The 3-series BMW has been enormously popular throughout the years, especially on the East and West coasts, and not without reason. It has been the quintessential sports-sedan, and not only has consistently outsold its competition but, in the opinion of many people and organizations, has been the benchmark and has set the standards for this class of vehicles. while, of course, many people lust after the M3, the 325i, 328i, and 330i are really the bread-and-butter cars, not only for the 3-series line but for BMW as a whole, especially in the American market. While these cars, in some ways, are best appreciated with manual transmissions, the increasing congestion on today's roads almost everywhere.......especially in my D.C. area and in SoCal..... dictates that the majority, if not most, of these cars are now sold with sport-shift automatics....so that is the way I checked this one out, although some high-performance BMW's get the clutchless SMT (Sequential Manual Transmission) . In addition, I wanted to see if the latest version of I-Drive in the new 3-Series is any better than the infamous ones in the 5 and 7-series versions that have brought so much criticism ( it isn't , as you'll see in a minute ) so I deliberately picked a model with I-Drive and NAV ( it comes together as a package ). I also wanted to just see in general how much this car compares with the earlier, superlative 3-Series, especially since BMW has publicly stated that this new 3-series would not be as radically altered as the previous Chris Bangle cars.

So....here are my impressions of the car...both good and bad.

Model Tested: 2006 BMW 325i, automatic, I-Drive-NAV package.

MSRP: $41,975

PLUSSES

STILL the Ultimate Driving Machine.....Best-in-Class power steering and chassis dynamics.

The least-objectionable Chris Bangle product yet in the American market.

Remarkable ride-handling combination; firm, well-controlled ride without being harsh despite the low-profile tires.

Responsive automatic transmission in both full-automatic and auto-shift modes without being harsh.

Plenty of room inside and good driving position even for tall drivers and a sunroof.

Well-designed, supportive seats.

Lots of little luxury touches....such as the power-folding outside mirrors.

Gas struts for hood....no cheap prop rods.

Firm, well-designed, effective brakes....even without Brembos.

Clear, round, simple, easy-to-read primary gauges directly in front of the driver.

Well-applied paint.

Starter-button eliminates fumbling around with keys.

Fat, small-diameter, meaty, well-padded steering wheel a delight to hold and use.



MINUSES


I-Drive STILL the Ultimate Frustration Machine.

NAV system difficult to program.

No underhood oil dipstick...you must rely on electronics for even the oil level.

Questionable value at nearly 42K.....although there are cheaper versions without the I-Drive / NAV package.

So-so overall build quality.

$475 extra for Titanium Silver paint? An insult to ones's intelligence.

Interior hardware not up to a car of this price range.

Poorly-designed and possibly hazardous cup-holders.

Flimsy, cheaply-designed stalks on the steering column.

Snooty dealerships.



Once you get past the traditionally rather snooty and so-so greeting you usually get at BMW shops ( although the guy I dealt with was fairly nice, it still is a long way from Lexus and Saturn shops ) my first impression of this car was that it was built, first and foremost, for the twisties and for steering feel, and relatively little attention given to much else except electronic gizmos. . So, yes, in that sense, it is still the Ultimate Driving Machine. But, boy, WHAT a steering system. BMW engineers just seem to have a magic touch for designing power-steering and chassis dynamics that no one else in the industry seems to have. You can practically drive this car blindfolded just by feel alone. And the suspension, despite low-profile tires, does not beat you up either while transmitting this magical road-feel and response.

Unfortunately, the rest of the interior, despite the well-designed, clear, gauges and seats, leaves a lot to be desired. I-Drive?......STILL a mess and STILL just as frustrating as the versions in big-brother 5 and 7-series cars, despite reports in the auto press to the contrary....at least that was my impression. I would never have this POS of an electronic system in any car I owned ( sorry, genearch....I know you like it but I strongly disagree ). Even the salesperson......who sells these cars for a living.....had problems figuring it out. The NAV system was not quite so bad but still was more complex than necessary. The sound system was better-than-average for a German-designed car but still not up to Lexus sound levels.
The interior hardware, except for the steering wheel, which was superb, IMO was disappointing for a car in the 35-to-40K and up price range...though I have seen worse, especially in the Ford Mustang. The steering column-mounted stalks were especially flimsy-feeling.

The two front cupholders are recessed into the right-side dash just above the glovebox...you press on them and the left one comes popping back out at an angle and the right one straight back out. Though they have a curved-side designs, the sharp, blunt corners could possibly hurt or bruise you if you went forward into them while they were extended and the airbag or belt didn't cushion you.

On the road.....I have already described and praised the steering system and the chassis / suspension ...no need to add anything on that here. Noise levels were pleasantly low at cruise, and the dual exhausts were noticeable but not too much so. Brakes, even for non-Brembos, in the BMW tradition were superb. Power level in the engine was adequate, but this car is not a drag-racer....about equivalent to the Lexus IS250 , perhaps its closest competition, with almost identical HP and torque figures.

So, in a nutshell......if you want the best ( and I mean the BEST ) in sedan driving dynamics, a sedan you can practically wear like a glove, and don't mind so-so build quality, snooty dealerships, and the possibility of serious problems and expenses after the warranty is gone.....here's your ride, whether it is the 325i or stronger-engine versions of the 3-Series.

Just avoid the I-Drive ( which, fortunately you can do in this car and save money to boot ) if you want to keep your sanity. Avoiding the I-Drive in this car means avoiding the NAV also.....fine... avoid them both. This car is not cheap either, for its size...although it comes with a lot of nice little touches, I don't consider it a particularly good value, even in the cheaper versions that don't list for almost $42,000 like this one did. The archrival Lexus IS250, for example, not only substantially undercuts this car's price, even with AWD, but blows it away as well with its build quality and refinement....but the IS cannot equal this car's driving dynamics, which, yes, STILL set the standard for compact sports sedans.................Chris Bangle or not.