BMW 1 series VS Holden Astra
BMW 1 series
Likes
- Driving dynamics and performance
- Front-row layout
- Pricing remains competitive
Dislikes
- New face might divide opinion
- Second-row amenities lacking
- A tad thirsty
Holden Astra
Likes
- Sedan's comfy and composed ride
- Hatch's beautiful styling
- Aussie tuning for sedan and hatch
Dislikes
- No AEB in sedan
- Hatch's storage could be better
- Sedan's rear headroom limited
Summary
BMW 1 series
Can you believe the 1 Series is already in its fourth generation? It might not look incredibly like it, because this new car looks a little like the third.
But it’s been more than half a decade since the F40 1 Series debuted, so BMW decided it was already time for a new kid on the block. Meet the F70.
It’s just landed in Australia and it promises new-gen tech and features compared with its predecessor. We checked out BMW’s new baby at its Australian launch to find out if it delivers.
Read more about
- Game-changing electric SUV takes shape in leaked drawings: 2026 BMW iX3 revealed as Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLC rival but will new family SUV go EV-only or offer petrol as well like spied 3 Series sedan?
- Popular plug-in hybrid luxury SUV gets $9000 price cut: 2025 BMW X3 30e xDrive added to Australian range as mid-spec alternative to Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLC and Lexus NX
- Petrol and diesel car ban 'no longer realistic': BMW boss calls on the EU to reverse its ban on new petrol and diesel car sales from 2035
| Safety rating | — |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | — |
| Fuel Type | 95 Ron |
| Fuel Efficiency | 6.4L/100km |
| Seating | — |
Holden Astra
There are two types of people in this world*. Those who like hatchbacks, and those who prefer sedans.
We're not making any judgments. If you're a sedan fancier, it's your business, and hatchbacks have their leagues of loyalists, too. Whichever way you lean, Holden hopes it has something to please you with hatch and sedan versions of its Astra small car.
This is the mothership of Astra reviews, taking both the hatch and sedan into account to help you make a better decision.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.4L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Regular Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 6.1L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
BMW 1 series7.9/10
A brief dalliance with the 1 Series has left me impressed, if wanting to spend more time with it to get a better assessment of the day-to-day liveability of BMW’s entry-level model.
It’s a compelling offering if you’re after a premium small car, and even without the performance of the M135, the 118 is feature-packed.
Keeping pricing competitive should help the 1 Series buck the trend of buyers opting for small SUVs, but ultimately it’s just refreshing to see BMW putting effort into keeping a hatchback relevant (and up-to-date).
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.
Holden Astra7/10
The Astra sedan is a different car to the hatch – but then it's really aimed at different people, perhaps more mature ones. I mean, one of the sedan's paint colours, 'Old Blue Eyes', isn't available on the hatch. This could be a hint.
Either way, the sedan could be a better pick for you because of its more comfortable ride, extra rear legroom and bigger boot.
The hatch is a much better looking car. It's also more refined and stylish inside and out. The hatch comes with a more powerful engine and better handling, but its ride is not as comfortable as the sedan's.
As for the sweet spots for each range. For the sedan it's the LS+ with its great safety equipment at a good price. For the hatch line-up, it's the RS because it comes with the larger 1.6-litre engine, advanced safety equipment, and many of the features on the top-spec RS-V, which is $4500 more.
*But wait, there really are more than just two types of people in this world. There are wagon people, too. And Holden will soon have that covered when the Astra Sportwagon arrives by the end of the year. And that one looks a lot like the hatch.
Are you a hatch or sedan person? Lets us know what you think in the comments section below.
Design
BMW 1 series
The 1 Series has worn many faces over the generations and, like a lot of BMW designs that depart from tradition, this one might need to grow on some people.
That’s not to say there’s not a lot to like about the F70, but as BMW evolves its design language some changes might ruffle feathers - a lack of the iconic ‘angel eye’ headlight style being one.
But there’s still a kidney grille up front, with new design elements, plus those headlights that have a new vertical light signature are now sleeker than before, giving the new 1 a different ‘character’.
But from the rear, there are baby 3 Series Touring vibes, and it’s hard to find anything that might upset purists - there’s even the 'Hoffmeister kink' at the c-pillar. That’s the way the window angles back towards the front at the bottom.
Inside, the 1 Series has some proper sporty elements, even in the 118, that reference the M development that went into it.
