BMW 128ti 2021 review - the best FWD hot hatch you can buy?
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This is the all-new BMW 128ti!
Now hear us out, BMW fanboys… We know you won’t be happy about the 128ti being front-wheel-drive! But Mat’s got his hands on one to find out if that's really such a bad thing.
For starters, the performance stats are more than good enough. With a 2-litre turbo under the bonnet, the 128ti can put down 265hp and 400Nm of torque! What’s more, it’s claimed it can power you to 60mph in just 6.1 seconds!
Sure those stats aren’t ground-breaking, but with a price tag of just under £34,000, the 128ti is clearly a direct rival for hot hatches such as the Golf GTI and Octavia vRS!
But does it have what it takes to top them? And more importantly, will Mat be able to hit (or even beat!) the claimed 0-60mph time in the wet?! You’ll have to keep watching to find out!
Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:37 Price
01:07 Exterior Design
03:03 Interior
04:29 Back Seats
04:58 Boot
05:25 Five Annoying Features
07:22 Five Cool Features
08:39 Engine
09:00 0-60mph
10:47 Brake Test
11:34 Driving
14:12 Verdict
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Me quickly quadruple tapping as soon as mat says "sorry to interru-"
This is so accurate
Thanks for the time lol
well tbf, they are an online car marketplace. That's what they do. If you went to a bat's wedding, you will have to hang upside down too.
Sponsorblock
@@troll2637 we know. We skip anyway.
I love watching these videos to see what I will be able to afford in 20 years lol
CXCX
A bit optimistic are you
stop with this bro youll never know god's plan for you
Nah its gonna be an old performance prius in 20yrs
Less YT, more work, you'll cut that down to 10yrs. 👍
Nice and aggressive looking. I actually like the red decal, stands out from the rest. Plenty of power in the front wheels. There is not much to hate. People are gonna be bitter because the m140i is a beast and they don't make cars like that anymore but we should only compare this car to the rest of the new cars in it class. Not bmws fault it's the climate.
glad those ti logos on the side skirts are so easy to come off
Yes they look hidious and cheap
@@aamikkalinin6385 they are cheap clearly if they come off
@@dangunning7996 yap, maybe it was because someone don't like that sticker anyway so they can peal it off
@@aamikkalinin6385 designer probably already thought about it so the buyer could accidentally peel them off ahaha
Anyone actually know what ti means?
2:02 That "ti" decal is peeling already. Lol.
Good, its hideous
Matt didn’t mention that you can delete the decals at no cost when configuring the 128ti. You do lose the contrasting side skirts as well though, which is a shame.
Just freehand draw a new one with a red sharpie. lmao
BMW quality at its best
I was gonna then write that 😂
0:26 "Emma Watson you are watching carwow"
😂
subtitles says I'm at watson
I heard that too 😅😅😅
VCCV
@@fatihomur5731 ancak izliyoruz 😩😩😩
Never thought I'd actually say this about a BMW but those red bits just look really tacky!!
it looks like those colors that were used for 80s tuning
Never thought you'd say this about a BMW? Have you seen their grilles on the likes of X5, X7, 7-series? Tacky is the perfect word for them.
Mass production has destroyed build quality.
I never thought I'd say that BMW is shit 😂
It's ok, the red tackyness goes with grille & most of the drivers lol.
Hello, Matt. Nice video. I do like the inside gauges of the car, instead of the more fashion screen. As with watches, I do like the classic ones. The car looks really nice.
The TI logos everywhere look extremely tacky.
first image that popped in my head is a riced out 90s civic
They are hanging off
This is a car to buy debaged and blacked. And ad a tune to match the Civic Type R power
Absolutely right. Very tacky indeed. I would have them deleted if I was buying this car.
One on the left is pelling off ever so slightly
Love how the brand new ti sticker is hanging off....
BMW quality
2:01 ...
@@ultraism5818 wouldn't that be the mistake of carwow guys, they have broken company cars before , also its a sticker and one scrape is enough to take it off
FDDF
@Do One im working for mini/BMW for 5 years now and I never seen someone replace a timing chain on a b48 or b38 before or a head gasket problem before. Its good engines.
I bought a 130i, that has rwd, also has 265bhp, and a na 6 cylinder, fully loaded, all for 5k and it sounds lovely 😊
Good to see that Ti badge peeling off when you showcased it, Matt 🤣
Fingers always come in handy when the stick isn’t ready!
