There is, perhaps, no more selfish car than the compact convertible. The rear seats are a puny. The trunk only has enough space for a weekend getaway.
You buy a car like this in the hope you will use it on sunny days, in warm weather, to take yourself away.
For this, the 228i fits the bill. It's larger and more spacious than its predecessor, the 1 Series cabrio. All-wheel-drive — xDrive in BMW-speak — is standard equipment, as it is on the coupe. (The rear-drive M235i cabrio has xDrive as an option.) You could, conceivably, drive this car year-round.
In pictures: 2015 BMW 228i xDrive cabriolet
In Texas this week, the sun is shining and the country music is blasting out of every window. It takes only 20 seconds and the push of a button to raise or lower the cloth roof — and you can do it at up to 50 km/h. At that speed it feels like the top should blow off, but it doesn't. We tested.
Wind noise is remarkably unobtrusive, even on the highway with the top down. Long hair will be stirred, not shaken, in this convertible.
The four-cylinder engine will be enough for most. The turbocharged straight-six in the M235i is certainly overkill, but I miss it: 322 horsepower versus 241 in this model. A car like this should be a toy, and 241 feels too sensible. At least the full wallop of torque is there from 1,500 rpm making it feel quick in city driving.
Our biggest gripe? The engine note lacks romance — Dustin Hoffman's Graduate Alfa Romeo, this is not. Blame turbochargers: good for fuel economy, bad for sound.
The rest of the car however feels dialed in. The suspension soaks up rough roads well. The steering is light, making the car feel nimble. Perfect 50/50 weight distribution and a much stiffer body structure than before means it handles very well in normal driving.
As for style, one look at it and you'll see it's a giant leap forward from the 1 Series.
The 228i xDrive Cabriolet arrives in Canada in late February.
TECH SPECS
- Base Price: $45,200
- Engine: 2.0-litre turbo I-4
- Transmissions: Eight-speed automatic
- Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 10.6 city/7.2 highway
- Drive: All-wheel drive
- Alternatives: Audi A3 Cabriolet, TT Roadster, Volkswagen Eos, Mercedes-Benz SLK, Ford Mustang Convertible
RATINGS
- Looks: Handsome, if conservative. Definitely better looking than its predecessor.
- Interior: Intuitive design, solid build, spacious, but if you want to avoid blank buttons you’ll have to dive into the extensive (expensive) option list.
- Performance: The four-cylinder is a great engine. Pity about the sound.
- Technology: Upgraded infotainment system includes something genuinely useful: free over-the-air map updates, a first for BMW.
- Cargo: Surprisingly usable trunk space; rear seats recommended for gymnasts only.
THE VERDICT
7.0 (out of 10)
A competent little convertible.
The writer was a guest of the auto maker. Content was not subject to approval.
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