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Aside from the good steering feel, both are very accurate and respond to the driver’s every command. The steering is very sensitive on both cars—and it shows. The slight change of angle in either Bimmer is an immediate sign to car on what to do next. The driver has to keep alert in this car. If comparisons were made, then the Bimmer’s steering accuracy places it next to the Subaru Impreza, which we drove last year. Both cars showed considerable amount of steering wheel without hampering comfort and compromising communication with the road. As I said before, the inline-6 showed promise when it had a hint of a growl during idling, unfortunately, this growl isn’t delivered during highway driving. The interior very shielded from road and engine noise that we had to put our windows down to hear the famed inline-6 roar. Then again, this slight compromise probably has to be because the car acts as a luxury cruiser as well, and it would very difficult if one’s ear lobe is filled with the sounds of a thumbing inline-6 engine—a shame for us, but probably not for the rest of the market. Moreover, this generation of inline-6 engine marks the last time we’ll ever see an inline-6 crammed into any BMW. Starting with the next generation of 6-cylinder engines, BMW will be incorporating a more compact V6 engine similar to what Mercedes-Benz has done in the previous years. Aside from showing remarkable balance, both Bimmers absorbed not just road and tire noise pretty well, but Quezon City potholes as well. In fact, it’s a surprising thing than even the 325i with its 16-inch 50-series tires can outmatch the likes of the Mitsubishi Galant in bump absorption. If the 325i feels a bit stiff for your tastes, then the 318is right for you. The car can be nick named the ‘comfort king’ since besides reducing wind, tire and road noise and vibration much like the 325i, the 15-inch alloys coupled with a softer suspension setting makes the 318i absorb any sort of bump whether light or heavy. In terms of build quality, both cars fared pretty well. The 325i, which is still below 5,000 kilometers, is as every bit as solid as the veteran 318i that has traveled a total of 23,435 kilometers. Both cars are as quiet and as solid as the day they left from the factory, as testament to the improvement BMW Philippines has made to the assembly of its cars locally. The service interval indicator worked very effective as well reminding us to change the 318i’s engine oil at the next service interval. Note that the 318i is assembled locally while the 325i is a completely built-up unit. After a long test drive, I find myself thinking again—could the seemingly paradoxical phrase ‘sports sedan’ or ‘luxury sports car’ truly exist? It seems that it could. Of all the cars we have tested so far, the 3-series BMW fairs as the best combination of luxury and sporty attributes that even shames the BMW 523i. Although still not yet the perfect car out there, both of these 3-series sedans present an ideal that has been carried out flawlessly from the design to the build to the excellent customer service. |
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