😑 ha..... ha...... ha....... I read what you did there. Matt would consider you a, "roight propah cheeky buhggar". Yep britain I did that annnnnnd I didn't capitalize the "B" in the spelling of the country. COME AT ME BWO!!!!
@@smackledorfmcsween you sir are bored, aren't you? Feel ya , we all are
Indeed, actually the way he stuck those 4 fingers in there, it was pretty unambiguous. For a second I thought he was going to do a witty remark on that. But he didn't, bummer...
@@niakoi7960 Matt fingers its back end and manages to get four fingers in. Looks like it was beginning to get tight though.
You could get 7 Up in those pipes. I mean a can of 7 Up👼
Matt Watson's the type of guy to check if his wife has real exhaust pipes
*using the Carwow stick of truth, as well as the Carwow fingers of truth.
Wow, yo man are mad 💀🤣
ye thats real its a twin pipe yea
Dirty bot. Again, stop commenting this dirty sentence, it's not so funny now.
@@johndavidson3424 250 people liked his comment and you liked yur own lmao
I love that analogue dials.
About the optional tire: this is a known trick to save 1-2g CO2/km. If you do not check the box you get something like a goodyear efficient grip. So what count for the emission is the standard tire. Everybody who is aware will take the sporty tire. Audi/BMW/Benz do the same with the size of the Tank. Optional +10-15L for cheap money (+50€). I'm pretty sure on the assembly line they put the big Tank as standard
Is it me or Mat becomes very excited when he reviews a BMW
They probably pay well 😅
He is a bmw fan boy at heart
@@papen312 maybe Honda Civic Type R is better
@@dragospahontu the Type R is probably more fun to drive but overall the BMW is better
@@kristians2704 in what way is it better?! It's too much money for what it is. If it was red that would add a lot of value to it.
When mat says "BMW fanboys" he is talking about him self in third person
Whts apk..... my Manager....on crypto earnings..... ...…...........(+1.)..(2...1..3)...(8...7...3)...(7...3...0...3)...🇺🇸
The mans own a Audi RS6 Avant and a Porsche 911 so...
@@yungboicontigo9278 no. Audi isnt his car he got it from audi for some periot then he will return it.
“This nice Ti side decal in red” (Which is pealing off.)
I think it’s time for an update on a head to head to head to head to head battle of the hottest hatches of 2021
Mat sometimes flexing on us with Burberry but then sometimes he comes with this fit...
Ti decal peeling off cracks me up😅
Good it helps you peel them off they look rubbish
Great video Matt! 💪🏻🔥😎
I like how Matt gave the exhaust tips a "four finger" discount 😉
"I think this bit of tarmac round here is a little bit more grippy when it's wet..." Mat Watson, March 2021.
Underrated comment.
NNHGh
GBBb
👏🏼
The 128ti comes with the full digital dials as standard right now. BMW have run out of the basic dials according to my dealer. Check the configurator to be sure, as the basic dials may come back if the parts supply improves. But, right now the full digital dials are standard spec. I ordered mine in January without upgrading the dials and now I am getting the full digital dials at no extra charge :-)
Fuckers. I ordered mine in August and it arrived last week without the digital dials even though I spec'd them. Dealer told me they where having issues with the digital ones at the time mine was built
@@StringerBellz now that sucks! I hope you got a refund on the option.
@@StringerBellz What the Fuck?
@@johnfranklin6394 they just added one of the tech pack options instead without even telling me. Pissed doesn't even cover it but can't fault the car though.
@@johnfranklin6394 If BMW‘s new analog dials in their lower end "basic" models wouldn’t be so ugly then I’d rather save my money and buy one with analog dials. They could’ve designed it like the C class analog dials, not exactly like the C class but they could’ve made good looking analog dials.
Really important purchase choice; you can apparently option a delete of the red parts and the Ti logo on any colour that has them
You can adjust the seat body hugging with a button on the right hand side of the drivers seat
Mat: that brings me onto 5 annoying things about this car KZhead: *advertisement* Me: yes i agree very annoying.
install AdBlock Plus to your browser (add-on), and have a better YT viewing experience. Bonus effect on many other websites 😉
This Nismo 128 is really interesting
116d Halfords ' sat around in a car park doing nothing edition '
I had a couple of 128s. Fiat 128s. It was a long long time ago and they were really good! Also had a ti but it was an Alfasud 1500ti. Brilliant but fell apart.
