Instrumented Test
We can thank crossovers for the existence of this car.
Huh? Yep, that’s the condensed version of what a BMW spokesman conveyed when discussing why the brand is adding all-wheel drive to pretty much every car in its lineup, from the big 7-series all the way down to the second-smallest of U.S. Bimmers, the 2-series coupe and its 10Best-winning M235i derivative. With the rise of crossovers, families now often own at least one all-wheel-drive vehicle, so demand for AWD has affected segments where the tech once was unthinkable. “In some parts of the country,” we were told, “more and more people won’t buy a car without it.”
While all-wheel drive has benefits in slippery conditions, it often forces compromises in the dry, especially for performance cars like the M235i. For one thing, it adds weight—this 3653-pound car carried an additional 128 pounds versus the rear-drive M235i automatic we tested last year, and more of that mass was on its front axle (54/46 percent versus 53/47 for the rear-driver). Not only that, but it usually also lightens your wallet, in this case by $1800.
Acceleration also takes a slight hit, the xDrive model lagging behind its RWD sibling by two-tenths of a second to 60 mph (at 4.5 seconds) and more than a second to 100 mph (11.9 against 10.8). The difference in roadholding is minimal despite the extra weight, the driven front wheels helping the car cling to our skidpad with similar tenacity. Braking suffers a bit at 159 feet from 70 mph compared with 153; blame the extra pounds.
Yet these are all still very impressive numbers, and the all- and rear-wheel-drive cars feel almost the same—almost. The M235i xDrive is as delightful to drive as the sublime rear-wheel-drive model, even if it’s harder to get the rear to step out in corners. The electric power steering sends the car diving for apexes with authority; it’s quick but never darty, and routing some power to the front axle doesn’t affect response in any consequential way. The xDrive’s standard eight-speed automatic transmission is as superbly programmed as ever, and the sound of the straight-six is heavenly, particularly in the car’s Sport and Sport+ settings.
Last year, we said that our as-tested price of $46,575 is “a lot for a two-door BMW . . . until you realize you’re getting 100 percent of the outgoing M3’s performance for two-thirds the price. As long as you’re judicious with the options, that is.” Well, the M235i xDrive starts at just under $46K, and our moderately optioned test car rang in at $51,870, which included a $550 coat of metallic paint, $1450 Dakota leather upholstery, a $950 driver-assistance package (rearview camera and parking sensors), the $2150 Technology package (connected services and navigation with real-time traffic), and the $875 Harman/Kardon audio system. Now, almost $52,000 is a lot for a car this size, especially considering it still lacked certain items like satellite radio and a universal garage-door opener, for which you need to order the $2150 Premium package.
Yet all-wheel drive does make sense for some folks, especially if parts of the country see winters like the last two with more frequency, and it’s good that those who make that choice for their M235i will end up with a satisfying, enormously capable, and fun car. Us? We’ll brave the cold in a sub-$45K rear-drive M235i with a manual and spend some of the savings on winter tires.