There’s M-coloured stitching up over the dash fabric, for example, and illuminated aluminium panels with M-coloured lighting.
The steering wheel, wrapped in leather, is also an M feature, plus sporty seats are even present in the 118.
The interior is an overall cleaner look, in part thanks to the proliferation of features accessible by touchscreen, but BMW is refraining from going full ‘Tesla’ and removing all the buttons from the cabin.
Holden Astra7/10
The hatch is made in Germany, and is actually a rebadged Opel Astra, while the sedan is made in Korea, and is really a Chevrolet Cruze. And despite similar platforms underneath, they look different.
Holden has performed cosmetic surgery to bring them closer together, but they still look like distant cousins at best.
Let's focus on the hatch first. This seventh-generation car looks damn good, but it's near impossible to identify the different levels. The easiest way is to look at the wheels (design and size), while the RS has shiny metal blades on the grille, and the RS-V gets that, plus the same trim around the windows for a posher look.
The cabin is also good looking, but regardless of grade, doesn't have the premium feeling the car's exterior looks suggest. Don't get me wrong, the RS-V's interior is cool and stylish, but the use of glossy plastics and a lack of contrasting colour cheapens the vibe.
All Astra hatches have the same dimensions - 4386mm long, 1807mm wide and a height of 1485mm, which is a smidge longer than the Corolla and a bit shorter than the Mazda3. The RS-V auto is the heaviest at 1363kg.
Now the sedan. Holden has styled the front to look more like the hatch but I don't think it's fooling anybody.
The sedan's cabin is also different to the hatch's. We're talking completely different, from the steering wheel to the temperature controls. I'm more of a fan of the hatch's interior styling than the sedan's relatively basic look.
The sedan is 30cm longer than the hatch at 4665mm end-to-end, it's shorter in height though, standing 1457mm tall (-28mm), but is exactly the same width at 1807mm across.
Practicality
BMW 1 series
Yes, a brand like BMW would probably find it hard to do away with buttons for things like drive modes and things like volume controls or car settings.
Even though a lot of them are shortcuts to a touchscreen menu, it means not needing to scroll or hunt for important driving-based features and options on the 10.25-inch screen.
Even the climate controls are permanently available on the screen so that there’s minimal distraction.
For most non-essential features, however, BMW’s Operating System 9 is a far cry from the easy-to-use iDrive system of just a few years ago, the media control wheel that fell easily to hand and navigated a simple multimedia system of only a few sub-menus.
Fortunately, the screen and everything in the cabin is within reach of the driver, so there’s no awkward leaning or stretching to do anything mid-drive.
The cabin’s physical space is otherwise nicely laid-out, the phone charger pad is out of the way, cupholders fit most receptacles nicely and the door card can hold two regular water bottles plus other small items.
There’s even a small storage ‘shelf’ under the central vents, and near the wireless charger are two USB-C ports and a 12-volt plug.
The ergonomics of the driving position and steering wheel are well-sorted, and seat adjustment and height feels good for both engaged or relaxed driving positions.
Behind that, the second row could be more spacious, even though I managed to fit my 178cm frame behind my own seating position just fine.
There’s not a lot of room to move or stretch out, so most adults will probably find the back seat suitable for short trips only.
Behind that, there’s 380 litres of boot space, or 1200L with the seats folded down.
Holden Astra7/10
This could be the clincher if you're wondering whether the hatch or sedan is roomier. And the answer may not be the one you expected.
So, in one sentence, the Astra sedan has more rear legroom, but less rear headroom than the hatch, while the sedan's boot is bigger, but I'd pick the hatch if I was using it to move house.
The first bit makes sense. The sedan has a longer wheelbase, meaning more legroom for passengers in the back. Even me, and I'm 191cm tall. In the sedan I still have about 5cm of space between my knees and the driver's seat set to my position, but I can only just squish my knees in when I'm in the hatch.
But in a cruel twist of design fate the roofline of the sedan is lower than the hatch's, and my head skims the ceiling.
The sedan's 445-litre boot is 85 litres bigger than the hatch's (360L), but I'd choose the latter to move house because it has a larger cargo opening. Fold the hatch's back seats down and you could slide a coffee table in, which is not going to happen in the sedan.
The sedan has better cabin storage areas, with four cupholders (two up front and two in the back), bottle holders in all the doors, and a decent-sized centre console storage bin. The hatch gets bottle holders in all the doors, and while there are two cupholders there aren't any in the back. The hatch's centre console bin is small, but there is a driver's side pull-out bin.
Price and features
BMW 1 series
The 1 Series isn’t much more expensive than before, despite a decent uptick in kit.
At $56,500 before on-roads for the entry grade 118, it’s less than $2000 pricier than its predecessor. It’s about the price of a VW Golf GTI or Subaru WRX, but trades engine power for badge power, as well as a series of features you’d expect from a premium small car.
A 10.25-inch multimedia touchscreen and 10.7-inch driver display are standard, with wireless phone charging, electric heated seats in Veganza synthetic leather, adaptive suspension and plenty of sporty styling thanks to the M Sport pack.
There’s a few more helpful features for keen drivers, even in the 118. Adaptive LED headlights with high beam assist, a head-up display, BMW’s 'Parking Assist Plus' function, speed limit recognition and tyre pressure monitoring.
The 1 Series also has keyless entry and start, an automatic tailgate, plus some standard stuff like a 40/60 split-fold rear seat and (unfortunately) a tyre repair kit under the boot floor rather than a spare tyre.
Then there’s the M135 xDrive, the hot hatch of the pair.
It starts at $82,500 and comes with extras like a massage seat for the driver, a heated steering wheel, a Harman/Kardon sound system, racier styling and a black roof, plus performance goodies like a bigger engine.
The M135 is a bit more expensive than before though, by almost $6000, and comparable rivals like the Audi S3 remain in the mid-$70K range.
Two options packs are available, with the 118's $5000 Enhancement Pack adding Metallic paint, 19-inch M alloys, a heated steering wheel, a sunroof, massaging front seats, a Harman/Kardon sound system and Driving Assistant Professional.
There's also an M Sport Package Pro able to be added to either variant, which adds sportier M styling, a black roof for the 118, and M Sports seats for the front row. This pack costs $2462 for the 118 or $2700 for the M135 xDrive.
Two options packs are available, with the 118's $5000 Enhancement Pack adding Metallic paint, 19-inch M alloys, a heated steering wheel, a sunroof, massaging front seats, a Harman/Kardon sound system and Driving Assistant Professional.There's also an M Sport Package Pro able to be added to either variant, which adds sportier M styling, a black roof for the 118, and M Sports seats for the front row. This pack costs $2462 for the 118 or $2700 for the M135 xDrive.
Holden Astra7/10
Let's start with the hatchback. There are three grades of Astra hatch: the entry-level R lists for $21,990; then there's the mid-spec $26,490 RS, and at the top-of-the-range is the RS-V for $30,990. These are all prices with a manual transmission, and it's another $2200 on top if you want an automatic. There's a sort of bonus level, too – the 'R+' which is an R with advanced safety equipment, but costs $1250 more.
There are three grades to the Astra sedan range, too – but wait, they don't align with the hatch line-up, and even have different names.
The sedan kicks off with the LS spec at $20,490, if you opt for the manual gearbox, or $21,490 for the auto. Standard features at this level include 16-inch alloy wheels, auto headlights, a 7.0-inch touchscreen with reversing camera, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, as well as rear parking sensors.
There's an 'LS+' grade for another $1250 which adds advanced safety equipment, LED daytime running lights and a leather steering wheel.
The $25,790 LT gets all of the LS+ features and adds 17-inch alloys, an 8.0-inch touchscreen, proximity unlocking, auto parking, sat nav and rain-sensing wipers.
At the top of the pile, the $29,790 LTZ has all of the above, plus 18-inch alloy wheels, sunroof, climate control air con, and heated, leather-trimmed front seats.
Depending on the grade, the hatch costs $1000 to $2000 more than the sedan.
Under the bonnet
BMW 1 series
The two 1 Series variants have rather different running gear.
The 118 comes with a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine that drives the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT).
It makes 115kW and 230Nm, and BMW says it’ll hit 100km/h in 8.5 seconds.
That’s in comparison to the beefier 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit in the M135, also turbocharged, but driving all four wheels via a similar seven-speed DCT.
It makes 233kW and 400Nm, and it’ll crack 100km/h in 4.9 seconds according to the Bavarian brand.
