[TX1SERIESM]

Just got back from test driving a 235i (MG) today. I'm comparing the 2 series against my (former) 1M and the wife's 335i coupe w/Dinan flash.

The 235 overall feels like a smaller F30 3 series and performance is a notch below the 1M stock (track notwithstanding).

I didn't drive it too hard since it only had 11 miles on it but it seemed to reward enthusiastic driving as a proper BMW should.

I have read some people harping on the quality of the interior plastics, but a glance, the points near the driver's line of sight didn't seem any different than the typical 3 series.

If you are over 5'10" expect to hit your head on the ceiling if the car hits any bumps. Legroom is improved slightly over the E82.

The only downside I have to share is that the steering, specifically the feedback, is not great, especially compared to the 1M and F92 335i. I was disappointed in this, but we are SOL since all other cars have switched to EPS now.

IMHO the 2 series will be a hit compared to its competitors (Cayman, 370z, Genesis Coupe) Add a proper tune, midpipe, and factory LSD to make this car the perfect daily driver for the tuner crowd.

[Greenkirby21]

where in Texas did you test drive it??

I wasn't aware of any being in yet :O

edit: thanks for your feedback, sounds very similar to other reviews!

[Devon K]

Hmmm - comments on the steering feel seem to be all over the map, some finding it appreciably better than the F series cars, others not.

The M2 is almost certain to get the new steering rack and tune developed for the M3/M4 that BMW is hyping so we'll have to check the reviews of those 2 which should hit soon to see if the wait for an M may be worth it.

[kaputt]

Originally Posted by Devon K

Hmmm - comments on the steering feel seem to be all over the map, some finding it appreciably better than the F series cars, others not.

The M2 is almost certain to get the new steering rack and tune developed for the M3/M4 that BMW is hyping so we'll have to check the reviews of those 2 which should hit soon to see if the wait for an M may be worth it.

I think the steering comments are all over the map because some people have come straight from older BMW's with the hydraulic system while others are coming from a car that currently has EPS. So the viewpoints vary wildly.

I would love to hear how the steering compares to other similar cars on the market that also have EPS. I think that would be a much more fair comparison. If anyone has any insight on that please chime in.

[ASAP]

Is there a single individual that comes from a hydraulic rack and prefers the EPS? I would be shocked.

[ScottMZ3]

Originally Posted by kaputt

I think the steering comments are all over the map because some people have come straight from older BMW's with the hydraulic system while others are coming from a car that currently has EPS. So the viewpoints vary wildly.

I would love to hear how the steering compares to other similar cars on the market that also have EPS. I think that would be a much more fair comparison. If anyone has any insight on that please chime in.

Yeah, the whole hydraulic/EPS debate is pretty much pointless. There is no going back to hydraulic any time in the foreseeable future...on any car brand (you can thank government MPG regulations for that). So the choice is to buy an older BMW or deal with EPS and hope BMW can make their EPS "better" than its competitors.

[2ForMe]

Was BMW slow to adopt EPS or is there something specifically different about the EPS on the 2 series compared to the EPS found in other cars? My current ride is pretty old now but has always had EPS and I feel every little bump in the road and everything. Never had any complaints about it and vehicle has great handling.

[Esteban15]

buy an old BMW with hydraulic or wait for a better EPS...why wait..?.its shouldn't be a deal breaker...I think if one wants a real racer..hope and pray they bring a M2..or up the anti and get the more expensive M model now

[mjkgrady]

dropped off my 2014 328 sport for service at
bmw charlottesville. they had 3 228i 's and a
M235i. The 228's are scheduled to be crash tested
(frontal, side, rear) at nihs up the road. I told my sales guy
to get local press coverage for that, he agreed.

so, test drove the m235i. the size of the car=e46. feel
of the car=e36 m3. that is -firm, planted excellent feedback.
had staggered summer tires=transformed the country roads into
a road course.

talked numbers but they are killing me on my trade-in as expected

[GeeRam]

Originally Posted by TX1SERIESM

Add a proper tune

Only tune will be any of the piggy-back systems...given how the latest encrypted DME seem to be standing up so well to being un-crackable.

