MR_Y
Well-known member
Hi,
So this past weekend, I had a 400km mixed road experience with a G20 320i as a rental car in Cape Town. From what I gather, the car had the M Sport package (18 inch mixed wheels), front and rear PDC and sunroof. The satnav and function to write on the iDrive controller, I assume, are standard.
Having owned an F30 LCI M Sport with same spec as above, though mine was a 320d, it was interesting to compare this rental car to my old car.
Performance:
I haven't extensively driven the F30 320i, so I can't comment on how the new car directly compares. For what it's worth, the G20 is nippy in town. Point-and-shoot ability in town and at speeds below 100kmh is great. The gearbox is brilliant, though the same can be said of it in the F30 as well. Feels faster than my 320d at urban speeds. However, on the open highways, it runs out of puff when long legged pace is required, compared to my 320d (my V60 would eat it for breakfast at even higher speeds).
Handling:
I drove the G20 on Chapman's Peak at brisk, but sensible, speed. The car handles well. The "Sport" setting does exhibit a tangible bump in response and performance over "Comfort". However, I found the Sport mode's default gearbox setting too frenetic, so I ended up individualising Sport mode ("Sport Individual") to have a Comfort gearbox, but with Sport Steering and Sport engine. While the car handles great, I don't view it as an improvement over the already great F30 LCI M Sport. Worth noting that the G20 did not come with paddle shifters as standard (not on my rental, anyway).
Ride comfort:
Most people say that this car is meant to ride more comfortably - like a C Class. Not in my view. This car rides no better nor worse than my F30 LCI (I also had 18 inch runflats). I drove the G20 over some gravel roads in Stellenbosch. Felt just like my F30. Also, on bumpy tar roads, there is no improvement.
Technology:
This is where the G20 leaps over the F30. Though, it is really only the SatNav and new iDrive interface that are brilliant. Not going to write much here, since I agree fully with all the journalists on this area. Just disappointed that lumbar support is still not standard. Also, no electric seats in a R600k+ car is pretty disappointing.
Fuel economy:
I averaged 7.5 per 100km, over my 400km worth of travel. Mixed roads, some urban, highway, gravel, not any real traffic conditions. I guess this is okay consumption?
Verdict:
Besides the tech upgrades, there is not much to recommend the G20 over a well specced F30 LCI. In fact, the LCIs with "extended contents", did get a neat TFT mini screen below the guage cluster, that relays sat nav instructions really well.
My advice, if you are looking for a 320i, is rather go for an F30 LCI 320i (or F30 LCI 320d, if you do vast distances), unless you place tech above everything else.
I assume a 330i, 330d, M340i would make more sense in G20 garb?
So this past weekend, I had a 400km mixed road experience with a G20 320i as a rental car in Cape Town. From what I gather, the car had the M Sport package (18 inch mixed wheels), front and rear PDC and sunroof. The satnav and function to write on the iDrive controller, I assume, are standard.
Having owned an F30 LCI M Sport with same spec as above, though mine was a 320d, it was interesting to compare this rental car to my old car.
Performance:
I haven't extensively driven the F30 320i, so I can't comment on how the new car directly compares. For what it's worth, the G20 is nippy in town. Point-and-shoot ability in town and at speeds below 100kmh is great. The gearbox is brilliant, though the same can be said of it in the F30 as well. Feels faster than my 320d at urban speeds. However, on the open highways, it runs out of puff when long legged pace is required, compared to my 320d (my V60 would eat it for breakfast at even higher speeds).
Handling:
I drove the G20 on Chapman's Peak at brisk, but sensible, speed. The car handles well. The "Sport" setting does exhibit a tangible bump in response and performance over "Comfort". However, I found the Sport mode's default gearbox setting too frenetic, so I ended up individualising Sport mode ("Sport Individual") to have a Comfort gearbox, but with Sport Steering and Sport engine. While the car handles great, I don't view it as an improvement over the already great F30 LCI M Sport. Worth noting that the G20 did not come with paddle shifters as standard (not on my rental, anyway).
Ride comfort:
Most people say that this car is meant to ride more comfortably - like a C Class. Not in my view. This car rides no better nor worse than my F30 LCI (I also had 18 inch runflats). I drove the G20 over some gravel roads in Stellenbosch. Felt just like my F30. Also, on bumpy tar roads, there is no improvement.
Technology:
This is where the G20 leaps over the F30. Though, it is really only the SatNav and new iDrive interface that are brilliant. Not going to write much here, since I agree fully with all the journalists on this area. Just disappointed that lumbar support is still not standard. Also, no electric seats in a R600k+ car is pretty disappointing.
Fuel economy:
I averaged 7.5 per 100km, over my 400km worth of travel. Mixed roads, some urban, highway, gravel, not any real traffic conditions. I guess this is okay consumption?
Verdict:
Besides the tech upgrades, there is not much to recommend the G20 over a well specced F30 LCI. In fact, the LCIs with "extended contents", did get a neat TFT mini screen below the guage cluster, that relays sat nav instructions really well.
My advice, if you are looking for a 320i, is rather go for an F30 LCI 320i (or F30 LCI 320d, if you do vast distances), unless you place tech above everything else.
I assume a 330i, 330d, M340i would make more sense in G20 garb?
