BMW 1 Series 120 M Sport petrol FWD automatic

Sustainability rating
2025
59%

BMW 1 Series 120 M Sport petrol FWD automatic

Sustainability rating
2025
59%

Our verdict

Although this is a conventional petrol vehicle, the BMW 120 reaches a relatively high score of 3 stars in Green NCAP's sustainability assessment and closely missed out on an additional half star. The car benefits from its compact size and low mass, its low pollutant emissions and relatively efficient powertrain. The most challenging discipline are the greenhouses gases, where the achievement is moderate.

...
  • The BMW has efficient exhaust aftertreatment and low tyre abrasion, but limited brake recuperation affects brake emission performance.
  • It offers decent fuel efficiency and benefits from low production energy demand due to its light weight and lack of a battery.
  • Despite lower production-phase emissions, overall life cycle greenhouse gas emissions are moderate due to fossil fuel combustion.
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7.7 10 Clean Air

The BMW's exhaust aftertreatment is efficient and robust under a variety of conditions, but the score in this section would benefit from further reduction of particle emissions. Due to the relatively low mass and well controllable accelerator pedal response, the tyre abrasion emissions are low, however, there is no other factor but the limited 48-volt system recuperation possibility to reduce brake abrasion.

Exhaust emissions

adequate
7.6 10

adequate

7.110
NMHC NOX NH3 CO PN PM Score
Legal test (WLTP) 6.28
Warm weather 7.810
Highway 6.310
Winter cold start 6.710
Winter warm start 7.910

adequate

8.510
NMHC NOX NH3 CO PN PM Score
Real-world mixed drive 7.210
Short city trip 9.510
Congestion 2.02
  • good
  • adequate
  • marginal
  • weak
  • poor
  • n.a.
Non-exhaust emissions

marginal
5.9 10

adequate

5.36
Result Score
Influence of mass 2.33
Wheel alignment 1.01
Accelerator response 2.02

weak

1.86
Result Score
Brake dust mitigation 0.04
Brake dust containment 0.06
Recuperative braking - warm test 1.86
  • good
  • adequate
  • marginal
  • weak
  • poor
  • n.a.
Additional Life Cycle Assessment information

good
9.5 10
Pollutants
*Exhaust emissions are not contributing to the score in Additional Life Cycle Assessment information because they are scored in the Exhaust emissions section above.
6.1 10 Energy Efficiency

The car's petrol consumption figures are good but not surprising, although a standard real-world on-road drive mixed trip with 4.5 l/100 km makes a good figure. In terms of life cycle assessment, the total primary energy demand benefits from the low mass and absence of a heavy battery, the production of which would increase the need for energy. Nevertheless, the amounts of fuel needed by a conventional combustion engine limit the achievable score in this section.

Energy demand

marginal
6.0 10

marginal

3.510
Legal test (WLTP)
5.5 l/100 km
Warm weather
5.5 l/100 km
Highway
7.1 l/100 km
Winter cold start
6.6 l/100 km
Winter warm start
5.7 l/100 km

good

10.010
Total LCA energy consumption
*Direct propulsion energy share is not shown, it is included in ‘Fuel/energy supply’
Energy source share in total LCA consumption
Rolling resistance

adequate
7.8 10
  • good
  • adequate
  • marginal
  • weak
  • poor
  • n.a.
4.0 10 Greenhouse Gases

Although the non-usage LCA phases of a conventional vehicle emit less greenhouse gases compared to an electric car, the combustion of fossil fuels increases the emissions over proportionally and leave the BMW with a mediocre score in this part of the assessment, despite its good consumption figures, given the petrol engine.

Exhaust GHG emissions

weak
1.9 10
In laboratory
Legal test (WLTP)
125 g CO₂-eq./km
Warm weather
124.3 g CO₂-eq./km
Highway
161.3 g CO₂-eq./km
Winter cold start
150.2 g CO₂-eq./km
Winter warm start
130.6 g CO₂-eq./km
Additional Life Cycle Assessment information

adequate
8.8 10
Total LCA GHG Emissions
*The scoring does not consider the direct exhaust GHG emissions at the tailpipe, because they are scored separately in ‘Exhaust GHG emissions’ above.

Vehicle Life Cycle Average Emissions 54 (+/-)
(Best 49 | Worst 60)

  • good
  • adequate
  • marginal
  • weak
  • poor
  • n.a.

Specifications

  • Vehicle class Small Family Car
  • Power/Torque 115 kW/280 Nm
  • Engine size 1,499 cc
  • Declared consumption 5.5 l/100 km
  • Declared CO2 125 g/km
  • Declared battery capacity Usable (net) 0.85 kWh Installed (gross)
  • Mass 1,466 kg
  • Heating concept Waste heat
  • Tyres 225/45 R18
  • Emissions class Euro 6 EC
  • Tested car WBA81GE0707R2XXXX
  • Publication date 09 2025
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Disclaimer

Driving Experience

Consumption & Range

adequate
Estimated actual consumption What consumption can be expected in real world conditions?

adequate
Conditions Urban Rural Highway Mixed
Warm weather
7.8
5.2
5.8
6.9
l/100 km
Cold winter
9.0
5.8
6.5
7.8
l/100 km
Accuracy of display Is the consumption figure on the display correct?

good
  • good
  • adequate
  • poor
  • n.a.
Cold Winter Performance

not applicable
Charging Capability

not applicable

Green NCAP comments

The Driving Experience evaluation of conventional vehicles focuses only on the performance in section 'Consumption and Range'. The BMW 120's estimated real-world consumption figures are seen as adequate in all conditions – warm weather and cold winter, urban, rural, highway and mixed driving scenarios. The consumption readings on the board computer display are accurate.

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