BMW 3 SERIES COMPACT
June drives
BMW's 3 Series Compact, a hatchback that claims to have real class...
Whether you need a
smart car to get to work and to go out visiting clients. Or are planning to invest in a new second car that's smart, reliable and will withstand the pressures of multiple journeys from school to Brownies, ballet classes and swimming lessons, budget might have deterred you from putting BMW on your list. You will be as surprised as I was, then, to discover that for the same price as a fairly ordinary
Ford Focus, you could bring home BMWs 3 Series Compact. Of course, the Compact doesnt sell to women (or anybody else) who really want a Ford Focus any more than BMWs entry-level 316i four-door is viewed as an alternative to, let's say, a
Proton Impian. No, the Compact is there for people who really wanted a BMW all along but would otherwise have had to wait or buy a secondhand model. Since the Compact was introduced, many havent had to. This model has also done its bit to reduce the average BMW owners age (which had crept up from around 40 to nearly 47).
But will the latest version suit me? Well, when youve a family to think of, a hatchback is often a top priority - it certainly is for me. And if you're now able to buy new rather than patching up your old run-around, Ive certainly come to the conclusion that it's worth looking at BMW's Baby 'Three'. I checked out the 316ti version. Have BMW cut corners in order to make the Compact as relatively inexpensive as it is? I could find little evidence of it. This car is every inch a true BMW and youll feel it every time you slam the door and slide behind the wheel.
That isnt to say that there arent differences however, between this car and the cheapest 1.6-litre 3 Series saloon. Still, you shouldnt be disappointed at the lack of equipment on offer. Even this 316ti Compact model gets anti-lock brakes, a full complement of airbags,
seat belt pre-tensioners, side impact protection, a vehicle immobiliser, central locking with deadlocks and a three year warranty.
Theres a value ES model at £15,995 and if youve got a little more disposable you could opt for one of the ritzier Sport versions. And if you've always dreamed of owning a
BMW - and collecting the kids from school in the classy red number I was driving would certainly turn a few heads - then the Compact brings the dream closer. This Compact is definitely ideal for loading up the shopping and the children after a hard day at work, once you get used to pulling the front seats forward. Despite its weight, the car is easy to handle, even in impossible corners like underground carparks. The controls are well situated and the power steering offers very tight turns.
The Compact is a zippy car to drive around town - and is well appointed inside. Suspension changes have liberated a significant amount more space in the loading bay and the result - the Compacts generously proportioned, well-shaped boot - speaks for itself.
On the road, although it feels fast, you cant expect the entry-level cars new 1.8-litre engine to rival a 'hot hatch' GTi' - and it doesnt. Nevertheless, its sprightly enough not to make customers otherwise considering that kind of car feel like theyve been short-changed. Rest to sixty takes 10.7 seconds on the way to 125mph.
Even in the mid-range, its pretty close to the established shopping trolley sizzlers. You have to use the little engine hard to achieve this kind of progress of course, so its just as well that the unit itself is smooth and refined. If youre used to large, high capacity engines that never really get into their stride unless youre driving on empty roads at two in the morning, then youll probably rather enjoy it. I did.
Whether theyre simply attracted by the lure of the Bavarian badge or theyve really done their homework, customers have been queuing up and showroom trade across the country appears to be brisk. Aside from the 316ti featured here theres the more powerful 325ti with 192bhp on tap, a midrange 318ti model and a super economical 320td diesel.
Oh, yes. I love the look and feel of it. Whereas at the helm of an old Compact you felt slightly economy class, the latest model offers you an upgrade to Club. BMW have produced a model which no longer needs to be shunted to the back of the showroom and which can act as a technical showcase of its own.
There are quicker models available but this 316ti will do me: Ill just have to remember to get up five minutes earlier...
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