BMW 3 Series 2019 Review – International

For nearly 40 years, the BMW 3 Series has defined and refined the mid-size luxury car segment. It has also consistently been BMW's largest seller globally, with production now topping 15.543 million units.

And now for 2019, everything is new again and the company says with this new seventh-generation BMW 3 Series, it has sharpened arguably its most important corporate tool.

We've said it before but will say it again, when the 3 Series does well, both in terms of sales and critical acclaim, BMW is at its best.

In a word, everything… Well, most things anyway. Chassis, engines, tech and interior are all new.

There is no denying the styling is evolutionary, but just as Volkswagen is never likely to significantly reimagine its Golf, nor Porsche its 911, there are elements that BMW will never be able to separate from the 3 Series.

The new design features more defined lines and in some cases significantly more sculptured surfaces to create a new, yet familiar aesthetic for the 3.

It's not necessarily a design that looks striking on-screen, but in the metal (especially in the case of the higher-spec 3 Series models), it is both handsome and progressive.

There are a number of design elements that won't please every traditionalist. The kidney grilles look bigger and more three-dimensional than ever and the kink that has defined the rear door line of BMW's four decades has been moved to the C-pillar to help visually extend the sedan’s glasshouse.

Low on the four corners of the standard and Luxury line cars are horizontal NACA-style ducts which don't necessarily translate as well front to rear. These are replaced with larger vents on the M-Sport variants which frankly are more convincing.

But the good ‘bones’ remain. The BMW 3 Series is clearly designed to maximise the effect of short overhangs and stance only a small rear-driver can capitalise upon. And there’s enough ‘shrink wrapping’ over the haunches to hint at how good the wide-bodied M3 may look.

Meantime, BMW claims an impressive drag co-efficient from 0.23Cd for the new 3 Series. Suffice it to say, this is impressive for a ‘normal’ sedan.

Under the skin, the new 3 Series uses elements of BMW’s CLAR modular architecture pioneered in the 5 and 7 Series models.

The key difference is that 3 Series uses a MacPherson strut front suspension in place of the double-wishbone design of the larger sedans.

At its core, the CLAR structure is 50 per cent stiffer than the platform it replaces and the new 3 Series boasts a 41mm longer wheelbase and wider tracks front and rear (43 and 21mm respectively).

Overall, the 2019 BMW 3 Series is 76mm longer than its predecessor, 16mm wider and just 1mm taller.

That means compared to its direct rivals, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4, the new 3 Series slots neatly between in overall length, yet features the longest wheelbase (11mm longer than the Benz, +31mm for the Audi) and a significantly wider footprint.

The seat couple distance (front to back) has been stretched 11mm compared to the outgoing 3 Series. In conjunction with other changes, there’s now more room in the rear seat and increased hip and shoulder room in both rows.

The changes are most significant in the rear, where headroom has also been improved.

Luggage space is essentially unchanged at 480 litres but the company says the shape and boot opening are now more accommodating. Split/folding (40:20:40) rear seats are standard across the range.

Yet despite the increase in size and feature set, BMW is claiming a weight saving of around 55kg for the new 3 Series (depending on variant).

Four equipment lines will be offered in the new BMW 3 Series globally: Advantage, Sport Line, Luxury Line and M Sport. At least in global terms, there has been an increase in standard equipment levels across the line-up.

This will be less noticeable Down Under, where the 3 Series already boasts high equipment levels.

When the new 3 Series arrives in Australia in March 2019, BMW will offer two four-cylinder engine variants: the 320d turbo-diesel and the turbo-petrol 330i. Both engines have been upgraded in the new-generation 3 Series.

The 2.0-litre petrol four under the bonnet of the 330i boasts numerous detail upgrades and produces 5kW and 50Nm more than the engine it replaces (now 190kW/400Nm).

Key changes include a lighter crankshaft, reduced internal friction, optimised heat management (which separates block and head cooling) and a new engine management system. BMW has also updated the engine’s turbocharger and high-pressure fuel-injection system.

BMW claims a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 5.8sec and fuel economy in the 5.8-6.1L/100km range for the 330i.

A revised eight speed automatic transmission is standard – and is excellent, aided by the multi-mode ‘Driver Experience Control’, the choice of Sport modes, and paddles for manual shifting.

BMW will continue to offer a six-speed manual transmission in some 3 Series models. At this stage this does not include most of the models earmarked for launch Down Under.

