BMW 1 Series vs Toyota GR Yaris

What's the difference?

The 118i has restored my faith in entry-level models from premium brands. Could it do with more standard gear? Absolutely, especially at $50K, and given what you could get in a higher-grade variant from a mainstream manufacturer, like the Mazda3 or VW Golf.

But the 118i is a cut above the mainstream hatchbacks in terms of performance, driver engagement and how the car makes you feel. 

If value is the priority, look elsewhere. But if your budget stretches this far and you can live without some of the luxo features, there’s little to complain about with the 118i hatch.

Put simply, this is a car we love made better, and if track driving is in your future, this is the GR Yaris you want. 

Whether the changes make it harder to live with is yet to be seen, but if it's fun you're after, the Rallye delivers it by the high-octane bucket load.

Since the first-generation model arrived on the scene in the early 2000s, the 1 Series has had a slightly awkward design, partly due to the rear-wheel drive underpinnings. But this latest third-gen model, that debuted in 2019, is by far the most sleek and stylish yet. 

This is helped by the slimline tail-lights, rising shoulder line and well-executed front-end design with the signature BMW quad headlights and wide 'kidney' grille. 

In Australia the 118i comes as standard with 'M suspension' that lowers the ride height by 10mm, which gives it even more of a hunkered down look. The 'Black Sapphire' paintwork of the test car also upped the sexiness of the little hatch.

The 1 Series, and its competitors from Benz and Audi, are all visually appealing in different ways, ensuring they will each appeal to different buyers. 

The interior design is unmistakably BMW, which hasn’t evolved significantly for about 15 years. Although new-generation models like the iX and the soon-to-launch X1 SUV prove that BMW can evolve.

BMW’s overall dash design and layout isn’t a million miles away from the edgy angular look of the new Audi A3 - and that’s no criticism.

The mixed synthetic leather and cloth trim on the seats has a cool blue cloth motif to break up the grey and add a small splash of colour to the cabin. Matching blue stitching on the dash and doors is a nice touch.

It looks almost exactly like the regular GR Yaris, with a couple of minuscule changes that the eagle-eyed will spot. 

For one, there's two new vent openings in the front grille to aid brake cooling, and there's a numbered plaque in the cabin so you know which Rallye you've got (though Toyota concedes this is more of a vanity project than any indication of the numbers actually being limited).

Most noticeable, though, is the bespoke paint colour - a shimmery pearlescent white called Frosted White, which makes the bright-red brake calipers pop. 

Elsewhere, though, its the same swollen, angry-looking hot hatch we've come to know and love.

Up front the 118i’s sports seats offer unbelievable levels of lateral support, and despite the bolsters being adjustable, it might be a little too snug for some. It’s expected for a pricey hot hatch but not the lower grade 1 Series. And given how much side support there is, it could do with a touch more under-thigh padding. The driver’s seat is power adjustable while the front passenger has to adjust their seat manually.

The typically chunky BMW M leather steering wheel looks and feels expensive and offers good grip. The minimal steering wheel controls are well labelled with text or clear icons. I appreciated the analogue air conditioning controls instead of them being buried in a multimedia screen menu.

The multimedia system menu is unfussy and while it’s not as tech heavy as some other systems, I don’t see that as a negative. It just means there are fewer functions you’re forced to remember. You can control the system via the 'iDrive' controller in the centre console or it can be used as a touchscreen. I like the way users are given both options. The 10.25-inch screen is nice and wide but quite narrow. Overall, BMW’s operating system is easy to use and functions well.

In terms of devices, the 118i has a wireless charging pad, as well as a USB-A and USB-C port, and a 12-volt charger up front.

It has a smallish central bin, but it’s fine for a number of smaller items. Tall bottles fit easily in the door storage bin and there’s a secondary slot for other items. The 118i comes with a decent sized glovebox, and two front cupholders with a nook for phones just behind it.

The 118i is more spacious than anticipated, especially in the second row. The back of the front seats are scalloped, allowing for a little extra knee room, but there is a good amount of legroom generally, and plenty of headroom, despite the lower roofline. 

