Item: Used BMW M135i 2012 - 2016
Rating: 5
Author: What Car? Team

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus/hatchback/used-review/n345">Ford Focus RS</a> has superb handling, strong performance and is amazingly good fun to drive. Countered against that, its ride is firm, its driving position is a little compromised and its steering has a rather limited lock, but such is the fun factor you’ll soon overlook all of those ailments.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/honda/civic/hatchback/used-review/n898">Honda Civic Type R</a> handles brilliantly, goes like a rocket and looks like nothing else. It’s also surprisingly easy to live with, and if its infotainment system is as dreadful as the standard Civic’s that can once again be overlooked when you consider how much fun the rest of it is.

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

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Alternatives

Hatchback

Munich-based BMW is most famous for its sports saloons, in particular the 3 Series and 5 Series. However, it actually builds almost every type of car imaginable: everything from two-seat convertibles to seven-seat MPVs.

The cheapest model in the BMW range is the 1 Series hatchback, which is a rival to the Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Volkswagen Golf. Meanwhile, at the other extreme is the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, which costs more than £100,000.

BMW was also quick to capitalise on the rise of the SUV and now has six in its range: the X1, X2, X3, X4, X5 and X6.

All of this makes it one of the big three German prestige brands, along with Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

M135i

The BMW M135i is a storming performance hatch, brilliantly balanced and a great used buy

Used BMW M135i 2012 - 2016

On paper its claimed average fuel consumption figure of 37.7mpg is quite respectable considering the performance on offer, and that corresponds to CO2 emissions of 188g/km. This is important as cars registered before the tax changes of April 2017 came into force are all taxed according to CO2 output, and all M135s will be thus. In fact this figure means you won’t pay a fortune annually, and its insurance grouping of 39 is again reasonable considering the car’s speed and desirability.

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The BMW M135i is a storming performance hatch, brilliantly balanced and a great used buy


It’s possible to pick up a Cat D or high-mileage M135i for around £12,000, but we’d suggest spending between £13,000 and £15,000 and trying to seek out a 2013 car with an average mileage for the year and a full service history, preferably bought from an independent dealer. Up the money to between £16,000 and £18,000 and you’ll be looking at a good 2015 car with all the same criteria satisfied.

There is only one version of the M135i, and when it was launched it was at a relatively low new price. However, there were a number of options that need to be added, and if you can find them on a used car so much the better. The adaptive damping system is worth having, for its quicker responses, as are ultra-useful parking sensors.

Our favourite BMW M135i: M135i

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Engaging handling </li> <li>Thrilling performance </li> <li>A characterful engine with an enticing soundtrack </li> <li>Reasonable running costs </li> <li>Not hard to live with day to day</li></ul>

A popular choice with UK buyers since the days of the original Volkswagen Golf GTI, the hot hatchback mixes everyday practicality with higher performance and the sort of handling and agility that’s ideally suited to British roads. A good hot hatch should be fun and, since it’s likely to be your daily drive, it should also deliver respectable running costs.

The Golf GTI remains one of the best hot hatches on the market, along with its main competitor,&nbsp;the&nbsp;equally as responsive and cheaper to buy Hyundai i30 N. But there are some terrific options for even less money than both of these cars. We're big fans of the Ford Fiesta ST, which is definitely one of the best hot hatches ever and certainly one of the most fun to drive. It's full of character and its engaging handling makes it a bit of a hoot at all speeds.&nbsp;

If you’ve got a bit more money to spare, there are even faster cars available, such as the Honda Civic Type R. This latest version is sublime to drive, either on road or on a track, as it's so sweetly balanced. It's also incredibly quick in a straight line&nbsp;and round a corner, and yet it's as practical as a regular Civic.&nbsp;

Hot hatch

Though formidably quick the M135i can quite easily play the role of shopping car, so it will have been used in tight urban car parks and on school runs, so check the bodywork carefully for any signs of damage, including light scuffs and dents that can be expensive to repair. Also check the condition of the alloy wheel carefully, as these may well have been kerbed.

Of course it will have been used enthusiastically too, so check the alignment of the wheels carefully, also all bodywork, including underneath, for signs of any unwarranted off-road action, check the exhaust for any nasty signs of blue or black smoke, and above all check the car’s service history (we’d recommend only buying a car with a complete one) carefully, and make sure all oil changes have been carried out on time. Also look at brake discs and pads, both of which wear quickly, and also look at the tyres’ general condition. The engine and the gearbox tend to be bulletproof, and owners report few problems with them.

The 1 Series finished in fifth place in the family car class in our most recent reliability survey. BMW as a brand finished in 17th place out of 32 manufacturers in the same survey.

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Figures don’t tell the whole story, of course, but those for the BMW M135i do you give you more than a rough indication of what to expect from this car. It’s a compact three or five-door hatchback powered by a strong and flexible 315bhp turbocharged 3.0-litre inline six engine, and all that muscle is delivered to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

It is not so much a hot hatch, this car, as a mega hatch, as its impressive power to weight ratio is strong enough to propel this unassuming looking thing from 0 to 62mph in just 4.6 seconds and on very quickly to a limited top speed of 155mph. Out on the open road, this rocketship can dismiss the dash from 30 to 70mph in just 4.1 seconds, too, just as much time as it takes to raise an eyebrow.

But there’s even more to it than that. If a sports car like this should be able to deal with bends of all shapes and sizes at reasonable speed and with maximum driver enjoyment the M135i’s got that licked, too. It comes as standard with a range of driving modes, from Eco to Sport+, and it could also be specified with electronically controlled adaptive dampers for even faster reaction times. It works terrifically well with both. The steering is smooth, accurate and quick, with a quicker ratio as you turn the wheel further. Grip levels are high, and its handling is beautifully balanced, eager, rewarding and ultimately secure, despite the urge of all that power heading to the rear tyres. What it also is, above all else, is tremendous fun.

Inside, its modesty is quite deliberate. The M135i could be had as a three or five-door car, and in either interior space is acceptable rather than stunningly good. Up front things are fine, though, and the low-slung driving position is excellent, with plenty of electrical adjustment to the steering wheel and seat. There are three rear seats, but space will be tight there for taller adults, especially leg room. You do get Dakota leather upholstery, sports seats and dual-zone climate control as standard, though.

What is lacking inside is any sort of sporting drama, as there’s precious little in there to distinguish it from the more run-of-the-mill 1 Series. There is of course a practical hatchback, and within it an average-sized boot that can be increased in size by folding the rear seats down, which in turn reveals a usefully flat floor.

So the M135i’s figures add up. It’s a remarkably entertaining and rewarding hot hatch. With the inevitable march of time the car was eventually superseded by the even more powerful but broadly similar 335bhp M140i in 2015.

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Used BMW M135i 2012 - 2016 review

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