Holden Astra7/10
The Astra hatch comes with a choice of two petrol engines. A 110kW/245Nm 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo powers the R grade, and a 147kW/300Nm 1.6-litre turbo four sits in the RS and RS-V.
All Astra sedans come with just the 1.4-litre engine.
Buyers have a choice of a six-speed manual (when paired with the 1.4-litre engine torque is 240Nm) or six speed automatic.
CarsGuide test pilot Stephen Corby drove the Astra R grade and pointed out that Holden notes a 0-100km/h time for the base car of "n/a", which pretty much says it all, while our RS and RS-V hatch drivers, including me, found the 1.6-litre to have good acceleration (claimed 0-100km/h in 7.8s).
The six-speed auto in the RS-V hatch is slow and emotionless, while the six-speed manual's short gear ratios keep the turbo going hard.
When it comes to the sedan engine, that 1.4-litre, while competent, doesn't impress the socks off me. But (with socks still well and truly on) it does suit the nature of the sedan far more. The hatch needs a gruntier powerplant to suit its sporty styling and firmer suspension. Lucky there's a 1.6-litre that delivers more mumbo.
Efficiency
BMW 1 series
BMW says the 118 will sip 6.4 litres of recommended 95 RON fuel for every 100km covered, with its 49-litre tank the same as the M135’s.
In that variant, fuel use increases to 7.8L/100km, as does recommended fuel quality to 98 RON.
We didn’t get a chance to test fuel consumption properly on the launch, so keep an eye on a future review for that, but given the relatively high claim even for the 118, we’d expect the 1 Series isn’t the most frugal drinker.
Holden Astra7/10
First the hatch. Sure, the 1.4-litre engine is the least powerful but it also uses less fuel, with Holden's claimed combined cycle figure being 5.8L/100km in manual and automatic. The 1.4-litre also only requires cheaper 91 RON fuel. The 1.6-litre engine needs 95RON, and the official figure is 6.5L/100km in the manual and 6.3L/100km for the auto. You'll 52 litres of it to fill the tank.
These are low claims and the stop-start tech would help achieve those figures. Our own driving found real-world consumption is higher, with the RS recording 8.6L/100km on the dash computer, while the manual RS-V scored 7.1L/100km.
After 250km in the RS-V auto the trip computer was reporting 10.2L/100km. I also found the fuel gauge needle moved towards empty faster than rivals I've driven. I don't think the Astra's efficiency is the core issue here, more my driving style, and it could be down to the Astra's 48-litre fuel tank, which is three litres smaller than the Mazda3's, and two litres less than the Corolla and i30's.
The sedan returns similar mileage, with official (combined cycle) fuel consumption for the manual sitting at 5.8L/100km, and the auto at 6.1L/100km. The trip computer in our automatic LS reported 8.2L/100km after a little more than 100km of country road driving.
Driving
BMW 1 series
The launch drive for the 1 Series included some outer-suburban Melbourne traffic, a stint of highway driving down towards the Mornington Peninsula, and a semi-rural road loop for each variant before the return journey.
So, noting that we didn’t quite get the chance to really work out what it might be like to live with the 1 Series day-to-day, first impressions showed good signs.
Both variants still drive much like you’d expect from even a front-drive BMW, let alone the AWD M135, but the chassis and suspension seem like they’d be good counterparts on a daily drive.
In the M135, communication and compliance seemed well-balanced with each other for even some particularly rough surfaces, and after torrential rain there were some potholes that would properly upset most cars that didn’t faze the 1 Series too much.
The 118 seemed to let a little more road noise into the cabin, but that might have been a symptom of different road surfaces.
The steering is accurate, but the feel in both is a little heavier than needed, especially with the thick-rimmed BMW steering wheel that you’ll know about if you’ve driven anything from Munich in recent years.
It’s a very easy car to drive fast, especially with the combination of 233kW, 400Nm, and all-wheel drive at the M135’s disposal.
The chassis and tyres work quite well together to not only hold a corner at impressive speed, but also keep the car stable so that traction isn’t an issue when launching out.
There’s also the joy of hearing a turbo spool and flutter under load, which is hard to deny as a draw for petrolheads.
Holden Astra7/10
Three CarsGuide reviewers drove three different versions of the Astra, and it's pretty clear the R didn't impress in the same way the RS and RS-V did. While the chassis felt great, the issue was put down to the 1.4-litre engine, which had to work hard while the automatic droned on.