The rear seats are on the flat side but still comfortable, and there are ISOFIX points on the two outboard seats.

Rear seat occupants have access to map pockets, two more USB-C ports, and storage for big bottles in the doors (just), but there are no rear air vents. The seats fold 60/40 and there’s no central armrest.

Open the hatch and you’ll find a reasonably sized boot that can swallow 380 litres, expanding to 1200L with the rear seats stowed. There is plenty of under-floor storage because there’s no spare tyre on account of the run-flats favoured by BMW. There are, however, a couple of tie-down anchors and shopping bag hooks.

Next question, please. This is a three-door, manual-only performance hatch, so practicality is not really at the top of its to-do list.

In terms of the basics, you get four (two up front and two in the rear) seats, twin ISOFIX attachment points in the back, and a 141-litre luggage space that swells to 737 litres when the 60:40 rear seats are folded flat. 

While the backseat is fairly sparse, with no fold-down centre armrest or cupholders, you do some connectivity options in the vehicle, with a USB-A port and 12-V power outlet. 

The rear seats are fairly tight. My 175cm frame can fit into either easily enough, but you probably wouldn't want to spend too much time back there. 

Conversely, though, the front of the cabin feels spacious enough, and the seats are appropriately figure-hugging for when you're tearing through corners. 

Speaking of which, the steering wheel, gear shifter and pedals are all nicely positioned so that you feel a part of the vehicle, and while the manual gearbox offers rev-matching on the up and downshifts, true heel-and-toe driving is a very real option, too.

Prepare to have your idea of how much you'd pay for a three-door Toyota city car completely rearranged, because the GR Yaris Rallye is not cheap.

How much, you ask? Initially offered at $56,200 drive-away as part of a launch push, the Rallye has now settled at its regular MSRP of $54,500 plus on-roads. 

That's a sizeable step up from the $49,500 (before on-road costs) of the regular GR Yaris, but it's a price increase justified by the extra performance kit.

And a good thing, too, because it shares much of its other equipment with its GR sibling. 

There's a leather-wrapped steering wheel and manual shifter and aluminium pedals, for example. There's a 4.2-inch screen in the driver's binnacle, and there's a second 7.0-inch touchscreen in the centre of the cabin that gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which pairs with an eight-speaker JBL stereo. You also get dual-zone climate control, and keyless entry.

Most important, though, you get more go-fast stuff, like those lightweight alloys, he two Torsen limited-slip differentials (one on each axle) and the retuned suspension.

The 118i is powered by a three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, offering up 103kW of power and 220Nm of torque. It’s the same unit found in the Mini Cooper, albeit uprated by 3kW for the BMW.

It is front-wheel drive and the engine is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

BMW says the 118i can cover the 0-100km/h sprint in 8.5 seconds.

If you’re after a quicker 1 Series, then the 180kW i28ti or 225kW Mi35i xDrive could be a better pick.

No change to the powertrain here, but that's no bad thing - I bloody love this engine. 

The turbocharged 1.6-litre, three-cylinder engine develops a whopping 200kW and 370Nm (in a vehicle that weighs just 1280kg, no less), which is fed through a six-speed manual gearbox with up-and-down rev matching, and then funnelled to all four wheel via the GR-FOUR all-wheel drive system.

How much power goes where is up to you, with Rallye equipped with Normal, Track and Sport drive modes that split the power between the front and rear axles to 60/40, 30/70 and 50/50 respectively. 

Toyota says all of that is enough to see the Rallye clip 100km/h in 5.2 seconds.

According to BMW, the 118i consumes 5.9 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres. During my week of mixed driving with the hatch, I recorded a much higher average figure of 10.8L/100km. This was exacerbated by the fact I did my main test drive shortly before returning the car. It was much more efficient around town.

It has a 50-litre fuel tank and does require premium 95 RON petrol. In terms of CO2, the 118i emits 135g/km.

