Facts and figures
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WhatCar? 118d Test
20.07.2007 |
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TO SOME PEOPLE, image is everything, and hang the consequences. Others take a different view: cars have got to appeal, yes, but they must also appease your green conscience.
Step forward BMW with its revised 118d, a car it proudly touts as its cleanest and most fuel-efficient model to date. That’s thanks to a revised diesel engine and a stop-start system which cuts emissions in heavy traffic.
Here, it faces the Volvo C30, with its sleek lines, a prestige badge and, in diesel form, good economy and low emissions.
Both cars have price tags the sensible side of £20,000. Not cheap, but affordable for a prestige hatch. That’s no excuse for compromise, however. Granted, small three-door hatchbacks don’t have to be the last word in practicality, but they need to deliver a drive worthy of the sporty image, and each must have a cabin classy enough to justify its price tag. Game on.
WHAT ARE THEY LIKE TO DRIVE?
The new BMW 118d has a number of energy-saving measures, the most significant being a new stop-start system for the engine.The good news is that it makes little difference to the way the car drives. The engine cuts out when you’re at a standstill in traffic, provided the car is in neutral. It starts again automatically when you depress the clutch pedal, and by the time you’ve selected first gear it’s ready to go.
Impressively, performance has improved along with efficiency. The 118d’s power has increased by 19bhp, and there’s an extra 14lb ft of shove. It’s noticeably quicker away from the line, and it picks up briskly on the move, too.
The enhanced performance supports the car’s sporty image, but it’s the agile handling that really hammers it home, while the steering is quick and precise. There’s tight body control and impressive balance, so the car skips between bends with the nimbleness of a salsa dancer.
You don’t pay a penalty when the road straightens out, either. The BMW’s ride is firm yet comfortable at all speeds, and a quiet engine and good suppression of exterior noises mean it cruises well at 70mph.
You’ll like the way the Volvo drives, too. It glides down motorways as comfortably and as quietly as the BMW, and lighter steering makes it easier to manoeuvre in town. When the road turns twisty, though, the light steering isn’t as satisfying as the BMW’s. There isn’t as much grip at the C30’s front end, either, so it doesn’t feel as assured in a bend. The body leans more, too, and it doesn’t change direction as crisply.
The C30’s engine sounds coarser than the BMW’s when it’s worked hard, and it isn’t as quick to accelerate away from rest. Despite this, the Volvo gives you the greater sensation of speed because there’s a strong surge of forward motion when the turbo begins to do its work. It runs out of puff towards the top of the rev range, though, while the BMW keeps on pulling.
WHAT ARE THEY LIKE TO LIVE WITH?
Some will feel that the 1 Series’ cabin isn’t special enough. The materials are smart, but they’re hard to the touch and don’t have much tactile appeal. There’s no doubting the solidity of the build, though.
The Volvo’s cabin is classier. The soft-touch plastics are as appealing to the fingertips as they are to the eyes, and the ‘floating’ centre console adds a touch of individuality. The plastics in the lower reaches of the cabin look cheaper than those in the eyeline, but they’re sturdy enough.
Getting comfy in the Volvo is a doddle, because there’s two-way adjustment for the steering wheel and seat. Some drivers will feel that the seat doesn’t go low enough, but the conventional adjusters (ratchet arm for seat height, wheel for backrest angle) are easy to use.
Not so with the BMW. To adjust either the seat height or backrest angle, you have to pull a lever and shift your bodyweight. The process is awkward and imprecise, and you can’t alter the angle of the seat base as you can in the Volvo. At least the low-slung driving position feels sportier once you finally get it right.
Passengers shouldn’t struggle when getting into the back. The front seats in each car slide forward and out of the way, and return to their original position afterwards.
Both cars will take a pair of six-footers in the back, but they’ll be more comfortable in the BMW because there’s more knee- and headroom.
Boot space is disappointing, too. The BMW’s loses too much room to the wheelarches, but it’s better than the Volvo’s, which is shallow and has an oddly shaped opening.
WILL THEY BREAK THE BANK?
The BMW is £245 cheaper than the Volvo, and provides essentials such as manual air-con, alloy wheels, electric windows, a CD player with MP3 connection, six airbags and stability control. The Volvo is more generous. You’ll also get climate control, cruise control, front foglights and rain-sensing wipers, but no MP3 socket.
The BMW will also be worth more when you sell it after three years/36,000 miles, because it’ll hold 61% of its original value where the Volvo will have retained 55%.
Much lower emissions mean company car drivers will pay tax on just 18% of the 118d’s value, where C30 buyers will be faced with a figure of 20%. The BMW’s greener credentials also make it cheaper to run.
The C30’s respectable average of 49.6mpg just can’t live with the BMW’s amazing 60.1mpg figure.
WHAT CAR? SAYS
The BMW is the clear winner. It’s more fun to drive and delivers the image that buyers demand. It’s the financial aspect that seals it, though. Prices are high, but discounts are big, residuals are strong and the new eco-friendly mechanicals cut running costs right down. The C30 can’t compete with that, and it’s not as good to drive, either. That said, a classy cabin and generous equipment offer some compensation.
1st BMW 1 Series
FOR - Good performance; great to drive; cheap to run
AGAINST - Cabin isn’t special enough; stingy kit; disappointing boot
VERDICT - Still great to drive, but the baby BMW now has an environmental conscience, too
2nd Volvo C30
FOR - Bold styling; good drive; generous kit list; superior cabin quality
AGAINST - Small boot; higher running costs; weaker residuals
VERDICT - Puts up a good fight, but can’t compete with BMW’s drive, residual values or running costs.
