BMW 218i Has Been Refreshed Very Slightly And We Drive It
Already very popular and selling well, the 218i gets a mild makeover to stay ahead.
In early 2020 this compact BMW sedan was elected to take part in the 2020 International Automobile Festival and it won the title of ‘most beautiful car’ at the event in France.
This all new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé is derived from the latest BMW 1 Series and it succeeded the Peugeot 508 which was crowned in 2019.
This BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé is powered by a 3-cylinder turbocharged engine (1,499cc) that produces 138bhp and 220Nm of torque. It will reach a top speed of 213km/h and needs 8.7 seconds to reach 100km/h from standstill.
Yes, it is not a performance model. It’s a ‘starter’ BMW targeted to young and trendy drivers and not performance enthusiasts.
The standout characteristic of the BMW 2-Series Gran Coupé is its silhouette which includes the frameless side windows for the four doors and the exciting colour choices.
This 2-Series Gran Coupé is 4,526mm in length and 1,800mm in width, but stands just 1,420mm tall. Despite its low-slung appearance, front passengers are well catered for thanks to its 2,670mm wheelbase. Rear passengers will feel a little cramped unless they are height challenged like us.
Inside this compact Bimmer you still get features found in its more expensive siblings. You get the BMW ConnectedDrive services including Intelligent Emergency Call, Teleservices and Intelligent Personal Assistant.
You also have the BMW Live Cockpit Professional with a fully digital 10.25″ instrument display and the BMW Navigation system with 10.25″ touch sensitive display. Audio lovers will appreciate the 6 speaker system, which needs no upgrade.
Yes, its RM213k price-tag (and there is always a discount with all BMW showrooms) and the available BMW financing scheme (Balloon Financing which starts from RM2,565.00 a month) makes it easy to own in the first year and as you get your yearly salary increment, you need to make higher monthly payments.
So, what’s the behind the wheel experience like? Well, to start it has supportive seats, especially for the driver with sensible power adjustments. A nice ‘thick’ sporty steering has the right weight and feel. Well, it will, because it is a BMW.
The 3-cylinder engine is not noisy but the start-stop vibration can be irritating in heavy traffic. We prefer to just switch off this feature as fuel is subsidised in Malaysia and the savings to be made with this start-stop feature is so very small.
On the open road it is a well composed vehicle with good handling. Move up to illegal speeds on a highway off-ramp and it stays on its course without flinching.
Rear passengers will not be happy for long distance drives as the headroom is lacking and its not the brightest place to be in. City commuting is perfectly fine.
For the asking price of RM213k for this Bimmer, the rivals will be the latest 163hp Mercedes A 200 Progressive Line at RM210,902 or the 150hp Volkswagen Golf Mk8 at RM170,560 or even latest variant of the 184hp Honda Civic, the e:HEV RS which has the most power, cabin space and interior safety features in this elite group. Meanwhile, this latest Civic variant is rumoured to be priced at RM168,888 when it gets launched later this year.
The final decision is yours and for most of you reading this, ‘badge snobbery’ places a more important part of your purchase decision over value for money.
BMW 218i Gran Coupé M Sport Specifications
Engine: Inline-3, 12-Valve, DOHC, Petrol, Turbocharged
Capacity: 1,499cc
Gearbox: 7-speed Steptronic Dual-Clutch Transmission
Max power: 140hp @ 4,600-6,500rpm
Max torque: 220Nm @ 1,480-4,200rpm
Top Speed: 213km/h
0-100 km/h: 8.7 seconds
Price: RM213,690.00
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