Feedback

BMW 116i Review: 1 for the money

Lionel Kong
21/05/2021

Is the most affordable new BMW in Singapore worth the asking price or is it a watered-down experience? 


SINGAPORE

This is your entry into BMW vehicle ownership. The BMW 116i five-door hatchback is the cheapest BMW you can buy new in Singapore, with a Category A COE-friendly three-cylinder turbo engine and a price tag of S$158,800 with COE for the Luxury variant driven here.

How practical and usable is the 116i though? Does it drop out a lot of options for a bare basic ownership experience?

The short answers are that it’s surprisingly roomy inside, and with customers demanding that their new cars behave like smartphones these days, the 116i retains the core BMW Live Cockpit Professional user experience and doesn’t in any way feel dumbed down from the larger cars.

With a stronger focus on practical usability than something like the 2 Series Gran Coupe, the cabin is very big for a car of this size. The front-wheel drive chassis architecture allows for a lower centre console so you don’t feel as boxed-in as some of the sportier BMWs, and the inside surfaces of the doors are strategically shaped to give the occupants plenty of space to move your arms about.


And yes, in this video are 5 things that the BMW 116i CAN do!

The rear seats get their own air-con vents and a pair of USB-C charging ports, but headroom is slightly compromised by the sloping roofline.

The boot has 380 litres of carrying capacity, which can be easily expanded to 1,200 litres with the rear bench folded down. It also has a split-level divider, typically used to make the boot floor level with the rear edge of the hatch for easier loading. Underneath that is more storage space. 



There’s just 109 horsepower from the three-cylinder turbo petrol engine, and we’re getting this variant in Singapore specifically so that the car can be placed into the Category A COE bracket for cars with 129 horsepower or lower.

The Land Transport Authority has this thing of cars having in excess of 130 horsepower should be classed as ‘luxury’ cars and placed in the higher priced Category B COE bracket, but it’s been years now that car dealers have managed to find variants in their brand lineups that conveniently skirt around this, and the 116i is a good example.

The 116i Luxury driven here gets wide, comfortable front seats with everything upholstered in leather, but the S$5k cheaper 116i Sport gets more heavily bolstered sports seats covered in fabric and BMW’s Sensatec synthetic leather instead. The differences between the two variants are small, with the Luxury variant getting some additional convenience features like the motorised tailgate. On the whole, it’s really a matter of personal preference on which variant to buy. 



Early entry-level 1 Series generations were usually low on options and really did feel like budget BMWs, but it’s no longer the case. The 116i gets lots of in-car tech including the Intelligent Personal Assistant which is possibly the best and most cleverly-implemented ‘talk to your car’ feature we’ve seen across the major luxury automakers. It also has Comfort Access, which means that simply walking towards the car with the key fob on you will unlock the doors.

Plus the interior has ambient lighting built into the panels, something which even the much pricier Lexus IS 300 does not have.  

The 116i isn’t a very quick car, but does pack lots of dynamic ability. The standard suspension system isn’t as comfortable as what you would find on something like a Toyota Camry, but it’s detailed and delivers plenty of feedback to the driver as is befitting BMW’s ‘ultimate driving machine’ philosophy. If you’re looking for a plush, cosseting ride, best look elsewhere. 

However it isn’t a bad drive by any means. It’s very well insulated and smooth on the highway, and while fuel economy is respectable, the smallish 42-litre fuel tank capacity does mean you will need to refill the car at least once a week if used as a daily driver. 


It can stand up to being driven hard and even seems to work better the more corners you throw at it. It may not be very quick in a straight line, but it’s the kind of dynamically balanced car that with the right tyres can carry much more speed through corners than some other higher-spec vehicles. 

[relatedCarsAdv]

What’s its competition? The newly launched Volkswagen Golf series comes close, but we know what brand conscious buyers tend to think when it comes to BMW versus VW. The Mercedes-Benz A 180 is a perennial contender but we think that the 116i is better packages on the whole. Audi’s just-launched A3 comes in Sportback (hatch) and Sedan variants and is looking very impressive at launch thanks to a VES A2 S$15k rebate, but we haven’t tested it just yet .

The 1 Series has always been a volume seller for BMW in Singapore. Though rising COE prices may see new car sales fall across the board, we think that the badge on the nose of this car already gives it a head start against other similarly priced cars.



BMW 116i Luxury

Engine1,499cc, inline 3, turbocharged
Power109hp at 4300-6500rpm
Torque190Nm at 1380-3800rpm
Gearbox7-speed dual-clutch 
0-100km/h10.6-seconds 
Top Speed200km/h
Fuel Efficiency5.5L/100km
VES Band B / Neutral
AgentPerformance Motors
PriceS$158,800 with COE and VES
AvailabilityNow
Verdict A surprisingly spacious car with sound handling dynamics and a true BMW experience

Tags:

1 series 116i Luxury 5 seat 5-door bmw hatchback petrol

About the Author

Lionel Kong

An old hand from the bad old days of crazy COEs, the straight-shooting, ex-CarBuyer editor is back in the four-wheeled world. Rumours that he went to another country to start a Judas Priest tribute band are unfounded.

Related Models

Loading...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

CarBuyer – Revolutionizing The Online Car Marketplace In Singapore

Buy Used And New Cars Online
Start your car buying journey with CarBuyer as we connect you seamlessly to the industry’s best CaseTrust-SVTA accredited car dealerships. As a one stop car online portal you can now buy your new ride, be it a pre-owned car or a brand new car from trusted dealers all over Singapore, all in one place. Our ever expanding listing of quality and covet-worthy cars, new and second hand, from both owners and trusted car dealers, will leave you spoilt for choice. Refine your search by vehicle type, registration year, price, mileage, engine type, transmission, annual depreciation value and more to find the car that best suits your needs, taste and lifestyle. You can even search for your car by dealer or directly by owner.

Sell Your Car In An Instant With Confidence
We all know how selling a car in Singapore can be a daunting task especially for a first time car seller; from trying to get a valuation for your car, finding a trusted dealer, to getting the best quote on your vehicle. CarBuyer understands the hassle and even the costs involved and have as such partnered with Huawei to develop a FIRST in Southeast Asia AI car valuation tool that is able to provide a car’s resale value at the snap of a finger. Backed with a consortium of trusted CaseTrust-SVTA accredited car dealers you can be assured that you are getting the best price for your vehicle and do not have to worry about any hidden costs.

The Ultimate Car Shopping Experience Online
CarBuyer platform is the first of its kind to be backed by Huawei’s Artificial Intelligence and cloud computing, enabling it to be able to offer users transparency and enhanced security, all with the one aim of enhancing customer experience. So come on over to buy and sell used cars online at the best prices at CarBuyer Singapore. Connect easily with dealers in real-time via our online video call feature, or schedule a test drive when you’re ready. Have some questions? Get them answered instantly with our chatbot moderated by our responsive team. Stay in the loop with our car-related tips, reviews and news. Learn the ins-and-outs of your car, as well as global and Singapore’s car updates at your own pace.