Toyota says the GR Yaris Rallye sip a combined 7.6litres/100km, and emit 172 grams/km of C02.

The bad news? The Rallye demands premium fuel to fill its 50-litre tank. 

To be honest I wasn’t particularly hopeful of an engaging driving experience with the 118i given I have been underwhelmed by the base Mercedes-Benz A-Class. But after a week with the 1 Series, I reckon it might well be the pick of the premium players in this segment.

The 118i is also a much more enjoyable car to drive than the entry-level version of the outgoing X1 SUV with which it shares a powertrain. If you don’t need the extra cargo space or the ride height of the X1, then please test drive the 118i just to see what you’d be missing if you opted for the X1.

BMW has always excelled when it comes to building punchy powertrains for driver’s cars, and that continues to be true, even for its smallest internal combustion unit.

The 103kW/220Nm turbocharged three-pot is smooth yet responsive, offering linear power and torque delivery and acceleration that will bring a smile to your face.

Obviously it’s not as quick as its sportier 1 Series siblings, but make no mistake, you can still have fun in a 118i.

There’s a little bit of lag when taking off and some hesitation from the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission during shifts, but neither are deal-breakers.

That obsession with driver engagement has paid off with the steering which is quick and direct.

The suspension is geared towards dynamism and as a result of that, and the sharp steering, you’ll be seeking out the nearest twisty section of road every time you get behind the wheel. It’s planted in corners with excellent road-holding characteristics.

Unfortunately that dynamic tune, and the low-profile tyres, means the ride is on the firmer side and a little jiggly around town, but it settles at speed. 

In terms of visibility, the 118i has huge B- and C-pillars, small rear side windows and a narrow rear windscreen, so you’ll be relying on the parking sensors and camera. The 11.4m turning circle feels large for a small car, too. 

The cabin is well insulated from some outside noise but coarse chip roads will make their presence felt.

Short answer? This Rallye takes everything we love about the GR Yaris and makes it better. 

If that sounds like we're waxing lyrical, it's because we are. While our testing was limited to a handful of laps of a race-like circuit, they were enough to feel the most important additions to the Rallye - those twin limited-slip diffs - doing their thing.

Designed to direct the torque to the wheel with the most grip, the system does its best work in cornering, where grunt it sent to the tyre with the most load for extra grip when exiting a bend.

This is a truly exciting hot hatch, full of froth and fizz, and one that you feel intimately connected to when behind wheel. Every moment of acceleration, loss of traction, or wiggle in the rear, is felt in the drivers seat, and it's the kind of vehicle you simply get better at the more time you spend in it.

The brakes are ace, too (356mm front, 297mm rear), and will it's not lightning-fast in a straight line, it's plenty quick through corners. 

How much harsher is the stiffer suspension on a normal road? Is it easy to live with as an everyday driver? Is it too track-focused for suburban life?

Honestly, we don't know. We are yet to drive it on regular Australian roads. But we will, and soon, and we'll update you as soon as that happens.

But in terms of sheer driver fun? The GR Yaris has it in spades.

It certainly hasn't been left behind on the safety front, the Rallye, with six airbags, blind-spot monitoring, a head-up display and a reversing camera.

The tech then steps up, with Toyota's Safety Sense system including AEB, intersection assistance, adaptive cruise control, lane trace assist and road-sign assist.

BMW continues to offer a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty for its models, which is disappointingly a couple of years off most rivals these days.

The German giant also does things a little differently when it comes to servicing. Instead of service schedules, it has ‘condition-based servicing’, which is when the vehicle’s computer will inform you when the car needs a service. 

BMW’s Service Inclusive pre-paid plan runs for five years or 80,000km for the 1 Series, and costs $1700 up front when you buy the car. That averages out to about $340 per service, which isn’t bad for a premium marque.

The GR Yaris Rallye is covered by Toyota's five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, with the engine and driveline covered for seven years.

Servicing is required every six months or 10,000kms, and will set you back $260 each for the first six visits.