BMW 318d Touring - economical and sporty
Sports cars have been the prerogative of the blue and white brand for years. However, it turns out that they can be more economical than popular compacts.
For years, the BMW brand has been associated with sports cars rather than economical driving. Model 318td, and especially the diesel used in it, show that a car with two kidneys on a grill can be very economical. The most economical engine of the Bavarians turned out to be not only economical, but also quite satisfactory for driving a "troika". Dynamics for a BMW car is moderate, but overtaking is as fast (or long, depending on the point of reference) as other two-liter diesels.
Moderate fuel consumption is combined with high driving comfort for a sports car. The front seats are comfortable and provide good lateral support in fast corners. They work well even during many hours of travel from the sea to the mountains. The chassis was excellent and showed great reserves in relation to the capabilities of the engine. So is the steering system with a very well tuned hydraulic booster. The suspension feels more comfortable than the 6-cylinder triples, which means that even on local roads with uneven and hilly surfaces, it is quite tolerable to drive at a speed of 90 km / h.
It should be noted an excellent hatch (for PLN 5836). In some models it is possible to open, tilt and close the window, or rather skylights, electrically. It was also ensured that when the window is opened, the horizontal blind automatically retracts a little - ensuring good air circulation with minimal exposure to sunlight. The sunroof is quiet - air noise does not disturb even at 130 km / h, while in many other cars it is impossible to drive open even at 90 km / h due to noise. In addition, the sunroof mechanisms do not ring on local roads with poor surface quality. Among the useful accessories, a hiding place under the trunk floor turned out to be very practical, where small items such as bottles or washer fluid can be placed vertically.
The biggest advantage of this version is the two-liter diesel engine, which turns the "troika" into the most economical car in the class, more economical than most compact MPVs. In the range of 1750-2000 rpm. the engine offers a torque of 300 Nm and at 4000 rpm. reaches a maximum power of 143 hp. (105 kW). Power develops smoothly, and the culture of the engine is to be commended. Likewise, a 6-speed manual transmission. Acceleration to 100 km / h should take 9,6 seconds, and a top speed of 210 km / h. During the measurements, I got a result of 9,8 s, and the catalog maximum speed was not enough for a few km / h.
The manufacturer estimates an average fuel consumption of just 4,8 l diesel/100 km, which translates into CO2 emissions of just 125 g/km. This is real? It turns out that yes, provided that on longer sections you drive smoothly, at set speeds, with the air conditioner turned off or on a cloudy autumn day. In practice, however, most often it will be about 5,5 l diesel / 100 km, and in dynamic driving with frequent overtaking - 6-7 l / 100 km. For the latter, it is definitely better to choose a more powerful engine, because the range of the 318td for Polish road realities often turns out to be small, especially when we want to maliciously overtake drivers of cars with two-liter diesel engines, I accelerate when I see a BMW in the left mirror.
When driving in large agglomerations, the car consumed 6-7 liters of diesel / 100 km during peak hours. This is partly due to the start-stop system, which turns off the engine during stops. On the other hand, traveling in hours with less traffic or a smooth ride along the main arteries of these metropolitan areas ended up with even less than 5 l/100 km. Thus, the 5,8 l / 100 km diesel fuel catalog is very realistic.
The surprising result was economical driving along the coastal roads with the air conditioner turned off and the sunroof open. After a smooth ride of 83 kilometers, the computer showed 3,8 liters per 100 km at an average speed of 71,5 km / h, despite several overtaking and traffic light stops. Since this is less than the catalog 4,2 liters that BMW gives (on the website of the Polish importer, the fuel consumption is mistakenly indicated on the highway, and not outside the settlements), I thought that this was an error in the display, but the gas station confirmed the result with a distortion of only a few percent . For a car weighing over 1,5 tons, this is an excellent result, better than many popular small cars with diesel engines of 1,6 and 2,0 liters.
On further movement from Pomerania to the borders of the capital of Lower Silesia, including trips to many cities and towns during peak hours, maintaining an average speed of 70 km / h led to an increase in average fuel consumption to ... 4,8 liters. / 100 km. This is largely due to the excellent chassis, thanks to which it is very rare to brake before corners (and accelerate after them) - saving both fuel and our precious time.
The BMW 318td is a good choice for people who like sports cars, but not necessarily sharp or very dynamic driving. In this model, they will find a good compromise between sporty style and operating economy. Prices start from 124 thousand. PLN, and the equipment includes, among other things, 6 gas bottles, ABS, DSC with ASC+T (similar to ESP and ASR) and air conditioning. However, it is worth preparing some more useful options, such as a sunroof.
