BMW M135 review

Sometimes it’s hard to resist taking a nostalgic look back at how things were – and the BMW M135 is a good example. Now more than ever it seems almost surreal that its predecessor (the M135i) had rear-wheel drive and a six-cylinder engine.

Today – like the BMW 1 Series it's based on – the M135 hot hatch is very different. Gone is the sports-car-like set-up and in its place is one consisting of a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and four-wheel drive.

As part of a recent update, the M135 has been altered further, most notably with mechanical tweaks – some good, some not so much. We’re thrilled to hear BMW has worked on sharpening the handling, but power is down by 6bhp and weight is up by 100kg. That’s right, the M135 is actually slower than it was before.

Is the BMW M135 too far off the pace? And how does it fare against rival hot hatches including the Audi S3, Ford Focus ST and Volkswagen Golf R? We have the answer...

The BMW M135 has a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and 296bhp. The official 0-62mph time of 4.9 seconds is only slightly behind the Audi S3 and Mercedes AMG A35 (both 4.7 seconds), and the VW Golf R (4.5).

On the other hand, the M135’s performance is some way behind the hot hatch big-hitters, such as the Audi RS3 and Mercedes AMG A45 S. Then again, they demand a hefty price premium for a reason.

The M135’s engine is best described as effective but not particularly exciting. You see, it feels strong in the low to mid rev range but runs out of chuff at around 6000rpm.

Despite four large exhaust tips, the M135’s soundtrack comes courtesy of plenty of fake engine sound being pumped in through the speakers and the rate of acceleration doesn’t quite match up to the loud volume (which you can reduce by switching out of Sport mode). The S3 and Golf R sound more invigorating with their optional exhaust upgrades.

The M135's seven-speed automatic gearbox (there's no manual gearbox option) is a similar story. It’s responsive in Sport Plus mode but not quite as snappy as an S3 or Golf R's. In any other mode it's quite sluggish to respond.

The slightly numb but precise steering and playful grip balance are more deserving of praise, which is a big improvement over the earlier version and draws a bigger smile on the driver’s face.

In fact the M135 proves a compelling halfway house between the composed, capable Audi S3 and the nimble, playful Ford Focus ST. In other words, it’s very fast around corners but there’s scope to introduce a little rotation from the rear wheels if you lift off the accelerator while cornering.

Sure, you can get the S3 and Golf R to wag their tails a little bit too but that comes more easily from applying power. The M135 is less rearward biased and it feels it, with the four-wheel drive mostly there to provide extra stability on fast sweeping bends.

We should mention there’s also the optional M Dynamic Pack, which adds lighter wheels, uprated brakes, slightly stiffer suspension tuning and the option to have grippier tyres.

It makes the M135 more track-focused and it does feel a little more agile in the bends, but it’s hard to justify the extra £3000, especially as it still lacks the Golf R’s sharper steering and engine response. The R is also available with optional adjustable adaptive suspension that lets it flow better down a road. 

The M135 gets adaptive suspension but it's not adjustable, so you can't soften it or firm it up. As a result, the ride is generally more knobbly than the S3 and Golf R’s. Although it’s rarely harsh or uncomfortable (even with the stiffer M Dynamic Pack), it frequently struggles to settle down on a country road.

The large wing mirrors generate a high level of wind noise and there's also a moderate level of road noise to contend with.

“I found the M135 good but not great fun. Perhaps a more responsive engine would do the trick.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

There’s plenty of tweaking potential for the driver’s seat and steering wheel in the BMW M135. We’ve yet to try the standard seats – only the upgraded M Sport seats, which look like they’d be at home in the BMW M4 performance car. They come with chunky side bolsters to hold you in place in bends and an illuminated M logo on the headrest.

Electric adjustment costs extra, but the option does also include adjustable lumbar support and a massage function.

The forward view in the M135 is as good as in an Audi S3, Mercedes AMG A35 or AMG A45 thanks to its slim windscreen pillars and a clear view over the dashboard. Chunky rear pillars restrict the view over your shoulder though.