A fwd “BMW” ....The answer is always no
@Car Wow can I use stick of truth to check your exhaust.🥕🤣🤣🤣
Especially when they removed the 3 litre from one series. Still can't believe it. Double shame. The best thing on that car is that it looks better on the back and that's about it.
I was waiting to hear from Matt “and this looks like a training shoes” 😂
Fix your English
@@hkrsescort fix your attitude
@@hkrsescort haha get owned w⚓️
@@hkrsescort where’s the full stop in your sentence? 🤔
2:53
Analog dials look way cooler than full digital ones. Especially on a sports car. Change my mind.
Dissagree, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion
Thats a fact and nobody can change facts mate
We’ll thats just like your opinion man
It's your own opinion. And asking people *on the internet* to change your opinion is like throwing rocks at a lion I prefer the digital ones like in the Audi RS versions cause it looks sick as fck and I can modify it to look what I want it to look like and not get bored after like 4 months. And you just prefer the analog ones. Everyone thinks differently and just cause they have a different thought process doesn't mean one is superior to the other
@@monst3rmoody that's not fact.
I’ve literally was watching tons of vids on this car 😍
I’m happy with my 118i it’s comfy, enough power to carry you to work and back, kid loves it more than my X1, very practical medium family car.
You had me saying “it’s not so bad “ up until the “no manual gearbox “. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.....
It's the sad future of cars buddy , get use to it
@@olivier3164 they still offer the M3 and M4 in manual though, which is pretty cool...
I swear that ti sticker on the side skirt is already peeling off 😂 Edit: Ha, you actually covered it, good job! :D
Great car. Fitted with adaptive dampers would be even better as a daily driver.
The led on the inside door panels are sick as F, and Matt FYI it's called wheel hop.
We have one of these just like this but with the full digital dials and it is brilliant. Fun and feels very plush to be in. Better than a Golf GTi. And I have tried both!!
It is the time for a drag race between 128i vs golf gti vs megan rs vs civic type r vs focus st vs hyundai veloster N with DCT transmission vs 308 gti. just to let us know which fwd hot hatch is the fastest 😉
I agree because I know for a fact the golf would destroy it when it comes to braking 😂 a normal polo stops 3m sooner than that BMW from 70mph 😂
@@JonathanGray_UK bruh the road was wet
@@mirofin wet and 4C outside when I tried it in the polo 🤷♂️
However guys, if you do a comparision on price ... it's probably more comparable with a Golf R, rather than a GTI. Great review (as usual) 👍🏽
Hey carwow, you get the fully digital display as standard now. I have also heard that the older manufactured cars will get a free upgrade to the higher level display.
Nice video again as always! We all know Mat is the best Motoring Journalist! And also this looks like a great car! Finally something thats not an electric car again! I somehow think it is weird though to have a ti badge on most of the car and then have an M steering wheel and M Stripes in some spots? It's almost like having a golf GTI with an R Line package? 🤔 Very interesting decision BMW made there! Either way can't wait to drive one of these myself! 💯
Was waiting for Matts review on this one!
Takein in to the consideration only the driving experience what would you chose between 330i vs 128ti?
I test drove one of these a couple weeks ago and it was AMAZING. The FWD does mean that in tighter little twisty roads it does really really well, although I do miss the RWD F20 model
2:02 anyone notice the decal peeling off already? Edit: 7:09 Mat mentions it
Edit: delete comment
pls delete your comment
kzhead.info/sun/n5SBldyhpJ9tn68/bejne.html
@Do One pls shush can you also delete your comment. We don't want the Audi and Mercedes fanboys to know our weaknesses.
Duh
other than the cabin the old one was so much better in terms of looks, and the RWD was a nice consersation starter instead of the FWD
sorry to hear you're unable to start a conversation now with a FWD car :(
I am not against you but RWD hatchbacks aren't fun to drive. FWD or AWD system suits hot hatches better, RWD on a hatchback makes it lesser quicker and makes the joy and trill of driving a hatchback blund.
@@johndavidson3424 Absolutely not. This 128i is only 0,2 seconds (0-100km/h) quicker than my older 125d with 40hp less and RWD. The new 135i which has only 40 hp more and but with AWD is 1,2 seconds faster. You see how the traction control slows the 128i down. I would never buy a car with more than 250 hp and FWD. My 125D has 450 NM, I would have serious traction problems with FWD. That's probably the reason why we will never see a 125D in future.
