BMW is a fan-favourite brand in South Africa, as evidenced by its popularity in internet searches over the past year where seven of the 20 most-searched-for cars were for models in the blue-and-white-badged automaker’s catalogue.
The cheapest model currently on offer from the German manufacturer is the 118i, which is part of the 1 Series line of hatchbacks, which sells from a starting price of R625,072
We had a look at what you get when buying the most affordable entry currently available from BMW in South Africa.
What you get
The entry-level BMW comes with an in-line three-cylinder, 1.5-litre petrol engine equipped with the brand’s TwinPower turbo technology, which gives it a power ceiling of 103kW and 220Nm.
Combined with a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission sending power to the front wheels, this hatchback will do 0-100km/h in 8.5 seconds and top out at a maximum speed of 213km/h.
Its fuel consumption, meanwhile, works out to relatively low 5.9l/100km on a combined cycle.
Standard equipment on the 1 Series then comes in the form of 16-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, hill assist, manual air conditioning, a leather multifunction steering wheel, cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, cloth seats, and an 8.8-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto running the carmaker’s seventh-generation operating system.
The hatchback’s boot is also certified to carry up to 380 litres of luggage, which is increased all the way up to a practical 1,200 litres with the rear seats folded.
Beyond this, prospective buyers have an extensive selection of optional extras to choose from, including lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, a heads-up display, adaptive cruise control, climate control, a 10.25-inch Live Cockpit digital driver’s display, keyless start and entry, a panoramic sunroof, leather upholstery, adaptive LED headlights, ambient lighting effects, front and rear park distance control, and a rearview camera.
The BMW 118i is sold with a 2-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and a 5-year/100,000km maintenance plan.
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