The update is much more modest than the 2015 makeover
From July 2017, the BMW 1 Series will receive a series of exterior and interior updates, marking the second time the F20/F21 premium compact hatch gets a makeover. Along with the model year upgrades, the 2018 1 Series also gets three new special editions: Edition Sport Line Shadow, Edition M Sport Shadow, and M140i Edition Shadow.
These editions feature a black kidney grille, black inserts in the LED headlights, and darkened LED taillights. On the outside, the facelifted 2018 BMW 1 Series gains two new exterior colors (Sunset Orange and Seaside Blue), as well as five new light-alloy wheel designs (17- and 18-inch). The Sport Line, Urban Line, and M Sport trim levels remain in the line-up alongside the standard model.
The interior is also upgraded with a refreshed instrument panel, new materials, and a new Cognac Dakota leather upholstery variant, but the main update is the latest-generation iDrive system that offers the optional Navigation system Professional with 8.8-inch touchscreen, voice control, and iDrive Controller with a touch-sensitive interface.
Smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay, inductive charging and a WiFi hotspot for up to ten devices are all available.
Nothing changes under the hood, with the 1 Series lineup continuing with the same range of three-, four- and six-cylinder gasoline units as well as three- and four-cylinder diesels. Outputs range from 109 hp in the BMW 116i to 340 hp in the bonkers M140i.
Besides the BMW 116i, 116d EfficientDynamics Edition, and 118d xDrive, all models can feature the eight-speed Steptronic or eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission as an alternative to the six-speed manual gearbox. However, the M140i xDrive is only available with the eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission.