BMW 118d

June 2010

• Latest deal price: from £19,924 to £31,145

	“The sharp and well weighted steering blends with brakes that are firm underfoot to make the BMW a satisfying, rather than thrilling, drive.

Jealousy isn’t healthy in any relationship, but thanks to the departure of our long-term 118d I’ve suddenly become very envious of my girlfriend’s car!

After six months on the Auto Express fleet, our black coupé is returning to BMW. And that means I’ll now have to resort to grabbing the keys for my partner’s 118d M Sport hatch to get my fix of its blend of economy, driver involvement and quality.

Until now we’ve decided which BMW to use at weekends via a 1-Series version of top trumps. For example, the hatch has the more aggressive bumpers and wheel design of M Sport trim, but the coupé shape is more exclusive.

Inside, my girlfriend Kerry prefers her M Sport steering wheel and gearlever, but I think our coupé’s optional red Boston leather upholstery provides a more upmarket feel. Her full dual-zone climate control beats our car’s standard air-con, but YC59 AUR’s effective optional heated seats (£245) made it the default choice over winter. The coupé isn’t quite as flexible as the hatch, but its folding rear seats made it practical enough for our needs. Put these small differences between our pair aside, and it’s the 118d’s performance on the road that I’ll really miss. The 2.0-litre diesel engine is smooth and refined, while the immediacy of the throttle response means that despite a relatively small 141bhp output, the 118d is punchy enough in most situations. Its modest power output ensures the 118d rarely troubles its stability system and traction is excellent.

I’ll also miss the delicacy ofall the controls and the fact that they generate lots of feel. The sharp and well weighted steering combines with brakes that are both firm under foot and strong to make the BMW a satisfying, rather than thrilling, drive.

The ride is on the firm side, but our Sport trim coupé has a more compliant set-up than the stiffer suspension fitted to my girlfriend’s M Sport version. The fact it emits only 119g/km makesit even more appealing.

Despite me making three trips to Germany, and its high-speed motorways, in the last few months, our 118d averaged 45.1mpg. And during 9,083 miles of motoring, it proved to be faultlessly reliable and gentle on its tyres.

Unfortunately, given that my girlfriend is just as big a fan, my 118d motoring from now on will be done from the passenger seat!