The 320d's 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel features a unique combination of a variable-geometry high-pressure, fixed-geometry low-pressure, two-stage turbochargers and other detailed changes.

The system all but eliminates turbo-lag yet still allows key operations (eg: exhaust gas recirculation) to enable the engine to meet EU6 emission requirements and beyond.

Peak power is 140kW, with torque also topping out at 400Nm. Although a little slower to 100km/h at 7.1sec, the diesel’s forte is economy, registering average fuel consumption of 4.4-4.7L/100km. It’s also a relatively lively diesel with a decent soundtrack.

BMW says the fuel economy figures quoted for both launch models have been measured under the new WLTP test cycle and "translated back into in NEDC-equivalent values”.

Later in 2019, the plug-in hybrid 330e and M340i xDrive are expected to join BMW Australia's 3 Series line-up. In the case of the latter, it will be the first all-wheel-drive performance 3 Series sold Down Under.

An entry-level BMW 320i variant may come Down Under later but there is still no published timeline for this.

Once again the latest 3 Series sedan will be followed by five-door (Touring) wagon and two-door (4 Series) coupe and convertible body style derivatives, but the 3 Series GT has been axed.

It's all change in the cabin of the new 3 Series. The design has been overhauled, the materials have been upgraded and, overall, there is impression of higher quality.

BMW has redesigned the front seats. There’s also a new design for the steering wheel and the sunroof (where fitted) is now larger.

As noted above there is more room front and rear, and even the shapes of the door openings have been changed for better access. BMW claims three child seats can fit in the rear although there are only ISOFIX anchor points for two.

But unashamedly, the new BMW 3 Series interior is focused on the driver. A new digital instrument panel takes pride of place (but annoyingly features a reverse, anticlockwise tacho) and atop the centre stack is another large screen which interfaces with BMWs latest iDrive 7.0 operating system.

BMW says these are among the largest screens it's fitted to one of its cars. It also says the new 3 Series is the most intelligent car it is ever built.

The gateway to capitalising on this intelligence is a new voice-activated driver assistance system that delivers the option to control many features via a natural language Siri-style interface.

BMW groups the assistance functions under the headings: My Car, My Journey and My Life. The former refers to features such as the digital key that allows the driver to unlock and start his or her 3 Series via their smartphone.

Navigation and parking functions (including the ability to book and pay for parking in some markets) are indicative features of the My Journey area. The ability to connect to a wider digital ecosystem including third-party apps is where My Life comes in.

Much of the functionality and the information displayed on the 3 Series is customisable by the user. And while it is perhaps a gimmick, a first delivered by the 3 Series is the ability to change the name of the on-board Assistant.

We tried a number of alternatives including God, Barry and, rather cheekily, Mercedes-Benz, with varying levels of success. No prizes for guessing which one it liked least.

FYI: “Hey God, where am I?” may well give some passengers cause for concern. You have been warned.

There are some questions re the level of Intelligent Personal Assistant that will be offered Down Under from launch. The good news is that whatever arrives, it will be able to be updated over the air as extra functionality emerges.

The new BMW 3 Series’ embedded tech goes further than the voice assistant. In some markets the steering assistance system will take autonomous functions a step further and offer “unlimited hands-off” operation up to 60km/h. This feature is likely to be limited in Australia.

The car also features ‘narrow passage support’, which assists the driver when lanes are narrowed by roadworks, etc.

The final driving aid is reversing assistant. Also available on the new X5, this feature remembers the last 50m of your journey and can reverse the car hands-off for that distance when prompted. This could be of particular interest to those with tight or technical driveways or parking spots. And if not, it is a great party trick.

Also a first for the new 3 Series is the option of laser headlights. According to BMW these offer a range of excess of 500m and yet are selectively focused so as not to dazzle oncoming drivers.

The new G20 sedan may still not be the plushest riding mid-size luxury car, but the important thing for many will be that it steers, tracks and grips like a 3 Series should.

At the 3 Series’ unveiling in Paris in October, BMW development chief Klaus Frohlich told carsales.com.au in no uncertain terms that the car had to be the benchmark in its class.

“It has to beat everybody in the segment in driving dynamics because all the Australian, UK and American journalists say ‘ooh the E46 CSL was the last real 3 Series’,” Frohlich told our own Bruce Newton.

