Motoring review with Ian Beasant, Business First motoring correspondent I
am a little confused ‒ well nothing new there, I hear you say! The BMW 328i, I thought would come fitted with a six cylinder 2.8 litre engine ‒ hence the name 328. Wrong. The 328i is fitted with a turbocharged two litre 245bhp petrol engine. I am told itʼs all to do with marketing. The new 3 Series Saloon is simultaneously more sporty and more elegant than its predecessor. Improved proportions, pronounced wheel arches, headlamp units which blend into the double‑kidney grille to form a continuous band across the front of the car and air inlets beneath the headlights visually stretch the width and make the new 3 Series Saloon look low, wide and sporty. This is echoed by the strong horizontal design language at the rear and the forward‑pressing nose, long bonnet, rising swage lines and large wheels visible from the side. At the same time, the coupé‑like profile, distinctive double round headlights, L‑shaped rear light units with LED light bars and the decorative trims chosen for the grille and around the windows give an athletic and yet elegant appearance. Itʼs a very handsome car, itʼs a little longer and a little wider than the previous 3 series and it suits it.
The new engine was mated with an eight ‒ speed auto gearbox which to be truthful was a bit boring as the BMW is really a driverʼs car and this gearbox does everything for you, The usual excellent driving position is a joy and the 328 is no slouch either, 155mph top speed and will accelerate to 60 mph from a standstill in six seconds. It handles well, the steering is sharp and responsive and itʼs good to drive ‒ but not as good as BMWʻs of the past have been, I am not sure it would not be the class leader anymore. The car I drove was fitted with Run‑flat a tyre which means if you have a puncture you can drive for about 100 miles on the punctured
Optimal Kia K
BMW 328i
tyre. OK this saves you changing the offending wheel by the side of the road, but these tyres are so strong they make the car jittery and the ride on any sort of bumpy road is uncomfortable. In fact they are so noisy I had to turn the radio up on the motorway to hear it.
The interior is well ‒ very driver focused, the dash is the same or similar dash that has been in 3 series BMWʼs since the 1990 and really the whole inside is a fair bit out of date .The car is billed as a five seater and it is, but the three in the back would need to be small to have any comfort. The legroom is quite compromised. The boot is a good size and apparently has a wider aperture enabling you to put your golf clubs in easier.
BMW were always up with the very best when it came to build quality. I am sorry I cannot say the same about the new BMW 3 series. The driverʼs door did not seem to fitted well and this
meant a real good pull on the handle to close it, it usually worked on the third attempt, The wind noise was terrible as if the car had not been sealed well at all. My car was fitted with a host of extras such as the BMW I Drive which is just a pain , you can adjust everything in the car using this chrome knob but it would take me a month to do it and for what reason ?
I was disappointed with the new BMW 328i, it is a competent car, and itʼs a lovely looking car on the outside. I found it quite thirsty averaging only 34 miles to the gallon compared to BMWʼs claims of over 40MPG. The build quality and interior are really just average‑ I think this car is all about the badge. With prices starting at around £30,000 and the car I tested with the auto gearbox and fully loaded with extras was a massive £42,355 ‒ Thatʼs the same price as a terraced house in Belfast, I know which one I would buy.
ia are used to make headlines with their industry leading seven year warranty and to be truthful their well built cars. The Ceed has sold extremely well and is a as good as there is in its size. One thing they have been missing is a larger car; well not any more now that they have introduced the completely new Optima.
The Optima is a clean‑sheet design. It is
longer, lower and wider than Kiaʼs family sized saloon and has a longer wheelbase and a coupé‑like profile, emphasized by its cab‑back proportions, shallow glasshouse, short boot and the sweeping chrome arch that flows from the A‑pillar to the C‑pillar. High, pronounced shoulders flow seamlessly between the sculpted front and rear light clusters, giving the Optima a muscular appearance that is reflected lower down in bold, flared wheel arches. It is a very good looking, modern looking car and it is also just that wee bit different to add to its appeal.
Kia have been very successful with all their small cars and the Kia Sportage even had a waiting list which is something car manufactures would die for these days. The Optima looks good on the outside and the inside is well put together as well, The driving position is enhanced by The fascia, tilted towards the driver at an angle of almost 10 degrees, has been designed on aircraft
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principles so that all the major controls are within the driverʼs sight‑line for best visibility and ease of
use.This is good and makes everything very handy, although some of the switches do look like they have been fitted as an afterthought. In saying that the build quality is very good and the Optima is a comfortable five seater saloon.
Kia have fitted all Optimaʼs with a 134 BHP Diesel engine , which is a proven workhorse for kia and offers acceleration from 0‑60mph takes 10.2 seconds in manual versions and 11.5
seconds with automatic transmission, while the respective top speeds are 125mph and 122mph. I also found it very economical the six speed manual car I drove achieved 56 miles per gallon, with CO2 emissions of 128g/km, so itʼs all good so far.
The Optima does offer something a little different, it looks really handsome and it drives very well add that seven year ,100,000 mile warranty and a starting price of under £20,000 it all adds up very nicely.
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