By Kannan Chandran, www.storm-asia.com
The recent muttering about the large BMW grilles has done little to dampen enthusiasm for the brand.
BMW is still among the top brands in terms of overall sales in Singapore and continues to grow globally. The combination of contemporary designs, cutting-edge features, performance and customer satisfaction is a tricky terrain to navigate, but the German brand has been negotiating it well.
Part of the appeal for the brand is due to the historical models that have established its position.
Prior to the arrival of the omnipresent SUV, the bread-and-butter 3 Series was a brand ambassador. The sporty sedan set the tone for BMW’s ambitions, one which it has followed through even as globalisation, sustainability, millennials, electrification and SUVs have raised various sets of challenges.
The seventh-generation 3 Series harks back to some of its original ideology. Like most models making way for fresh variants, the car has grown compared to its original size.
The design factors have been sharpened, and the form is more purposeful in fitting in with the BMW family resemblance.
While once a tight fit for passengers in the back, the new 3 Series has more elbow room, headroom and legroom. And the trim and equipment match that general feeling of comfort and refinement. Leather and high-grade plastics are highlighted by chrome and ambience lighting that can be changed to suit your mood.
There is a large boot that you can easily access by kicking under the bumper where the sensor will release the lid, provided you have the key with you. This is extremely handy if your arms are laden with groceries or bulky items.
The entry-level 318i Sport reviewed here is packed with features you’d expect from a variant higher up in a model range.
The latest displays — a 12.3” instrument display and high-resolution 10.25” control display — deliver sharp, colourful graphics. You can toggle through the various settings to determine what combination of information you would like displayed.
While many brands are opting for touchscreens to deliver the various available functions, BMW has still retained a dial that allows you to access navigation, media and features like CarPlay and Android Auto.
The demands of a connected world mean that you are in sync with your mobile device, to seamlessly — most of the time — switch from home or work to car, without skipping a beat.
On occasion, especially if there is more than one user, the settings can get a bit confused, but that’s usually sorted out by restarting the system or the car.
To extend that sense of connectedness like a virtual umbilical cord, the My BMW app also lets you ventilate your car remotely, which is convenient if you’ve parked outdoors in the heat.
While much of BMW’s reputation was built on the drivability of its cars, that was downplayed as the automotive industry was distracted by alternative fuel sources, sustainability issues, globalisation and a slew of other disruptions.
But the focus on the driver seems to have returned with its recent models.
The 318i Sport is loaded with a detuned 2-litre inline 4-cylinder engine. This is the same engine you’ll find in the 320i model, except those are tuned to deliver a better performance.
In the 318i, the engine delivers 115kW of power, which is well managed by the 8-speed automatic transmission. There’s an immediate response as you hit the accelerator, and the gear changes are smooth.
You have a choice of Comfort, Sport and Eco Pro modes. You can feel the difference in how the car reacts to each. While Comfort is the default setting, in Sport, the pull is a bit more pronounced, and the reaction around bends a bit more urgent.
In Eco Pro, only the bare essentials are running, which means your air-conditioning will not be at the level you’d want it to be. But it means you save some fuel.
While the 318i does the 0-100 kmh sprint in a relatively leisurely 8.4 seconds, it doesn’t feel slow. It’s a tad soft in hard manoeuvres, and there’s some slipping on slick surfaces; this just seems to add to the fun.
Safety has been a key concern for most car manufacturers, with an eye towards autonomous motoring, and BMW has been at the cutting edge of this process. The 318i is equipped with measures to anticipate and avoid unexpected situations like sudden lane changes and close proximity to cars while on the move. You can set the amount of intervention by the car, or switch off these features entirely.
For those who find parallel parking a challenge, the 318i will do it automatically.
All the required functionality — cruise and media control — are on the multifunction sport steering, which is comfortable to grip.
With so many features on board, it’s not surprising that the large BMW grille seems to be smiling.
Specifications
BMW 318i Sport
Engine: inline 4 cylinder
Transmission: automatic 8-speed steptronic
Displacement: 1,998cc
Power output: 115kW
Max torque: 250Nm
0-100kmh: 8.4 seconds
Top speed: 223kmh
Fuel consumption: 5.8L/100km
VES Band: B
Price: $213,888
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