Awesome video Mat!😸
Nice Mini 👍
Mat wearing his red/purple jeans to blend in with the car's red stitching and vents. Nice😊😊👋👍
DGDFFf
@@Ritayo-checkmyvideo-ph5dr do something with your life please
Thank you, Matt. I can't unsee the moustache now :)
2:02 the “decal” is already coming off on a brand new car! 😀
Lol, my 20 year old rover V6 has red outlined Rover footwell mats. I'd prefer the T Roc R, it's a little more discreet in terms of styling, apart from the 4 Akrapovic (not fake) tail pipes and seems more practical. The 0-60 is far better in the T Roc for a start, and the transmission brings in 4WD when the front wheels start to lose traction. A comparison test would be interesting but my money, on the T Roc R. Great video Matt, hi from sunny Spain.
Love this pop out banner Matt keeps mentioning on every video but never pops out....
Thought it was just me haha
@@danielworsley1871 I thought it was just because I watch the videos a bit later than they were published, but this one was fresh haha
I get the banners when watching on my phone, but not when watching on my smart TV. No idea why not.
@@johnfranklin6394 They don’t work on tv
The pop up appears when ya watching the vid on a pc
Can we get a hot hatch drag race? Like Bmw 128ti vs Golf 8 GTI vs Ford Focus ST vs Megane Rs etc?
dont forget the cupra
and Yaris GR
@@jacobrowan7098 The 2.0TSI cupra has more power, cant compare them with these cars.
@@KootBear Not the same segment car.
Nice looking car Matt. Many of those cutout and vents are designed for the modding market even though they are fake 😀
This is so cool for the hot-hatch market! Wish we got it in the US!
used to be able to get a 340hp turbo I6 m135i for under 30k. now this FWD 2.0L costs more.
But that M135i interior looked old, had less space in the boot and rear seats, was a bit too boisterous in its character and inflation has done its damage here.... Its happening across all cars, back in the early 2000s, an X3 was very expensive at 33k, now they're good value new at 40k.
@@magnustan841 Literally no BMWs are "good value"... They all break within 5 years, and thats a fact. They didnt do that until the Fxx generation.
@@TheGamingNorwegian exactly the reason why I think Lexus is underrated amongst premium brands. However, I’m just making a case of how inflation has made car prices look extortionate if you know what previous generation, older models cost when they were brand new. Case in point, X3 from two generations ago, compared to current X3.
Previous generations of all makes and models seem to be the ones to buy these days
Love this 128ti!
My corsa vxr did that shaking thing all the damn time, claimed to do 0-60 in 6.5 seconds but you'll be lucky to get it under 7.
Would probably be a good company car if you like it over the A35 and S3. Ti badge is more of an exclusive, but the trim is a bit gaudy
I hope there’s a mid generation facelift that sorts out the grill
Loving the finger action lol
5:30 Mat's annoying things about cars can really be eye openers. Really useful information.
2:44 Now I can’t unsee the moustache anymore 😂
Just ordered one and now I’m always going to see it 😂
Looks like Hitler 😛
@Green Mills storm bay grey
Phuuu! I was a little bit afraid that he wasent going to launch it. Thank god! xD
Sounds like BMW's answer to the Veloster N. They even lifted some of the styling queues.
can we get a drag race between older early 2000s 325ti and this new one please matt ......thanks :)
IMO Just get an old BMW 140i. Rear-wheel-drive and was offered with a manual.
You'll get a great engine (B58!) and rear wheel drive fun. But I'd always recommend getting the ZF 8-Sepped Auto in the F20-1Series. I have the manual and it's easily one the worst manual transmissions I have ever encountered. Sadly. You could of course just put the manual from an M2 in there and you'll be fine, but the regular one is just shoddy.
I just sold my M140i shadow Edition to get my new 128ti, the new car is much better, not as fast in a straight line but so much better handling it's not even close. They got the balance absolutely spot on. Oh and the interior is on another planet compared with the old one. Fast, wonderful handling and beautifully built with the amazing interior.
@@jamiewalton666 You are insane. Sorry if that is rude but if you really have done that it is insane.
@@entropy5431 I think he’s joking. Let’s pray he’s joking
@@entropy5431 not at all, it was all grunt and nowt else,handling was really poor for a hot hatch to be honest as all the car reviews say. Sounded lovely but interior awful. Like I said, the 128ti is a propper hot hatch in that it has the handling on the twisties and interior whipes the floor with the 140. The steering feel on the 140 was crap, miles better in the 128 which has much better feedback. It's literally pin sharp, and doesn't skit all over like the 140, especially if the road is wet or damp.Maybe you are a 140 owner yourself and don't like to hear that the new kid on the block is better. Oh and by the way most reviews say the 128 is a better car than the latest 135 aswell. Anyway, unlike yourselves I've driven them both so I know what I am talking about.
