by Kannan Chandran
www.storm-asia.com
One way to help potential customers decide in your favour is to present a compelling argument.
When it comes to cars, brand perception goes some way in the decision-making process.
At the higher price points, there are clear differentiators, but at the entry level, you’re spoilt for choice.
And with the competition so keen, the options loaded on by manufacturers have been improving to win brand loyalty.
Take this BMW 116i as an example — as the entry model for the brand, it is loaded with the latest operating system 7.0 and Live Cockpit Professional, which offer features that are more than what you’d normally find in a basic introductory model to a brand.
It allows you to get updates over the air and works in tandem with the ‘My BMW’ app to let you ventilate the car or check if you locked your vehicle and how much fuel you have.
There’s also a digital key that you can use to unlock the car and start it.
You can use your iPhone (for cars manufactured from Jul 2020) for this, which saves you the hassle of carrying a large key around. Just make sure you have enough juice on your phone, and that you don’t have to valet park your car!
Access to the car’s features ranges from the omnipresent touchscreen, the iDrive controller, the multifunction steering wheel, voice control, and optional BMW gesture controls.
The connectivity, so vital in cars these days, can be a bit spotty, especially if there are two drivers using their own keys. It causes confusion as the driver profile can’t keep up too well. But these digital detritus will be cleaned up in time.
Driving assistance offers blind-spot monitoring, with adjustable steering vibration rates when you stray from your lane.
The feature-rich 3-cylinder hatch will still set you back $156K, which is still substantially more than the Japanese and Korean equivalents but is still priced lower than the 4-cylinder Mercedes-Benz equivalents.
You don’t feel the cylinder difference in the drive. It’s engineered for smooth delivery, except when stopping and starting up at a traffic light. But that’s a feature you can turn off.
The shape of ‘The 1’ is more performance-oriented, with the new sculpted bonnet and more proportionate styling (for a hatch).
The front-wheel-drive architecture, used for the first time, allows for a bit more space all around, but it’s still more enjoyable in front. Understanding that it’s also a practical car, the boot is fairly spacious.
While the 80kW power delivery is smooth, it’s not going to go breathtakingly quick; taking just over 10.5 seconds to go from 0 to 100kmh. But it is nimble and good for city runs that require lots of side street navigation. If parking isn’t your forte, this 1 can park it for you.
What you get with the BMW is the drivability and interaction with the car. Many cars leave you feeling neutral about their handling, which reduces them to merely a mode of transport. With the new generation of BMWs, the enjoyment factor has been made more apparent.
BMW 116i SPORT RATING
Engine: 1,499cc 3-cylinder inline 12 valve TwinPower Turbocharged
Transmission: 7-speed automatic
Max output: 80 kW
Max torque: 190 Nm
0-100kmh: 10.6 seconds
Top speed: 200 kmh
Fuel consumption: 5.5L/100km
VES Band: B
Length: 4,319mm
Width: 1,799mm
Height: 1,434mm
*Please reconfirm price with dealer