How BMW M135i is the perfect car for someone who likes to drive

 

BMW M135i

How BMW M135i is the perfect car for someone who likes to drive:

 The BMW 1 Series recently changed to a front-wheel-drive design in 2019, and the brand wanted to demonstrate that they still made hot hatches. They accomplished this by using a four-wheel-drive system on their newly designed M135c xDrive.

It's now improved. New paint options are not possible until 2024, but there are other mechanical changes that were added just now. To make the M135i an option for all driving enthusiasts, engineers aimed to widen the range by giving standard models M Sport suspension. Adaptive suspensions are preserved as a model that is ideal for all-rounders.

BMW M135i

BMW M135i

This means the xDrive, Sport and M Sport editions will all have improved sound systems, more alert torque vectoring capabilities, retuned suspension, along with tires and wheel upgrades. M Sport models additionally get a full-body refresh, changes to springs and dampers, as well as new tire sizes on 19-inch wheels.

What BMW M135i is like

The changes have definitely improved the M135i. Now it can handle at the same level as a front-wheel drive car with infinite traction. The change in reducing torque steer has also succeeded because there is no torque steer.

The car feels more agile than before, thanks to torque vectoring. When you corner at the limit of your grip, you can feel the system correcting your course. This is not subtle, but an entertaining addition nonetheless.

After a drive in both versions, I’m unconvinced that the sport suspension’s level of chassis sharpness is worth the uncompromising ride. It turns in with a touch more immediacy and thanks to wider Pilot Sport 4Ss, cornering speeds can be higher, but the steering remains unchanged and it doesn’t address the slightly humourless chassis balance. Is it more fun on the road? Possibly not.

Adaptive dampers provide the optimal driving experience. They adapt to the road and allow for a softer, better-damped ride. At £500 additional cost, this option can not only be more comfortable for daily driving but improves performance as well.

In comfort mode, the powertrain is quieter with a slight noise when the gearbox shifts gears. In sport mode, there is simulated exhaust noise and an automated manual-style shift on upshifts.

When using the gears under high speeds, you can feel the shift clunkiness as it tries to find that gear. Sometimes it even refuses to change down.

Power and drive

How it drives and how quiet it is BMW pushed the boat out when developing the M135i's turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine: the result was a massive 302 horsepower. That's on par with the Audi S3 and Mercedes A35 AMG,

but falls a bit short of the real big hitters in the class like the Mercedes-AMG A45. You won't find it slow though; Engage the easy-to-use launch control system and — oh my — the M135i easily blasts off the line and hits 62 mph in just 4.8 seconds. Thanks to the xDrive all-wheel drive system, it barely struggles to gain traction, even on wet roads.

The engine has a wide spread of torque that gently shifts into higher gears if you're using the transmission in manual mode, and doesn't hit a soft rev limiter that leaves you hanging between gears - like the A35 does. frustrating and too fast. 

In its automatic setting, there's a momentary hesitation before the M135i kicks in (less so if you've selected Sport mode), but it's not as pronounced as the S3's. Is it an exciting engine and transmission? No, it's not that big. The engine makes a rather monotonous hum, even when you are "on it".

The Volkswagen Golf GTI isn't a great-sounding hot hatch, though, but it's better than this, while the Toyota GR Yaris makes a more invigorating sound. And we prefer a sleek manual box like the one you get in the Honda Civic Type R. What about driving? The M135i's steering is quick and precise.

It feels light around town, but pick up speed and cornering forces reliably stabilize the weight, helping you easily place the front of the car where you want it. It's a more intuitive steering setup than the A35, but it's not quite as raw, plugged-in and feel as the Civic Type R.

Hit the rough road and you'll discover excellent body control with solid cornering track grip. Coming out of corners, the limited-slip differential and responsive all-wheel-drive system work together to launch the M135i forward firmly and confidently.​​​​​​​But if you're looking for some good, some fun action, some dangerous moves that feel like it's not a point and shoot machine, they don't have it.

It's a more polished clinical car for attacking a good B-road than the A35 or S3, but nowhere near as much fun as the GR Yaris. So far, we've only tested the M135i with the optional adaptive suspension, which has a softer Comfort mode and a stiffer Sport mode. The former irons out the worst imperfections but maintains a slightly firmer edge than the Golf GTI. You feel a lot of bumps from potholes and so on, but it's livable and not harsh, like the Renault Megane RS. Road and wind noise are good for a sports hatch and it's quieter at speed than the Civic Type R.

The Pros & Cons of buying a BMW M135i

BMW offers two different versions of the M135i, which take the car from being a fast car for the most furious of drivers to a calm, easy-to-use car for people looking for something more reliable.

You might be surprised to hear that BMWs are actually more affordable than some of their competitors. The M135i has a starting price of $38,470 and this is cheaper than many competitors.