BMW 130i 3dr M Sport review (2007-2011)

What: BMW 130i 3dr M Sport
Where: Newbury, England
Price: £26,385
Available: now
Key rivals: Audi A3, VW Golf, Mercedes A-Class, Mercedes C-Class Sports Coupé

Summary

Three-door version of the 130i hot hatch – but will its price put punters off?

Likes: sporty three-door styling, potent 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine
Dislikes: somewhat pricey for a hot hatch

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Decisions, decisions

Choosing a hot hatch these days is a bit like ordering coffee. Do you go small and regret not splashing out on something more substantial, or medium, and envy the person on the bus next to you with their grande Orange Crème Frappuccino with extra chocolate sprinkles? You see, hot hatch buyers face the same bewildering choice. You can buy a small, family-sized or premium-badged hot hatch, all of which offer something slightly different. What they do have in common, though, is that every one of them left the factory with one distinct purpose in mind ­- your driving pleasure.

So you would think BMW, the master of driving pleasure, would have the hot hatch market cornered with the 130i. But it hasn’t; the most potent 1-Series has never been a big seller in the UK, mainly because of its price and controversial styling. It is doubtful you will pay less than £30,000 for a 130i after you add on options to the five-door’s £26,915 list price. In marked contrast, you could haggle hard on a Ford Focus ST and come away having spent just £16,000.

Then there is the lack of choice. Until now, 1-Series buyers had no option but a five-door car. And let’s face it, a five-door hot hatch is about as visually stimulating as a scantily-clad Janet Street Porter in a copy of Heat. But things are looking up because before me is parked the new three-door version of the 130i – and it looks great. Gone is the awkward, gawky styling and in is a sporting new design that sweeps back athletically giving the rear a more aggressive edge. The two side doors are also frameless and have been made longer to give the 1-Series a coupe-like shape, while the new lights and grille help to make the car look meaner.

Sporty yet subtle

The 130i is further enhanced with the M Sport kit, which adds side skirts, 17-inch alloy wheels and a double exhaust. There may be no official M1, but this would certainly pass the test. Yes, it definitely looks like a hot hatch, but in a much subtler way than a bright orange Focus ST or a Renault Megane R26 overloaded with naff decals. You could actually turn up to a client meeting in a 130i and not look like a berk. Of course, you would get the same respect in a VW Golf GTi and not have to pay £26,385 for the privilege.

Because while the 130i now looks like the car it always should have been, it is still too pricey for most hot hatch buyers to consider; the three-door is only £530 cheaper than the five-door car. However, no other hot hatch drives like the 130i. For starters, it is the only one with rear-wheel drive, which is a world away from the front-wheel drive dynamics of all the rivals in this category. The front wheels don’t spin the power away when you stand on the throttle from rest, and the chassis is more adjustable than a front-driver, allowing you to line the car up better for corners.

A pure drive

And you can also have more fun; take it to a track day, turn off the traction control and no other hot hatch will deliver like this. The steering is also as near to perfect as you could find, with a variable assistance system that is light in town and weighty as the speed increases. Ultimately, the rear-wheel-drive set-up makes for a more challenging and rewarding experience and allows BMW to pump out 265bhp through the rear wheels. To get this, BMW hasn’t really had to stretch its 3.0-litre six-cylinder too far, and the result is a creamy if not exactly rev–hungry engine that is the lightest of its kind.

In a sector where turbocharging is the norm, the 130i can feel a little ponderous when you put your foot down, and short of breath as you home in on the red line. However, a glance at the needle and a check of the performance stats prove otherwise, with 60mph from rest taking 6.0 seconds and a top speed limited to 155mph. The noise that follows is wonderful, too, the exhausts grumbling moodily at low speeds and barking ferociously as the revs climb. Many people criticise the 1-Series’ ride quality, and while the 130i is clearly stiffly sprung, it feels smooth and controlled even on bumpy back roads.

No stop-start technology here

One problem is the fuel economy, which will regularly dip into the low twenties when you are enjoying yourself. Unfortunately, unlike the rest of the new 1-Series range, the 130i doesn’t get all the benefits of the ‘Efficient Dynamics’ system, which uses stop start technology to reduce emissions and improve fuel economy when in stationary traffic. The irony is, this is the one car that needs it, although a BMW spokesman did not rule out this system being fitted to the 130i in future.

Inside, the interior is the same as the five-door car, but this higher-spec model still sees you paying for sat nav, leather seats and a six-disc CD player. Buyers can also specify, at no additional cost, either a two or three-seat layout in the rear. However, even if you went for the much better two-seater version, you won’t want to sit adults in there for too long due to a shortage of leg room. But then you are buying the three-door because you don’t need the practicality.

The MSN Cars verdict: ****

If the 130i's steep list price doesn’t make you baulk, you will find one of the greatest modern hot hatches around.

Ratings out of five: BMW 130i 3dr M Sport
Performance****
Ride & handling****
Interior***
Safety*****
Price***
Practicality***
Fuel economy***
MSN Cars verdict**** 

Driven: BMW M5 Touring
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