Interior

The 128i's interior design is fairly traditional, with more upright shapes than sweeping contours. Dual-zone climate controls sit below the center air vents and optional navigation system, with BMW's latest-generation iDrive knob controller ahead of the center console. The system can read text messages aloud or stream songs off a paired Blackberry smartphone.

BMW says the cabin controls boast "a more refined look and feel" for 2012, though the layout is hard to distinguish from 2011's. In contrast to the seat belts that motor forward for easier reach in the 3 Series coupe, the 1 Series' belts are fixed onto the B-pillars.

On 128i coupes, the two-position backseat folds in a standard 60/40 split. The convertible offers only a center pass-through. Vinyl seats are standard, with leather optional. The M Sport Package adds unique headliner materials, an M-branded steering wheel and shifter, and sport seats with more aggressive side bolstering.

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    Storing favorites
    Up to 30 favorites can be stored in the favorites list. Available favorites are artist, track, game, league and team. Storing the artist, track or gameIt is only possible to store favorites that ar ...

    Switching on/off
    Press the button. On: the LED lights up. Off: the LED goes out. The system can issue warnings at speeds above approx. 30 mph/50 km/h. The state is stored for the remote control currentl ...

    Rear
    In the center armrest. Pull the center armrest forward at the strap. To open: press the button. To close: push both covers back in, one after the other. Pushing back the covers Push back the ...