Luxury sedans have been all but forgotten in the stampede for SUVs but if you enjoy driving they are well worth a look.
LUXURY CAR, PREMIUM PRICE
BMW’s volume-selling 3 Series sedan isn’t the bargain it once was.
The range kicks off at about $87,000 drive-away for the entry-level 320i sedan tested here, which is $10,000 more expensive than 18 months ago.
There is a decent amount of luxury kit for the price, though.
It comes standard with the M Sport pack that delivers 19-inch alloy wheels, racy styling cues and sports-focused suspension.
Step inside and there is even more to cheer about. The faux leather and suede trimmed seats, finished with classy blue stitching, hug your curves while the leather-wrapped steering wheel feels great in the hands.
THIS IS JUST A STARTING POINT
The 320i is effectively a blank canvas and BMW will supply you with myriad options to personalise your car – for a price.
LED headlights and a sunroof are available as part of a circa-$3600 Visibility Package, while the $3000 Comfort Package adds an auto tailgate, premium Harman Kardon stereo, heated front seats with lumbar support and a heated steering wheel.
BMW also likes to charge you for items that are standard on cars costing thousands of dollars more. Auto parking, remote engine start, a dashcam and tyre pressure monitor add roughly $2000 to the price
THERE’S PLENTY OF TECH
The 320i comes with dual 12.3-inch screens, one for the infotainment and the other the driver’s instruments. They provide crisp readouts and graphics but the mass of app-like tiles on the central screen makes it hard to navigate.
A head-up display, which projects vital information such as safety warnings and prevailing speed limits onto the windscreen in front of the driver, is a handy addition.
It also has a wireless device charger, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, Bluetooth and satnav as standard.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE DRIVER
BMW has always made some of the best cars to drive and the 3 Series is no exception.
The 320i uses a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine to deliver 135kW and 300Nm through the rear wheels via a seven-speed automatic.
Those numbers aren’t spectacular, but there’s reasonable shove off the mark and the auto is a smooth shifter.
The stiffer M Sport suspension delivers great dynamics that’ll have you hunting out a stretch of twisting tarmac.
The 320i really comes alive through the corners with excellent body control, reassuring grip and impressive balance.
The steering is consistently weighted and provides plenty of feedback.
You sit low in the car, too, which makes you feel more connected to the road.
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE
The 320i is brisk but not fast, completing the benchmark 0-100km/h sprint in 7.4 seconds, but if you want performance there are plenty of options to choose from.
Next up the model ladder, the 330i boosts outputs to 190kW/400Nm and drops the 0-100km/h time to a brisk 5.8 seconds. The roughly $100,000 drive-away price tag takes some of the shine off, though.
The $115,000 340i looks good value compared to the 330i and is arguably the sweet spot in the range. It brings a 285KW/500Nm in-line six-cylinder petrol engine, which allows it to hit 100km/h in 4.3 seconds. Throw in a bucketload of standard kit and the value argument swings further in its favour.
At the top is the ferocious M3, a 375kW/650Nm 3.3-litre twin-turbo six-cylinder powered monster.
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