Test: BMW 128ti

Remember that BMW ad in which a hare’s front and hind legs were reversed using Photoshop? To indicate that according to the Germans it is a strange idea to have the drive at the front. So we don’t build anything like that, was the conclusion. Nice idea, but these memorable advertisements will of course be remembered if you then decide to provide your compact mid-sized car with drive on the front wheels at a later date. It also means that you can’t just let go of your M-division on the 1-series, because a real M-model with only front-wheel drive is image suicide. One solution is to resort to four-wheel drive, such as the current M135i. Unfortunately, that’s a bit of a semi-lukewarm thing. Fast, but without the experience you expect from a fast BMW. Now Munich has come up with a solution by going back to another abbreviation from the past: ti, short for international turismo. For the historically savvy reader a reference to the legendary 1800 and 2002 ti, although more recently the abbreviation also appeared on the considerably less legendary 3-series Compact. Anyway, an abbreviation with history to give the first front-wheel drive hot hatchback from BMW a little more credibility.

Same engine

BMW has apparently pulled a Golf GTI through the copier for its first real hot hatchback, because the recipe is identical. Here too, transversely in the front, there is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo engine, albeit with slightly more power and torque: 265 hp and 400 Nm. It does take some time before the BMW engine delivers its maximum pulling power. The shine seems a bit more off at the top, because the engine already peaks at a diesel-like 4,750 rpm. The throttle response is very good, which is very bright in that mid-range. The eight-speed fully automatic transmission leaves a good impression. Manual is also really manual in the BMW and the reaction to the flippers comes almost immediately. In addition, the transmission can handle multiple downshifts in quick succession. In the performance measurements, the 128ti shows its true nature.

The chassis also makes a great impression for a first attempt, although BMW with sister brand Mini has of course already two decades of experience in building entertaining driving front-wheel drive units. Somehow, the 128ti is also a bit reminiscent of a large, somewhat heavy Mini. The enormously enthusiastic way in which the nose wants to turn inwards, for example, so that the rear is dragged into all kinds of adventures. The harder you throw it into a corner, the more the BMW seems to come into its own; understeer occurs only in case of deliberate incompetence. The rear axle feels nice and light with firm steering, so that the rear contributes to the driving pleasure instead of being left behind as dead ballast. Precise, if not overly direct, steering helps to unlock the potential with confidence, as does the standard limited-slip differential. You can feel it pulling and struggling in the steering wheel when you turn, but with the ESP in Sport mode it never becomes a boring fight. The electronics make a good impression anyway by only intervening subtly when it is really necessary, so that, together with the sharp chassis, it always feels as if the car is working with you, even if you simply have fewer options than with rear-wheel drive. It may be swearing in the church, but BMW has mastered the trick of a sporty car with front-wheel drive. At most you could say that the passive dampers (there are no adaptive ones) are on the firm side for everyday use, so that the comfort on bad roads is not excessive. As if the car can’t wait for a smooth, twisty piece of asphalt. Yes, it is a sporty BMW with front-wheel drive, but a nice sporty BMW with front-wheel drive.

iDrive

The BMW is pleasant to operate with all this. You blindly press two buttons and give the poker of the machine a tap to put everything on attack mode. In any case, the 128ti has the advantage of iDrive, which is still the gold standard in the field of infotainment systems. A fast touchscreen, a physical controller and an above-average listening speech recognition make finding and operating the many functions nice and easy, so that your attention can stay on the road. Where the car leaves it a bit on, is its space offering. Although the trunk is of average size, the rear seat is considerably less spacious. In addition, the seating position for a sporty model is really too high, a hint of 2-series Active Tourer. You can feel free to complain about such points if you spend a considerable amount for such a compact middle class. Fortunately, there is also some extra equipment, such as an electrically operated tailgate, a head-up display, leather upholstery and a heated steering wheel. The 128ti is therefore completely ready, including a nice striking bright red paint that does him a lot of good. In fact, we’d argue that the only valid reason not to get it in this color is that it naturally makes you stand out from those who’d rather not see the car’s full potential. But yes, it’s so much fun to do. With this, BMW has immediately struck the right chord with its first hot hatchback.