Review
It’s a mark of how right BMW got the new 3 Series back in 2005 that it hasn’t felt the need to make massive changes in its mid-life makeover.
The new models went on sale in September, and the changes made are very subtle, to say the least. Those with a keen eye will notice two additional raised lines on the bonnet, while the kidney grille has been re-profiled and the headlights changed to include twin circular lights.
Larger wing mirrors have been added, while the valance on the side has an extra crease line added. Oooh.
There are other changes, such as redesigned rear light clusters, but it all follows along these lines – very subtle and invisible to the untrained eye.
More significant measures have been taken under the metal, including a new 3.0-litre diesel engine, tweaks to the 325d’s economy and emissions, and an automatic gearbox option on the 318d.
The engine in our test car, the 320d, has been left unchanged because, frankly, there can’t be much more BMW can do to it – 177bhp, 57.6mpg combined fuel economy and CO2 emissions of 130g/km are figures which are difficult to argue with.
That latter figure puts the 320d in the second lowest diesel
benefit-in-kind tax band, not bad for a car with such a broad range of talents.
And it is these wide-ranging talents which have secured the 3 Series’ place as a firm favourite among user-choosers.
For those who value it, the driving experience in the 3 Series is the best in the sector, with the combination of front-engine and rear-wheel drive making this such a well balanced car.
A slightly wider track has also been incorporated into the redesign to boost the driving experience.
The controls all have a heft to them which gives the feeling of solidity – the steering has quite a bit of artificial weight added
in to it to make it more direct feeling, while the gearbox needs positive shifts to make it engage the next year.
And the ride, even with run-flat tyres and 17-inch alloy wheels, is not as bad as some in the motoring press make it out to be – this is a sports saloon (or in this case, estate) so the ride is not going to be spongy.
But it is the 2.0-litre diesel engine which is the star of the show, delivering huge amounts of power in a linear fashion, allowing drivers to make effortless progress in most gears.
And despite the performance on offer it remains very frugal. Because it is so enjoyable to drive you will struggle to match the claimed combined fuel economy figure of 57.6mpg, but even with some throttle abuse we’re averaging 45mpg. Seriously impressive.
Like the external redesign, inside little has changed. There’s a revised centre console which houses the optional (and all new) iDrive system which has been simplified after criticism of its complexity at launch, while some of the switchgear has been moved and better quality materials have been used.
Our test car is pretty much standard, with the multi-spoke alloys and deep front and rear bumpers fitted as standard to lend the car a more muscular air. Only the paintwork (Monaco blue metallic) is as option at £540.
Inside, there’s a ‘sport’ version of the leather steering wheel – essentially this consists of a fatter rim, while we’ve also added some brushed aluminium trim on the dashboard (£215), leather seats at £1,240 and rain-sensing windscreen wipers and automatic headlights which are a combined option at £95.
So far, we’ve only covered about 2,000 miles in the 320d, but already it is impressing with its all-round abilities. We know it’s going to be reliable (it was named as the most reliable model in our annual FN50 reliability study), we know it will be a rewarding car to drive, we know it will be practical to own, especially with the twin rear tailgate which allows you to open the glass area separately to drop lighter items into the boot.
And as long as we don’t get any more punctures, it should be cost-effective to own (a new tyre costs £160).
Standard Equipment
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Cruise control
- Rear parking sensors
- Black roof rails
- Dual-zone air-conditioning
- Electric front and rear windows
- Multi-function leather steering wheel
- Silver interior trim
- MP3 aux input
- Radio/single CD player
- On-board computer
- Six airbags
- Mis-fuelling system
- Three ISOFIX seat units
- EfficientDynamics (auto stop-start, brake energy regeneration, gearshift indicator)
Options
- Brushed aluminium interior trim £215
- Leather seats £1,240
- Metallic paint £540
- Rain-sensing wipers/automatic headlights £95
- Sport leather steering wheel £70