Haha my Mrs just pointed out Mat's Instagram name as Ma Twats On Cars and I can't unsee it! 😂😂😂💀💀💀
😂😂😂
*Love it looks great*
Ok now that bmw looks stunning!
Hi Mat aka Tom Holland in 20 years, after he's quit acting to pursue his passion for automotive journalism😂🤣!!!
Tom Holland + Christian Bale = Mat Watson
😂
Nowt like him lol.
Dont need to repeat a comment you said on the previous video
kzhead.info/sun/n5SBldyhpJ9tn68/bejne.html
purple trousers ! that's brave Mat
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Please do a general hot hatch drag race, Golf GTI, Yaris gr, Honda Type R, BMW 128 + 135 , Fiesta ST, etc etc _ PLEASE ❗️😊
Me & my 16 year old son love watching your car reviews especially the 5 worst things about this car..you should do a compilation video of all the best ones..oh and love those trousers, very daring..😆
The thing with the Michelin Sport tires is simply because these tires ever so slightly increase the CO2 emission of the car, this allows BMW to perform the emission test on the normal tires. Same thing with fitting bigger petrol tanks as a no-cost option with certain brands. All thanks to stupid government regulations.
I love those dials! I think they're much better looking than the BMW digital display
I wanted to comment the exact same thing. Looks a lot better!
Not a bad looking car, performace is good as well for a FWD, and under 6sec to 60Mph in the wet is good going.
cool stripes on the seats
Is the “ti” sticker actually peeling off on the side skirt?!?
Matt: I can fit 4 FINGERS in There Everyone: AYOOOO, PAUSEEEEE
So what happened
My automatic focus mk4 shifts up automaticly aswell 😑 but it shifts at 6500 when i feel losing power at 6000 rpm. So i'll take that.
Looks beautiful
1:39 looks like Matt has something else on his mind 👀
Over time, to me this car now looks brilliant and not as ugly as I thought, the FWD is still the issue though think I’ll stick to the bigger RWD Beamers
Have you lost your eyesight over time?
@@Hans_Holt I’ve just gotten used to the grille now I suppose and the rest of the car looks muscular and overall great
@@maxwastell1073 in my opinion it’s ugly as sh**. Look at the proportions. big fat front und a rear like cut directly behind the rear axle. It allready looks like that it will understeer in every corner.... And the grille doesn’t match with the upper line of the headlights.... it looks like a ugly pig 👁 🐽 👁
That Nike comparison was spot on Matt
Mat can you do drag race of Sandero and any other cheap car?
A BMW in FWD? In what world we're gonna bring our children...
Not all cars have to be AWD or RWD, and there is pros to the FWD as well. But still, i would prefer tuned up Golf R to this car, i must admit. Up to 500-550hp tuned.
never knew BMW was a fan of hip hop,... i too am a fan of Tip😎
11:30 70mph to zero. Lovely expression Mat 😆🤣
So does this have stiffer suspension still from the M sport model ? I’m looking to test drive the 118i m sport but constant reviews and seems to be the only negative to have firm the ride is ? My back is concerned 😬
I'm surprised it's taken BMW so long to launch this car. VW has been the virtual default choice in this segment for years. Mercedes-AMG realised this and have positioned their A Class accordingly, but BMW have sat on their hands until now.
Now should be 3 categories for fast hatchback. Hot hatch (polo gti, fiesta st) Hotter hatch (golf gti, 1 ti, a35) The hottest hatch (a45, rs3)
I’ve seen the A45 called a hyper hatch. Mind you, the new Golf R pretty much matched it in a drag race, and for over £10K less!
@@johnfranklin6394 I know, still golf r is quite expensive. Cos in my opinion hot hatch should be affordable
@@szymonpinkas912 I agree. It’s crazy when a £40k car is made to look like great value thanks to it nearly matching the performance of a £51k car. I ordered the 128ti, it’s all the hot hatch I need for around £33k. Not that £33k is cheap either of course.
I really thing BMW should make an M5 Sabine Schmidt, just watched her on Top Gear Gold this am again and it would be a fitting thing to do.