Yahoo Autos The 2018 BMW 230i Is a Blast, Even with an Automatic
What It Is: BMW's entry-level car, the 2-series two-door, also happens to be one of its most fun offerings. Adhering to the enthusiast-friendly priorities that earned BMW its sterling reputation in the first place, the 2-series is quick, nimble, and sporty in all of its forms, from the four-cylinder 230i tested here to the sharper six-cylinder M240i and the full-blown beast that is the M2. Although the 2-series technically squares off against the Mercedes-Benz CLA-class and the Audi A3 in the sub-$40,000 entry-luxury sphere, it's a more focused machine than those four-door sedans, which are front-wheel-drive-based and put more of an emphasis on appearances than substance.
Why We Tested It and How It Performed: Since the 2-series received its new turbocharged four-cylinder engine and 230i nomenclature for 2017, it has also received minor visual tweaks for 2018. We also had tested only an all-wheel-drive version of the 230i. Although this rear-drive, automatic-transmission car weighed 124 pounds less than its xDrive equivalent, it didn't perform quite as well at our test track. Wearing identical tires, it lost 0.3 second in the zero-to-60-mph run, gave up 0.04 g on the skidpad, and took three feet longer stopping from 70 mph, even if the numbers are still good-5.6 seconds, 0.92 g, and 155 feet.
What We Like: Responsive and quick witted, the 2-series steers with authority and feels supremely balanced in corners. The four-cylinder car doesn't shove you back in your seat the way the six-cylinder versions do, but it's still plenty quick and revs eagerly and smoothly to its 7000-rpm redline. Although the standard six-speed manual is the true enthusiast's choice, the eight-speed automatic is great, always seeming to be in the right gear and kicking down promptly when your right foot requests more power.
What We Don't Like: Our test car, equipped with a fairly heavy load of options, cost nearly $46,000, at which point the 230i's interior environs start to look a little stark. The Audi A3 does a better job of impersonating its larger siblings, both in terms of exterior presence and its cabin atmosphere. The BMW may be better enjoyed closer to its base price; we could jettison options such as the $2200 Convenience package, the $2250 Premium package, the $800 parking-assist feature, and the $800 adaptive headlights, but we'd keep the desirable $2300 Track Handling package with upgraded brakes, adaptive dampers, and variable-ratio steering. At less than $40,000, a 230i equipped that way looks like a real performance bargain.
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