners. Of course, the fact that the car doesn’t roll too much helps a lot too, as this allows you to carry even more speed from corner to corner. What makes all the difference, of course, is the rear-wheel-drive setup. Whereas a front-wheel-drive car has to both put power down to the road and steer the car via its front wheels, rear-wheel-drive cars like the 1-series split up these responsibilities. Here, the rear wheels transmit power and the front wheels steer the car.

The 118d diesel we’re driving here uses a slightly de-tuned version of the 2.0-litre diesel motor we find in the 3-series and the 5-series. The 141bhp it makes compares well with the A-class’s 107bhp and even the Volvo’s 148bhp. What helps it eke out an advantage, however, is the eight-speed automatic gearbox. While the motor isn’t as spiky or punchy initially as, say, the Volvo, it pulls and pulls all the way to 4,700rpm. So, performance is pretty effective as the engine is always pulling hard. Whichever way you look at it, there’s little doubt that the driving experience is up there with the larger cars from BMW.

The new 1-series is also pretty refined. The diesel seems to be smoother than the one under the hood of the 3-series and the insulation of the cabin was pretty impressive too. We did get a bit of road noise over coarse road surfaces though, but not too much. The big surprise, however, is the ride quality. Bumps are ridden over silently, the whacks from the suspension don’t filter though and comfort levels in the cabin are very good. BMW says it’s all down to improvements gained from the run-flat tyres and the fact that the suspension has been slightly softened and raised for Indian conditions. Whatever the case may be, this could be one of the best riding BMWs yet.