3 Series Saloon Review
What did we drive?
Colour: Black Sapphire Metallic
Interior: Black with Blue stitching Vernasca Leather
Transmission: Automatic
Model Line: xDrive M Sport
Wheels: 19" Bicolour Jet Black Double-spoke style 791 M light alloy wheels with run-flat tyres
Engine: 2.0 litre Diesel
0-60: 6.9 seconds
Power: 190 bhp
Emissions: 136-27g/km
Price: OTR from £30,915 Price of model driven: £44,970.
Design
The iconic kidney grille, low profile and wide stance give the 3 Series an impressively aggressive appearance. Something that you’d undoubtedly take note of if it pulled up behind or alongside you at a set of traffic lights. M Sport models stand out even further with ‘M’ light alloy wheels and aerodynamic bodystyling.
This car had black metallic paint with the black leather upholstery and blue contrast stitching available with the M Sport Plus package.
In addition to the standard kit on an M Sport model, the M Sport Plus Package also gets you 19” Bicolour jet black double-spoke alloys, the high-gloss shadow line exterior trim and a sports spoiler, amongst other things.
What was it like to drive?
We’re spoilt for choice when it comes to engine variants, and the 3 Series Saloon can come as a petrol plug-in hybrid, purely petrol or as a diesel.
We drove the 320d xDrive M Sport Saloon, so ours was a 2.0 litre diesel engine that produced 190bhp and went from 0-62 in 6.9 seconds. It was also All-wheel drive and produced a fairly respectable 117 g/km of CO2.
Whilst this one doesn’t pack the punch of the 330d or the slightly ludicrous petrol M340i, this diesel accelerated really well, and brought a massive smile to my face in Sport mode on winding country lanes on a drive to Cornwall. The sleek aerodynamic design keeps the car rooted to the road, and the steering is weighted yet incredibly responsive.
Technology & Connectivity
Our car was also fitted with the optional Technology Package, which got us the following
- Head-up display – 3D graphics displayed on the window directly in front of the driver to minimise distraction on the road. It’ll show navigation prompts, speed and even media to prevent the driver from having to divert attention back to the touchscreen too often.
- Wifi hotspot preparation
- Harmon Kardon Surround Sound
- Wireless charging
- BMW Gesture control – which is only available on M Sport models.
This model had a 12 inch digital driver’s display as well as a 10 inch central touchscreen with BMW Live Cockpit Professional. It’s worth noting once more that whilst this car comes with Apple CarPlay capabilities, this car will not allow Android Auto. Sorry to all you non-Apple users.
The drivers display is controlled by the steering wheel, whilst the central screen (either 8” or 10”, model depending) is operated by voice, touchscreen or by the highly intuitive rotary controller – my preference whilst on the move to avoid unnecessary distractions.
This 3 Series also came with the BMW personal assistant – which is essentially the same concept as the Mercedes MBUX system seen in the new A-Class, GLC or E-Class, and uses voice commands to control the system and allows the car to get to know your preferences over time.
Comfort and Space
Slightly larger than the previous generation 3 Series, the 2020 model doesn’t disappoint when it comes to space, comfort and practicality.
Boot space is 480 litres and our car was fitted with the optional Comfort Package, which allows for extended storage, extra USB ports, Keyless entry, an electronic tailgate and a heated steering wheel. None of which are necessities, but do make the overall experience and lot more… well, comfortable.
The opulent feel is added to with the ambient lighting, and soft leather upholstery that featured in this model. 4 adults wouldn’t bat an eyelid at a long journey in this car, and I recon even 5 would manage for a considerable amount of time. Take a look at our time spent in the Volvo S60 to see what space was like there.
Safety and Security
All models get Active Guard Plus, which comprises of front collision warning and brake intervention, lane departure warning and a speed limiter.
The lane keeping assist is HIGHLY sensitive. It quite literally throws the car back into the lane if you don’t indicate (Perhaps to quell those ‘BMW Driver’ stereotypes). So, indicate or turn it off. We were unprepared for the force of it, so make sure you’re not.
It also didn’t particularly like going through areas of temporary road works with narrow lanes. The steering felt heavier and we were constantly aware that if we were to veer, the Lane Keep might throw us back towards another close vehicle.
Model Lines - What you'll get:
Here are some of the key feature differences between the various 3 Series specs...
SE
- 17” Alloys
- Adaptive led headlights, Tri-Zone automatic air con
- Ambient lighting
- 8.8 inch touchscreen
- Cruise control, Matt black exterior trim
- Parking assistance and reversing camera
- Rain sensing wipers and automatic headlight activation
Sport
- Upgraded 18”alloy wheels
- High gloss back exterior features and sports seats for the driver and front passenger
- Larger fuel tank
- Heated front seats
- Aluminium door sill finishers
M Sport
- ‘M’ aerodynamic body kit
- Upgraded ‘m’ alloys, sports steering wheel and leather upholstery
- 10.25 inch with BMW Live Cockpit Professional
- Anthracite headlining
- M Sport braking system
M Sport Plus
- 19”alloys
- Variable sport steering
- ‘M’ seat belts
- Sun protection glass
- Adaptive ‘M’ Suspension
‘M’
- 19" M light alloy Double-spoke style 792 M wheels
- Bicolour Cerium Grey with mixed and run-flat tyres
- Twin turbo six-cylinder in-line petrol engine
- Cerium grey finish
- Dual square exhaust tailpipes
- BMW advanced loudspeaker system
- 'M' rear spoiler
- 'M' seat belts
- 'M' Sport braking system
- Sports automatic transmission
Final Verdict
The good points are always going to outweigh the bad with the 3 Series. And even the bad… aren’t really that bad. For example, whilst the Gesture Control is an exciting piece of tech, if the driver or passengers are animated talkers, then this feature might be a bit problematic. On a two-hour trip down to Cornwall, myself and Marketing Manager Sarah must have accidentally changed the radio station or blasted up the volume unintentionally at least a dozen times whilst we chatted.
A direct quote from Sarah was ‘I know what I want my next car to be!'. Now Sarah is famously the least…enamored, shall we say, with luxury cars, so for her to rave (and look up lease deals) following her drive is a pretty big deal.
The heads up display is amazing- although in bright sunlight it becomes defunct – not to worry though, just go back to the digital drivers display to get any of the information you want. On a 160 mile round trip we averaged 47.9 mpg. Not bad considering we tested out Sport Mode once or twice…
I would 100% recommend the BMW 3 Series. The only difficulty I’d have would be choosing which model line to go for.