“I do not want to hear that shit anymore,” Frohlich opined.

Well, Herr Frohlich, I think you can be relatively comfortable that the reports will be positive.

There are real reminders of my own E90 M3 when I drive even the base model 320d. The steering has a similar weighting and although the new car is sharper in its off-centre response, it has the same confidence-inspiring direct tracking relationship to input.

This is important even for those of us who are less performance orientated. The real-world translation is a car that feels stable and easier to place in your lane, almost subconsciously.

The 320d we drove rode on the standard suspension that features BMW’s new ‘lift-related’ damping technology.

These dampers use two sets of valving with the small diameter secondary set engaging a narrower part of the shock body under bump (for the rear) and rebound (for the front). This delivers a rapidly rising rate of damping when required. It’s simply clever.

Electronically adaptive sports suspension is an option that brings along with it some other performance upgrades including a smart differential. Adaptive-equipped cars were not available at the launch.

The 320d we tested rolled on 225/45R18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres that, for the first time in a non-M 3 Series since the E90 generation, were not run-flats.

BMW Australia may still offer the choice of run-flats. A spare tyre is also available as an option, but with it you’ll need to rely on an inflator kit or roadside service.

Our launch test 330i was on staggered 19-inch Michelins, this time Pilot Sport 4S (225/40 front and 255/35 rear). It too featured the passive set-up, only this time in the lower (10mm) and firmer M Sport settings.

Both cars handle the big bumps with aplomb, but the standard suspension a little better on the occasional broken surfaces we encountered on the test route. The 330i was noticeably firmer both in suspension response and resistance to body roll.

It’s possessed of substantial grip – probably the most capable non-M BMW I’ve driven – but it’s still far from punishing and 85 per cent of the time rides well, just never pillowy.

Both test 3 Series’ light, balanced, responsive feel makes the new model feel like a car a class smaller in the twisties.

And even with this handling prowess and firmer set-up, there’s also been a significant improvement in refinement in this generation of 3 Series. Although our Aussie road surfaces may find the new model out, on all of the test route, tyre (and wind) noise was very well controlled

Although the 320d’s turbo-diesel four-cylinder still sounds a little clattery on start-up, from inside the car the engine noise is never intrusive. BMW says acoustics were a focus of the new car’s development. The firewall got special attention and an acoustic windscreen is standard on all models.

The test cars we drove also featured optional double-glazed front door windows. What’s remains of the turbo-diesel’s soundtrack is a pleasant mix of induction and exhaust noise.

The 330i’s turbo-petrol four is quieter at idle inside and out and but delivers a very pleasant and a touch old-school ‘fast four’ soundtrack when provoked. While convincing, for the record it is electronically supplemented.

BMW’s boffins say this is as much a function to help differentiate the driving modes. In Comfort there’s next to no augmentation and this ramps up through Sport and Sport+.

There’s a decent amount of raspiness to the augmented four, which I liked. The technology itself seems to have moved on and result is nowhere near as artificial as that used in the M3/M4 turbo sixes.

BMW Australia is tight-lipped on pricing for the new 2019 3 Series. It will start pre-sales for the 320d and 330i in mid-January and, by that stage, full specs and the price-tags will have to be finalised.

Until then, we can speculate that the ultra-competitive nature of the mid-size prestige car segment will ensure the BMWs are priced within dollars of their Mercedes-Benz counterparts. That is the nature of the local marketplace.

For some drivers, the sportier nature of the 2019 BMW 3 Series will be a turn off. Chances are, they were not BMW intenders in the first place.

For those of us (and I include myself) who expect the BMW 3 Series to be the most dynamically honed of its genre, the new generation is a breath of fresh air. It is above all, a return to the 3 Series dynamic focus that made BMW famous.

As with the 5 Series and M5 before it, the new 2019 G20 BMW 3 Series is a return to the heartland. Herr Frohlich, pure driving pleasure has returned to the segment – at last…

How much does the 2019 BMW 320d and 330i Series cost?
Price: TBC (see text)
Available: March 2019
Engines: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel (320d); 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol (330i)
Outputs: 140kW/400Nm; 190kW/400Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic (six-speed manual option)
Fuel: 4.4L/100km; 5.8L/100km
CO2: 115g/km; 132g/km
Safety rating: TBC

Read our Quick Spin in the BMW 3 Series M340i