2013 BMW 1-series India review, test drive

Another thing luxury car buyers want is technology and equipment, and the 1-series does not disappoint here. The petrol 116i is only available in the base trim, while the diesel 118d is additionally available in Sport Line and Sport Plus trims. We’re driving the top 118d Sport Plus, and it gets all the bells and whistles. There’s keyless go, two-zone automatic climate control, rear air-con vents, electric front seats with memory, BMW’s iDrive onboard computer, a sunroof, audio and phone controls on the steering wheel and Bluetooth, aux-in and USB connectivity. To help improve fuel economy, there’s a system that shuts off the engine when the car is stationary, and you can select from four different driving modes – Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Eco Pro – which alter the way the engine, gearbox and steering behave. Finally, on the safety front, there are six airbags, ABS and electronic stability control. But you still don’t get a spare tyre.