I don't like small cars - there aren't many vehicles that can make a Honda Accord look big. I was all set to feel grumpy about driving from LA to Las Vegas in the 135i but a funny thing happened about an hour into my trip. I simply forgot to be grumpy. As small cars go, the 1 Series is quite roomy - plenty of head room and the driver's seat moves back far enough for even lankiest of pilots.
Like most BMWs, the 135's ride is an excellent combination of aggressive and serene.
The six-speed manual transmission is also great and I found myself hoping for downshift opportunities
The trunk isn't super spacious but I'm a notorious overpacker and still had a little extra room. It should be fine for a couple on an extended weekend trip.
Fuel economy was pretty good - on mostly highway driving I got 26 mpg.
Brian Moody, Senior Automotive Editor @ 12,427 miles.
joefrompa says:
12:36 PM, 11/ 6/08
How the 1-series managed to have a smaller trunk AND interior room than my 2006 Civic SI, I'll never know :)
But it did....that's one small car.
I found the ride extremely well damped and comfortable, but busy. I just thought it to be a side effect of tight steering, low-pro tires, and a short wheelbase.
Joe
arm51 says:
12:54 PM, 11/ 6/08
I like the semi-aggressive look of the front of the 135i. All except those amber reflectors! I think the interior size and trunk space is decent. I'm not sure how many people could do a cross-country road trip in one of these, though.
dougtheeng says:
01:01 PM, 11/ 6/08
I'm 6'2", 260lbs and I find the driver's position in the 1-series to be quite ample. I was in a 135 on the weekend, and the seat had a wide range of motion and it was not hard for me to get comfortable. That interior makes good use of what space it has.
compliance says:
02:01 PM, 11/ 6/08
Don't tell this to people in the back seat.
7driver says:
02:22 PM, 11/ 6/08
"How the 1-series managed to have a smaller trunk AND interior room than my 2006 Civic SI, I'll never know"
Joe,
What's not to understand? The 1-series has a driveshaft and a powered rear axle. The Civic doesn't. That's several cubic feet right there. And then there's the chassis architecture designed for the bigger 3-series.
texases says:
02:33 PM, 11/ 6/08
I guess my only concern is the 26 mpg highway, but I guess that's what the 128i is for...
bimmerjay says:
02:34 PM, 11/ 6/08
Well I hate large cars, and that Accord looks like an oversized blimp next to the 1.
The 1's rear seat legroom is rather tight though. My 335i coupe seems like a Maybach 62 back there by comparison.
zoomzoom22 says:
02:43 PM, 11/ 6/08
Ah, look, the one pair of headlights that manages to out-ugly the Accord's.
canadaphant says:
03:00 PM, 11/ 6/08
You don't like small cars-good thing the 1 series isn't one, at 3300 lbs. The Fit is small. The Accord is now in the same size category as a Crown Victoria-although it weighs the same at the 135 (depending on engines).
Bimmers are fantastic, but I worry about their lead content sometimes. How did they jack the X6 up to 5300 lbs?
lvranger says:
03:07 PM, 11/ 6/08
The Accord looks like a frumpy girl that is angry, the 135 looks like a petite girl that is dazed. Funny, those two always seem to be hanging out.
clarkma5 says:
04:38 PM, 11/ 6/08
Small cars are where it's at, and the Accord is huge.
briancam says:
06:50 PM, 11/ 6/08
Because the 1 is heavy means it doesn't fit in the small car category? Curious logic, now if I had said I don't like LIGHT cars you'd be on to something. The 1 Series is a small or compact car, that's not just an opinion.
sabastian says:
05:59 AM, 11/ 7/08
That's funny. I was driving with a friend the other day in their 2001 A4, and I remember agreeing with them that we would never want a car that was any bigger than that one. Then again, I'm looking at Minis...
blueguydotcom says:
07:01 AM, 11/ 7/08
Guess it's all perception. The 135 seems a bit long and heavy to me (like the last gen e46 coupe). The Accord is like an aircraft carrier to me though.
As for trunk space, that looks ample to me but then again, I can't see needing two bags that size for a trip unless it's gonna be couple weeks and two of us are going.
canadaphant says:
09:02 AM, 11/ 7/08
Brian, I think the weight certainly affects its 'small car' status, but let's stick to the exterior dimensions. The 1 series is below average size in the US, but that's all. It's ten inches longer and three inches wider than a Fit. It's 6 inches longer and an inch wider than a VW Rabbit, which can seat four 6 footers. VW doesn't consider the Rabbit a small car-they have two models smaller than it in Europe. The 1 series is even 10 inches longer than the Z4. The 1 series is a great car, and wonderful for a long drive, I'm sure; I just think your swallowing too much of BMW's BS if you are thinking of it as a 'small car'. It's a midsized coupe with a big asskicking engine in the front. Like a 350Z. Don't compare it to huge cars like the new Accord, which has 4 inches in length on a 5 series, or use 'for a small car' qualifers. It doesn't do the 1 series justice.
iari says:
12:48 PM, 11/ 7/08
I just purchased my 135 and find it perfectly sized. My wife and I (average sized adults in their 30's) just had two other average sized adults in their 30's in the back for a medium length trip and they were surprised by the comfort and room in back for such a small coupe... That, with its amazing power and great handling... I'm all smiles so far!
jaeger1 says:
07:55 AM, 11/10/08
The Accord doesn't need a 1-series parked beside it to make it look big. It manages that trick all by itself.
bennetpullen says:
11:42 PM, 11/10/08
"there aren't many vehicles that can make a Honda Accord look big"
What world do you live in?!? The new Accord looks HUGE compared to most "cars" on the road, and the 135 is hardly small. A Geo Metro is a small car... I bed a 135 could eat two of those whole.
roadburner says:
01:39 PM, 11/11/08
I only wish that the 1er had a curb weight closer to that of my ti(2750 lbs.) or better yet, my 2002(2600 lbs.).