The 2025 BMW 1 Series is the debut of the F70 BMW 1 Series. It’s the fourth generation of the BMW 1 Series, which debuted in the early 2000s. While originally available in coupe, convertible, and hatchback versions, 2014 split the model into the 1 Series and 2 Series—the former for hatchbacks and the latter for coupe and convertible models. In case you missed it, let’s get some big news out of the way first.
The F70 1 Series is the first modern BMW to adopt the new naming convention, which drops the lower-case “i” from the name. Formerly used to denote fuel-injected vehicles, it’s become irrelevant – and likely confusing – in a world of vehicles with a lowercase “i” before their name. Naming conventions aside, here’s how the new F70 BMW 1 Series compares to the F40 BMW 1 Series.
Exterior Design
Whether you look at the sporty BMW M135 xDrive or the standard F70 1 Series, there’s a huge difference between the new and outgoing models. A wider, redesigned grille, completely redesigned headlights, and new front bumper trim give the 2025 BMW 1 Series an unmistakably newer look. BMW says the new car has a “strikingly flat front end,” and I’m inclined to agree with them. All models sans the M135 feature hidden tailpipes, but the rear valance gets an otherwise more aggressive look with a black diffuser insert and vertical side reflectors as standard equipment.
The M135 xDrive is the most aesthetically compelling of the new 1 Series models. 19-inch wheels, painted brakes, a quad exit exhaust system, and aero mirrors. You can see a little bit of the new BMW 5 Series design in the new 1 Series, and it’s significantly newer looking than the outgoing 1 Series. It’s also more useful. BMW says a tow hitch will be available for the M Performance model.
Interior Design
The 2024 BMW 1 Series was an iDrive 7 car, so the interior is a tremendously upscale shift for the 2025 BMW 1 Series. A smaller gearshift lever, new steering wheel, and, of course, curved display bring the newest 1 Series up to par with the rest of the new vehicle lineup. Newly available M Sport seats add a light-up M logo, which I believe is a first outside of full-blown M models. Another first? Massaging seats are available, too.
Surprisingly, interior space remains the same in the F70 1 Series as in the F40 1 Series. Expect 380 liters of cargo area with the seats upright and up to 1,200 liters with them folded down. And now, the 1 Series features a completely leather-free interior as standard – thanks to the widespread use of Veganza and fabric. The 2024 BMW 1 Series looks great – but it also looks nearly a decade older than the newer one.
Performance
The exterior and interior of the 2025 BMW 1 Series have some serious changes. They’re more than skin deep—BMW says the 2025 BMW 1 Series features plenty of new performance components, too. The front and rear axle feature newly developed components, and the suspension, damping, and Dynamic Stability Control systems are all new.
Oddly, the M135i gets to 62 mph (100 km/h) a tenth of a second slower than last year’s model: BMW claims it takes 4.9 seconds. That’s despite the car now coming standard with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic instead of the eight-speed Sport Automatic last year’s had. BMW quotes between 300 and 317 horsepower “in select markets,” so the new car might even have less power than the old one, depending on where you are in the world. Shoppers who aren’t concerned with the performance model will find a quicker BMW 1 Series lineup overall, though. The standard 1.5-liter engine, for example, now makes 156 horsepower.
Technology
iDrive 9 shows its face in the new 2025 BMW 1 Series. That means you’ll find a cabin that loses most of its buttons and gains a huge curved display. The standard display comprises a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and 10.7-inch central control display. As usual, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, over-the-air updates, and even the AirConsole platform for video gaming in select countries. So, the BMW 1 Series completely skips over iDrive 8 and jumps right into the newest (and probably best) version yet. Technically speaking, it’s a huge step up and will likely be a solid selling point for prospective clients.
What do you think about the 2025 BMW 1 Series? Does the F70 live up to expectations? Or are you disappointed with the changes?