Road test: BMW 325i

[cozmik]

So I test drove a new 325i today, and have come away impressed, something that last 3 Series did not do. As US dealerships are pretty stingy, this clearly will not be as great a review as Wimmer would give, I have nothing else to do right now, so oh well.

Exterior

The exterior of this car is very pleasing to the eyes, it is a much more sophisticated design that the old 3. The proportions are just right, the shapes smooth yet angular, all of it come together very well, and creates a design that is more modern while still retaining the classic 3-Series look. Overall it made my 9-3 look pretty dated.

Interior

The interior is so much better in person than in pictures. The car I drove had the beige interior (which is really 2 tone beige/black as the dash pad is still black). It also had wood trim as well, instead of metal. It gave the immediate impression of quality and solidity. The shapes are fluid and everything is logically laid out. While I have always thought the seats in my 9-3 Arc were comfortable, the seats in the new 3 were leagues better. They are supportive in all the right places, and the firmness is perfect, not too soft, but they don't feel like they are padded with slate. And the seat structures as a whole are very solid, much more so than in my 9-3 (I have broken the lumbar support in my 9-3 before). The steering wheel is sized just right, and a comfortable position is very easy to find, and I am pretty picky when it comes to finding a comfortable position. The material quality is top notch in the segment. The only thing that is a bit odd is the audio system, which takes a second to figure out everything on it. But the stock, non H/K system produces high quality sound. The turn signal is the 2-position electronic one found in other BMW's, and while th first couple tries it was odd, I soon got used to it and found it to be a more intelligent design than the tradition design.

Driving

Driving. This is what it is all about, and I came away supremely impressed. My personal biggest complaint with the old 325 was a lack of power. This new 325 changes that. Though torque is considerable less than my 9-3 (221 lb/ft vs 184 lb/ft for the 325) it is never noticeable. The engine is smoother than anything else out there, and power is always available. Acceleration feels generally on par with my 9-3. The test car had the 6-speed Steptronic automatic transmission, and shift were always smooth and quick. The manual feature feels more natural than with other cars as well, pulling back for up shifts and pushing forward for downshifts. The gas pedal is like a two position pedal. There is significant travel then there is like a stop, pushing farther activates another position that seems to force a down shift and gives you all available power. I have never come across a system like this before personally, but it is interesting, and I like it.

The handling is superb, though the steering feels a bit light at highway speeds, around town it is perfect, and the feel is excellent. The Bridgestone Turanza tires that came on the vehicle undoubtedly did not help the handling, but even with them, it was great. Totally neutral feeling, no hesitation or protest from the tires, just smooth, fluid moves. I only got up to about 80 MPH in it, as the sales guys was holding on for life as it was, but it felt very smooth and stable (not surprising).  Reactions on the back roads were instant and predictable. Body roll was a little more than I had expected, but still good. The chassis never felt flexi, always rock solid and strong. Driving over train tracks and other not so pleasant road areas reveal a solid feel with great ride damping. Largest holes and train tracks felt distant while the car still felt connected to the road. Sounds coming from the chassis when hitting such things sounded solid, if that makes any sense. It was a genuinely enjoyable car to drive, just like a BMW should be.

Overall, if something were to happen to my 9-3, I would be at the BMW center picking out a new 325.

And watch out next week as I should be driving a new SLK280 soon (they finally announced it and it's on the MB web site).

[TBR]

I didn't even know a SLK280 was in the works, it has about 220hp, right?  

[850CSi]

The gas pedal is like a two position pedal. There is significant travel then there is like a stop, pushing farther activates another position that seems to force a down shift and gives you all available power. I have never come across a system like this before personally, but it is interesting, and I like it.

It's a German thing. I've seen it in Bimmers and MBs. I think my dad's X3 has it too.

[850CSi]

Great to hear another positive review. I'll likely know by next monday if I'm going to end up getting one of those next year to replace the A4. Of course, it's still my dad's car, but I'm the one that drives it...

[cozmik]

I didn't even know a SLK280 was in the works, it has about 220hp, right?

228.  :)  

[TBR]

I didn't even know a SLK280 was in the works, it has about 220hp, right?

228.  :)

Even better  

[BMWDave]

Its cool that you drove it!  Glad to hear you liked it.  And I enjoyed reading the review! :)