BMW’s 118 hatchback – sharp driving dynamics but with too harsh a ride

Motor Torque with David Berthon

BMW updated their entry model hatchback last December – now simply
called the 118 this small five door hatch has a lot of presence in a facelifted
body that’s slightly longer and taller. Now $56,500 plus on-road costs but
with more equipment and more tech savvy – slightly longer and taller, still
powered by a 1.5-litre turbo three-cylinder driving through a seven-speed
dual clutch automatic. This latest entry model BMW has a nice feel about,
the interior especially well sorted with supportive seats, and a well-
constructed dash layout with connected digital and infotainment screens.
But with BMW’s latest iDrive 9 operating system which can become tedious
to use but is very comprehensive. The drive rather sporty in the BMW
tradition with good driving dynamics, beautiful steering, brakes and slick
gear changes with the worst feature being ride quality. I’m not sure
everybody who would buy a BMW 118 would need such a sport skewed
ride but it is far too harsh and spoils an otherwise quality drive. Passive
and active safety systems most comprehensive, a 360-degree camera a
great driving aid while the adaptive cruise control is very polished in
operation. There’s a lot to like in the BMW 118 but ride quality a
disappointment.

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