The large curved screen across the M135's dashboard includes a 10.7in digital driver's display and a 10.3in infotainment touchscreen. Sadly, you no longer get an iDrive dial between the front seats (it's been dropped across the BMW 1 Series range) and you now have to control the system through touchscreen prods or voice commands. 

None of the M135’s rivals have a rotary controller, although the S3 does have switches for the climate-control settings – on the M135 you change the temperature and fan speed using the touchscreen. The screen's graphics are sharp, but the response to touch inputs isn’t as quick as the systems you get in pricier BMWs (with a rotary controller).

As standard you get DAB radio, Bluetooth, sat-nav, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and a six-speaker, 100W stereo. A head-up display and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound system are available as options.

The M135's interior quality is great. The dash and door tops are covered with artificial leather or soft-touch plastics, and the metal-look features are actual metal, unlike in some Mercedes car models.

“I have to say it's a real shame that the M135 is less user-friendly than its predecessor, seeing as that’s something the pre-facelift model excelled at.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

There’ll be few complaints from those up front in the BMW M135. The driver and passenger have plenty of head and leg room, and the interior is usefully wide.

For storage, you get decent-sized door bins and a generous cubby under the central armrest. Add to that the tray in the centre console and there’s loads of room for stuff.

In the back of the M135, six-footers will have enough leg room but will feel their heads brushing the ceiling. There’s more leg room than you get in a Mercedes AMG A35 or AMG A45 but the VW Golf R is a bit more spacious overall. If you want a hot hatch with more rear-seat space, consider the Ford Focus ST, Honda Civic Type R or Skoda Octavia vRS.

We'd recommend avoiding the M135's optional panoramic sunroof, because while it doesn’t eat into head room up front, it does create a curve in the roof lining that swoops down in front of a rear passenger's eye line.

The Octavia vRS has a much bigger boot but at 380 litres the M135’s boot is bigger than its premium rivals, the Audi S3 and A35, and the Golf R’s. It's also bigger than the boot in a regular BMW 1 Series.

The M135's boot is a useful boxy shape, with only a small load lip at the entry. Unusually, you have the option of 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats instead of the standard 60/40 split to which most of its rivals limit you.

“Due to its lack of mild-hybrid tech, the M135 has some extra boot space over the regular 1 Series. I was surprised to learn the difference is as large as 80 litres, though.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

Out of the Audi S3, Mercedes AMG A35 and BMW M135, it’s the M135 that has the lowest list price. The Ford Focus ST and VW Golf GTI are cheaper still – although not by as much as you might think.

In terms of fuel economy, the M135 officially averages 37.2mpg, while its CO2 emissions stick it straight into the most expensive BIK tax band. Still, it's a petrol-powered hot hatchback so that's to be expected. If you want a hot hatch that's also a cheap-to-run company car, consider the plug-in hybrid Cupra Leon or – cheaper still – the all-electric Alpine A290 or Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.

The M135 comes with a reasonable list of standard equipment, including automatic lights and wipers, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, cruise control and 18in alloy wheels. Various 19in wheel designs are available at extra cost.

While the M135 isn’t specifically referenced in our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey, the BMW 1 Series came third out of 25 cars in the family car class – beating the Audi A3 and VW Golf by some way. BMW overall came eighth out of 31 car brands.

Like every BMW, the M135 is covered by a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, matching Mercedes'.

When it was tested by the experts at Euro NCAP, the 1 Series received a maximum five-star rating. However, it should be noted that the Mercedes A-Class proved safer, scoring higher for adult chest protection and pedestrian safety. Both cars were tested more than five years ago and testing has become tougher since then.

Standard safety kit includes automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-departure warning, traffic-sign recognition, speed-limit assist, and a system that will warn you if you get too close to the car in front.

On top of that you can select the optional Driving Assistant package. It gets you an upgraded AEB that looks out for pedestrians, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and rear cross-traffic alert.

“With its lower list price and confidence-inspiring reliability, the BMW M135 looks to me like it makes the most financial sense next to direct rivals.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here