BMW 335i Luxury 2012 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory & delivery charges): $91,900
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): Luxury Line $2000; Comfort Access System $1100; Sunroof $2920; BMW Head-Up Display $2000; Metallic Paint $1840
Crash rating: Five-star (EuroNCAP)
Fuel: 95 RON PULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 7.2
CO2 emissions (g/km): 169
Also consider:Audi A4 3.2 FSI quattro (from $95,300) Mercedes-Benz C 350 (from $99,900), Lexus IS 350 (from $64,800)

The BMW 3 Series may be the ultimate driving machine -- it's a better car to steer than its Audi and Benz rivals -- and the exterior design makes a strong first impression. But step inside the car and you might be forgiven for thinking this was an entry-level 3 Series.

Worth around $100,000, I was expecting a little more eye candy in the cabin. I'm not talking fish tanks, TV screens and Champagne chillers, just something presentable -- perhaps a few more metallic accents, because the initial impression is one of endless black plastic.

The minimalist centre console looks bland, there's a hand-operated park brake (the Holden Captiva has a push-button electronic system) and though the orange back-lit instrumentation is highly legible, it has a somewhat dated look.

Not everyone will feel the way I did about the interior and there is something to be said about its understated theme. But ultimately there was nothing that made the driver or passengers raise their eyebrows; nothing we hadn't seen before. The gearstick has a modern look, and the front seatbelts automatically tighten around the driver's torso after buckling in and driving off, but this has been available on Mercedes-Benz C-Class for some time now.

Even so, the 335i succeeds in its intended purpose -- it's comfortable and everything works well. The cruise control is easy to engage -- the awkward stalk has been replaced with steering wheel buttons -- there's various driving modes to toggle between (Sport+, Sport, Comfort and EcoPro) and the infotainment system is getting better with every passing year.

BMW's once maligned iDrive system continues to mature. It's an easier system to use and plugging destinations into the satnav system is now almost intuitive.

The seats are well cushioned and comfy; electric adjustment ensures a decent driving position for drivers tall or short. I also liked that you sit slightly lower in the car than most sedans of this size, which lends the car a sporty feel.

Another positive is interior space -- it certainly feels larger than its predecessor, particularly in the rear of the car. With two adults up front and two in the back everyone had plenty of head and leg room. My auntie has a BMW 5 Series (E39) from the late 1990s and this 3 Series actually feel more spacious. How things change...

Boot space is claimed at 480 litres and though the boot cavity is long and wide, it's relatively shallow.

Visibility is good with only the slightly chunky A-pillars posing a visual block.

In the BMW 335i's defence, it is dynamically better car than both its closest rivals -- the Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class -- delivering the kind of tactile feedback you just don't get in the others. BMW has been advertising the new 3 Series on the television with images of classic 3s hammering around Europe's alpine regions, and the new model certainly lives up to the car's rich sporting heritage with a chassis that does the business.

The way the car goes, turns and stops is what makes the BMW 335i a compelling proposition, and one of the high points was the steering. Turning the car through corners at a good pace was rarely unsatisfying, and though the steering may have been a touch less talkative than previous E90 model, it's still the best in its class.

The Beemer's front-end turns eagerly into corners and there's decent weight in the steering wheel: Whether it's navigating a roundabout or tracking its way along twisting ribbon of bitumen, the 335i seldom failed to reward energetic input from the driver. Another boon was the ride quality which has improved over the previous 3 Series, showing a better capability to soaking up the cobblestone roads and general protrusions in the road surface I encountered.

On that topic, it was also a good commuter, the turbocharged petrol engine's profusion of low-end torque improved drivability. Low speed response wasn't always ideal however, and I did note some turbo (and possibly gearbox) lag when asking for the full biscuit from speeds of around 20km/h.

Quiet on freeway, with good high speed ride quality, the six-cylinder turbo 3 Series was frugal too, ticking over at 1700rpm in eighth gear at an indicated 100km. The overall fuel consumption figure at the end of the test was 8.6L/100 -- not quite the claimed 7.2L/100km but still not too shabby.

BMW hasn't tinkered too much with the inline six-cylinder 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine. The German car maker claims the same engine output figures as the previous generation, with 225kW at 5800rpm and 400Nm at 1200rpm. But from the highly technical 'seat of your pants' test-o-meter the engine felt much stronger, such was the way one's body was pushed into the seat as the G-forces increased.

Floor the throttle and the 335i is propelled forward at an arresting pace, making a delightful six-cylinder thrum that becomes a jet-like howl as the tachometer needle flits towards redline. The transmission is a clever unit too, able to adapt to the driver's mood when left to its own devices, shifting smoothly at low speeds and with haste at higher velocities.

It's fast and involving and will hit 100km/h from rest in just 5.5 seconds. It has no trouble breaking traction at the rear wheels should you flick the drive mode to Sport+, which limits the level of  traction control.

With a handful of new features hidden under the skin, and some that aren't, the BMW 3 Series delivers a strong package that is a measurable improvement on its predecessor. It's got enough space for four adults and is easier and smoother to drive than its predecessor.

For mine it struggled to outshine its rivals in some areas, particularly in the 'luxury' stakes, but ultimately this four-door sedan has enough power for the thrill-seekers while delivering the kind of compelling driver experience normally associated with a sporty coupe.

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