[Neph]

Originally Posted by ScottMZ3

Yeah, the whole hydraulic/EPS debate is pretty much pointless. There is no going back to hydraulic any time in the foreseeable future...on any car brand (you can thank government MPG regulations for that). So the choice is to buy an older BMW or deal with EPS and hope BMW can make their EPS "better" than its competitors.

Not pointless.

I drove a cayman s last week. The new one w ZF EPS. I could not tell the difference between my E92 hydraulic.

Let your money do the talking. I don't plan on buying anymore BMW products till they fix their EPS code (same supplier as Porsche so they can do it but choose not to change the feedback filtering). That's the only way BMW may realize.

Till then, nice knowing you BMW.

[TX1SERIESM]

Originally Posted by Greenkirby21

where in Texas did you test drive it??

I wasn't aware of any being in yet :O

edit: thanks for your feedback, sounds very similar to other reviews!

No problem - the car was at Autobahn BMW in Fort Worth. I happened to call my sales rep as they were taking delivery of their demo. My wife and I were fortunate enough to be the first people to test drive the car even before they did the PDI.

As for the other comments in this thread re: EPS, yes it is disappointing compared to ye olde BMWs but it is not a deal breaker. The Mercedes, VW, and Audi competitors are all equally as bad so there is really no hope here outside of a more expensive (yet slower) Boxster/Cayman.

To be clear, I am a fan of the car as I think it is BMW's best model they currently make (until the 4GC comes out!) and we plan to lease one as soon as it is practical.

[onatuesday]

I was able to drive the car pretty hard bc it was the dealer's demo car and I'm not sure I was as impressed. The car just didn't have the sense of occasion I was expecting (my friend also said the same thing). It was good but not "omg wow" like a proper M car. It felt nowhere near as special as an Audi S4 either which you can get for roughly the same price.

*Power - it is quick but not blisteringly quick. I still had a feeling of waiting for the revs to climb. I actually prefer the 335is power delivery
*Exterior - my friend drives a civic SI and he couldn't get over how the back looked so similar to his. The front does look good though. The side profile is nothing to write home about.
*Interior - looks very similar to the 3 series just more cramped. Rear seats can accomodate small adults and trunk space is fairly good. IMO an e46 M3 feels more spacious.
*8spd auto - it never hesitated and it was immediate. Somehow it just felt 7/10ths as good as a true dual clutch. This car would unquestionably be better suited with a manual
*Steering - it's numb but accurate. Didn't really bother me. I drove it in sport mode the whole time and the weighting was just right. Comfort/standard mode is too light and eco is a joke on a car like this
*Sound - very nice tone but it is a bit muted until you hit about 5.5k rpm and then it really starts to scream
*Cornering -My biggest problem is that in sport mode the DSC cuts in way too early (and cuts the power robbing you of any fun). With it off you can slide this car very easily and have good feedback about what the rear is doing. If you don't want to lose traction coming out of a corner you have to be very patient with the throttle. It body rolls slightly but not excessively

My friend had a m235i already in production to be delivered in Mar. He ended up changing his mind and buying a 2013 s5 manual for $52k otd immediately after driving the m235i. And I have to say the S5 felt much classier and worthy of its price tag than the m235i. His gf also hated the m235i lol. He was really glad he tested it out in person before getting it delivered as he ultimately thought the car felt about $10k less special than it price tag suggests. And I'd say his original excitement for wanting the m235i was off the charts.

Btw I used to drive an e46 M3, currently drive a b8 s4, and have the f82 M4 on order so I'd say I'm fairly impartial. I'm really hoping the M4 provides much more of a wow factor after driving it (at least when I saw it in person it was impressive both on the inside and out).

[2ForMe]

Originally Posted by trinim3

I was able to drive the car pretty hard bc it was the dealer's demo car and I'm not sure I was as impressed. The car just didn't have the sense of occasion I was expecting (my friend also said the same thing). It was good but not "omg wow" like a proper M car. It felt nowhere near as special as an Audi S4 either which you can get for roughly the same price.

