I am really picky about what I choose to drive and not once was it anything other than genuine pleasure to know I had a long journey ahead of me in the BMW, because all the stuff that really matters in such situations it has covered.Īnd while it is no match for the equivalent Ford, Honda or even Hyundai down a decent road, I expect for most people most of the time, it is good enough. It lacks both the power and character of the Ford’s punchy motor, denying it access to the hot hatch top table, even if its limited chassis abilities had not done so already.īut here’s the thing. Actually, its fuel economy was extremely impressive and I appreciated its ability to return a genuine near-50mpg at a steady 70mph motorway cruise – not bad for a 155mph car fired by petrol.īut it’s not an enthusiastic engine and cannot be made so even by the surprisingly responsive eight-speed auto ’box. And in that regard, the 128ti is excellent: fine seats and just enough spring rate to control the body over crests and in dips without introducing any harshness. I care rather more that the car is quiet, which the ti is once you’ve learned to ignore the low- rev, part-throttle body boom, and comfortable. Because, like you, I spend most of my time behind the wheel on motorways, or in town, and who gives a stuff about yaw gain following lift-off oversteer there? I’m lucky enough to live in the Welsh borders, where I can be on a cracking road within three minutes of getting in the car, and even I don’t spend much time door-handling whatever I happen to be in. It surprised me not at all that the ti came last at our Junior Handling Day – only that it was invited in the first place.īut the thing with long-term reports is that we’re not too concerned with all that stuff.
Wet, dry, night and day, up hill and down dale better.
Low because it was unfortunate enough to be replacing a Ford Focus ST outside my house.Īnd I’ll say now that as a thing to punt down a decent road, the Ford is better.
#Bmw beamer 2021 series#
High because I’ve never driven a ti BMW I didn’t like and I fancied it might find a sweet spot between the standard 1 Series and the expensive, heavy M135i. My hopes for the 128ti were both high and low, if that is not too contradictory a statement. After a months-long 7500-mile real-world test, it leaves with its head held high despite its shortcomings as a hot hatch - 27 October 2021
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