Rear-seat accommodations are adequate. The rear air vents can be separately adjusted for temperature and air volume. Remember: this is a compact car, and rear passengers with long torsos will feel hair rubbing on the headliner. The center position is best left to children.
The rear accommodations are a little better in the coupe in terms of roominess, though access is more difficult in the absence of rear side doors. Because the coupes are four-passenger cars, the center space in back is replaced by a console, which includes individual storage boxes, additional air vents and footwell lights. There's decent legroom and more shoulder room. It's almost like sitting in a little limousine. There are even buttons on the outside edge of the front seats, in the shoulder area, so those in back can reach up and power the front seat forward to ease exit from the rear of the car.
The trunk is largest in the sedan (12 cubic feet), though still smaller than many comparably sized competitors. The 3 Series coupe's trunk is smaller (11 cubic feet), but the split-folding rear seatback is standard (an option on the sedan). A separate compartment under the trunk mat, measuring 1.7 cubic feet, adds space for small items that won't slide around.
The Sport Wagon is easily the best choice in the 3 Series line for cargo hauling. From the handling, accelerating or braking standpoints, it gives up nothing to the 328i sedan, and it adds a dimension of utility. Cargo volume increases to 24.8 cubic feet, floor to ceiling, behind the rear seat. With the rear seat folded forward, the 3 Series wagon can swallow nearly 61 cubic feet of stuff, more than some small SUVs. The wagon's load area is flat, too, which is good for dogs and cargo. It's fully lined with thick, soft carpet, and i?BMW3 Series�Interior???????? ???? ?? ?????????? ????????? ????????? ???????? ???????? ????? ????? ??????? ??? ???????? ? ????? ?????? ? ????? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ? ???????? ????? ???? ??? ????? ?? ????????? ???? ????????? ?????? ?????? ?? ?????????????? ????????????????? ??????????? ?????? ??? ????? ????? ?????? ??????????? ? ??????? ?? ????? ???? ???? ??? ??? ?? ??????? ????? ??? ??? ????? ????? ??????? ????????????? ???? ??? ??? ????? ????? ?? ????? ? ???????????? ?????? ???? ??? ???? ???? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ?????? ??????? ???????????????? ??????�?????????????ALThe BMW 3 Series cars accelerate, turn and stop with remarkable agility and balance, without seriously compromising comfort or common sense. The 3 Series sedans define sports sedan and remain the target for every luxury car brand from Acura to Volvo.
The 3 Series comprises a range of sedans, coupes, convertibles and wagons, with different engines, a wide variety of options, and a spread of $35,000 from the bottom to the top of the line. All models share mechanical components and similarly compact exterior dimensions. Differences lie in body style or exterior design, though the coupe and convertible seat four passengers while sedan and wagon seat five. We all like the top models, but we also recommend the less-expensive 328 models. They have as much power as most drivers will ever need, and they deliver the same inherent goodness as the 335s and most of the key features.
For 2009, BMW 3 Series gets a new version of that love/hate device known as BMW iDrive, the mouse-like interface the driver can use to adjust nearly everything inside the car. The sedans have been freshened with exterior styling updates and small interior refinements.
For 2009, BMW has introduced the 335d sedan, with a new-age diesel engine that's as clean as any of its gasoline counterparts. Despite its improved fuel economy, it retains the sporting character that has long defined the 3 Series line.
BMW sells more manual transmissions in this class than any manufacturer, and that probably says something about the type of drivers choosing the 3. Even the optional automatic transmission is tuned for crisp, sporty shifting. These are rear-wheel-drive cars, though all-wheel drive is available. Handling response is sharp and precise, and braking capability is best in class. The base engine in the 328s, BMW's trademark 3.0-liter straight six, is more than powerful enough for brisk acceleration and a sinfully good time. The upgrade twin-turbo six in the 335i is one of the most viscerally satisfying engines in production.
The four-door 3 Series sedan is most familiar, and among the most passenger friendly. The Sports Wagon adds substantial cargo space and utility. It's great for couples or families who often bring the dog, though it isn't available with the twin-turbo engine. The 328i and 335i Convertibles might be the sexiest 3s, with a fully automatic, one-button folding hardtop.
The two-door 3 Series coupes are the sportiest. The firmer sport suspension, optional with other body styles, comes standard on the coupe, and these are the lightest cars in the line. They seat four, like the convertible, but they'll appeal to those who want sporting capability something like a sports car's but need a reasonable back seat and decent-sized trunk.
The powerfulengines are also efficient, and EPA mileage ratings go as high as 36 mpg Highway. Exterior dimensions for all models are relatively compact, making them good cars for crowded city centers. All are distinctively styled and clearly recognizable as BMWs, which should get you a good valet spot, depending on the places you frequent.
All 3 Series models have a full array of airbags, with good scores in government and insurance-industry crash tests. Available all-wheel-drive adds extra security in foul weather. All models feature the electronic wizardry that has become BMW's stock-in-trade over the last decade, including one of the auto industry's most complex stability-control systems. All offer gizmos you'd expect in larger, full-on luxury sedans, though we wouldn't recommend some of BMW's high-tech options such as Active Cruise Control, except to technology buffs.
Few cars in this class can match the 3 Series for its overall balance of high-technology, rationality and most significantly, performance and driving pleasure. Some competitors offer more room, more power, better mileage or maybe better interiors for less money. But aside from subjective price-value analysis, the noteworthy hitch in the 3 Series is the downside of its many electronic gizmos. t's full of convenient features, including separate enclosed bins, cargo straps, bag holders, a power point, a cargo cover at seat height and a roll-out cargo net. The wagon is available with all-wheel drive, giving it winter-weather capability.
The Convertible offers the least cargo space. There's a maximum 9.0 cubic feet when the top is closed; lower it, and cargo space reduces dramatically. With the top down, count on maybe a medium-sized duffel bag, and make sure the top is closed before stowing anything. Next Page