BMW 1 Series interior

Style

While the new BMW 1 Series’ slightly bulbous styling might not find favour in everyone, its cabin looks much less divisive. The numerous horizontal lines of trim and stitching that stretch across the dashboard are a clear nod to the old car’s sweeping design, but the new air vents, buttons and trapezoidal infotainment display look much more modern.

That said, while the new BMW 1 Series’ interior is a clear improvement over the old car’s interior, it isn’t quite a match for the Mercedes A-Class’ futuristic cabin in the looks department.

Thankfully, everything in the BMW feels super solid and there are loads of soft-touch plastics and solid-feeling metal-effect trims dotted about the dashboard, doors and centre console. All the buttons are easy to reach and the stalks behind the steering wheel feel lovely and solid.

Sadly, you don’t get many personalisation options in the new 1 Series. Besides some shiny door handles, entry-level SE cars come with mostly black and light grey trims and Sport models ditch the light grey completely in favour of a Batman-esque sea of dark grey inserts.

BMW 1 Series SE interior

Generally, even the entry-level 1 Series SE has an interior that is made with high-quality materials. It may not look the most exciting however – you get grey cloth seats and silver trim on the dashboard – but it does look sophisticated, especially the 9-inch infotainment screen that comes as standard.

BMW 1 Series Sport interior

The 1 Series Sport gets more supportive seats with grey or orange highlights. There are more chrome-looking trims around the interior than you get in SE models that lift the cabin.

BMW 1 Series M Sport interior

M Sport models have a cool interior. You get heated leather sports seats, M branding, M-coloured stitching and M-branded kick plates.

BMW 128ti interior

The BMW 128ti interior is based on the M Sport cars, but like the exterior of the car, you get red accents to brighten up the cabin to give it a sporty feel.

There is a ‘Race Red’ section on the seats, while a red’s’ is stitched into the centre armrest. The door armrests, door panels and the instrument panel also have red lining.

BMW M135i interior

The M135i interior looks really modern. It gets Alcantara sports seats, M-coloured stitching on seat belt and M135i kick plates. The coolest-looking feature is probably the digital display behind the steering wheel you in place of traditional analogue dials. Though the set-up in a Mercedes A-Class is probably even cooler.

You do get a few shiny air vent surrounds and M Sport models come with a few subtle M badges on the steering wheel and gear lever, but that’s your lot.