*Power - it is quick but not blisteringly quick. I still had a feeling of waiting for the revs to climb. I actually prefer the 335is power delivery
*Exterior - my friend drives a civic SI and he couldn't get over how the back looked so similar to his. The front does look good though. The side profile is nothing to write home about.
*Interior - looks very similar to the 3 series just more cramped. Rear seats can accomodate small adults and trunk space is fairly good. IMO an e46 M3 feels more spacious.
*8spd auto - it never hesitated and it was immediate. Somehow it just felt 7/10ths as good as a true dual clutch. This car would unquestionably be better suited with a manual
*Steering - it's numb but accurate. Didn't really bother me. I drove it in sport mode the whole time and the weighting was just right. Comfort/standard mode is too light and eco is a joke on a car like this
*Sound - very nice tone but it is a bit muted until you hit about 5.5k rpm and then it really starts to scream
*Cornering -My biggest problem is that in sport mode the DSC cuts in way too early (and cuts the power robbing you of any fun). With it off you can slide this car very easily and have good feedback about what the rear is doing. If you don't want to lose traction coming out of a corner you have to be very patient with the throttle. It body rolls slightly but not excessively

My friend had a m235i already in production to be delivered in Mar. He ended up changing his mind and buying a 2013 s5 manual for $52k otd immediately after driving the m235i. And I have to say the S5 felt much classier and worthy of its price tag than the m235i. His gf also hated the m235i lol. He was really glad he tested it out in person before getting it delivered as he ultimately thought the car felt about $10k less special than it price tag suggests. And I'd say his original excitement for wanting the m235i was off the charts.

Btw I used to drive an e46 M3, currently drive a b8 s4, and have the f82 M4 on order so I'd say I'm fairly impartial. I'm really hoping the M4 provides much more of a wow factor after driving it (at least when I saw it in person it was impressive both on the inside and out).

I still feel the M235 is the best bang for your buck available right now. Definitely has its pros and cons but fully loaded you're not gonna get anything else that compares for the time being. Also I shopped Audi earlier this year before even visiting BMW and drove both the S4 and S5. Tell your friend I hope he enjoys driving a woman's car.

[onatuesday]

Looking back at my review I think it comes across as a bit harsh.

Here's my tl; dr version:

If you're expecting a 235i, then you'll be pretty happy.
If you're expecting a M2, you'll be disappointed.

I know it's not supposed to be a M2 but BMW screwed with at least my expectations by calling it a M-235i. They just call it a 235is.

And I'll ignore the above quip about the Audi S4/S5 being a woman's car bc if a woman is driving a S4/S5 then hot damn she has good taste in cars

[darcivic00si]

Originally Posted by trinim3

And I'll ignore the above quip about the Audi S4/S5 being a woman's car bc if a woman is driving a S4/S5 then hot damn she has good taste in cars

That's what I was thinking! and I am a woman! Any woman driving an S car is cool in my book.

[Lucky13]

Originally Posted by trinim3

Looking back at my review I think it comes across as a bit harsh.

Here's my tl; dr version:

If you're expecting a 235i, then you'll be pretty happy.
If you're expecting a M2, you'll be disappointed.

I know it's not supposed to be a M2 but BMW screwed with at least my expectations by calling it a M-235i. They just call it a 235is.

And I'll ignore the above quip about the Audi S4/S5 being a woman's car bc if a woman is driving a S4/S5 then hot damn she has good taste in cars

Like S and RS aren't confusing, it's ok at Audi but not at BMW?

[onatuesday]

Originally Posted by Lucky13

Like S and RS aren't confusing, it's ok at Audi but not at BMW?

It's pretty clear to me. There's an A3/S3/RS3. If it were 228i/235i/M2 or 228i/235iS/M2 that would be clear and in line with BMW segmenting of the past. Calling it a M235i is just out of line with the norm.

[GFK007]

This is the silver mirror on mineral grey.

It looks off. Now starting to worry that I made the wrong decision in getting MG....

I'd like a high gloss mirror cover similar to the shadow line trim.

[Cosa Nostra]

Agreed it may not work, but u can always get it wrapped in HB I should think.

[abc]

dont bother me much though... it's just a mirrow )