I took the RS-V on my 150km country road test loop and found the chassis to be taut and well balanced, Â and by the feel of the firm dampers, set-up for more sporty driving and handling rather than comfort.
The RS-V's 18-inch rims, with low-profile 225/40 R18 92W Bridgestone Turanza rubber mean you'll feel almost every crack and bump in the road. Great grip, but the ride isn't comfortable.
The six-speed automatic doesn't match the 1.6-litre engine's perky personality, in that it's slow to change gears. Shift paddles on the steering wheel would add more connection to the driving experience.
Vani's RS-V was a six-speed manual and she loves how quickly that gearbox responds. All all our testers agree the steering is accurate, but artificial and light, although the sport mode gives it more weight, along with changing the throttle response to be sportier.
While the hatch has sporty styling and a firmer ride, Holden has tuned the placid-looking sedan's suspension to be comparatively supple. It's a far more comfortable drive.
I had seat time in each grade. The LS with the manual is the most enjoyable to drive - shifting is easy, the gear ratios are nicely spaced and I could get more out of that 1.4-litre engine.
Being tall and all arms and legs, I found I had to drive with the middle armrest up – my elbow kept bumping into it otherwise when shifting. The clutch also has a high return position.
The auto-only LT and LTZ ride just as comfortably as the LS manual. Steering on all grades has been tuned for Australian roads, and it feels accurate, well weighted and smooth. I've driven far fancier cars with steering that isn't anywhere near this good.
Cabin insulation is also impressive in the sedan – the hatch on the other hand has a fair bit of noise intrusion.
And that engine? Well, you're not going to win any drag races, but the comfortable ride and smooth steering, combined with looks that don't promise land speed records means it's far more suited to the sedan than the hatch.
Even with two well fed Holden employees and myself on board, the sedan didn't once feel like it was running out of puff, even on steeper hills.
The Astra sedan doesn't have the handling ability of its hatch sibling, it also has a ridiculously large turning circle of 11.9m (the Mazda3's is 10.6m), Â but it just skims in at seven out of 10 thanks to that great steering feel, and well-tuned suspension, keeping the ride comfortable and composed.
Safety
BMW 1 series
There’s plenty of active safety in the new 1 Series, new kit includes an updated 'Driving Assistant Plus', BMW calls it.
It features all the driving assist functions like lane departure warnings and rear cross-traffic alert, but the M135 gets a higher-spec version with extras like front cross-traffic alert, side collision prevention, and evasion assist.
This can be added to the 118 for $5000 in the Enhancement Package, but it seems a bit stiff to put safety features behind a paywall alongside items like a sunroof and a high-end audio system.
Mercifully, the 1 Series’ active safety systems are all pretty unobtrusive. There are very few ‘bings and bongs’ as we’ve come to call them, and any warnings are generally subtle.
There’s a quick way to turn most of them off via a physical button near the gear selector, and its adaptive cruise control is well tuned for urban, highway and rural driving.
Otherwise, the third-gen 1 Series scored five stars with ANCAP in 2019, so we will wait and see if its successor maintains that score.
It’s also got six airbags including front and side, as well as curtain airbags covering both rows.
Holden Astra7/10
Despite the fact AEB is standard on the RV and RS-V hatches, but not offered on the sedan at all, both body styles score a maximum five-star ANCAP rating.
The R+ hatch adds a safety pack which includes such as AEB and lane keeping assistance.
The LS+ sedan is $1250 more than the LS and comes with suite of safety gear including lane keeping assistance, lane departure warning and forward distance indicator.
You'll find two ISOFIX mounts and three top tether points for child seats across the back row in the sedan and hatch.
Ownership
BMW 1 series
BMW’s got a fairly standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.
The brand also uses a condition-based servicing system, which uses the multimedia to alert the owner when maintenance is required.
There are servicing packages which remove some of that uncertainty, in the 1 Series’ case a five-year, 80,000km pack costs $2210.
Holden Astra7/10
The Astra hatch and sedan are covered by Holden's three-year/100,000km warranty.
Servicing is recommended every 15,000km or annually. The Astra also comes with Holden's life-time capped-price servicing. You'll pay $229 for each of the first four services, then $289 each for the next three before stepping up higher as the car ages.