Introduction

Is there a driver anywhere who doesn't recognize the BMW 3 Series? The 2006 3 Series may require a double-take, at least until we get used to it, because BMW has launched the first all-new 3 Series models in six years. The 2006 BMW 325i and 330i sedans comprise the fifth-generation of a car that created a concept, or at least cemented that concept indelibly in the buying public's awareness. For 40 years the 3 Series had delivered a special mix of sporting performance, practicality and European luxury in a compact package. It's the car that defines "sport sedan," and the benchmark every luxury car maker from Acura to Volvo aims at when it develops a sport sedan or a smaller luxury sedan. Above all, the 3 Series is a driver's car: accelerating, turning and stopping with remarkable agility and balance, without seriously compromising comfort or common sense. Finally, the 3 Series has embodied consistent product character and values, defining what has become one of the most respected brands among automobile enthusiasts. Given mixed reviews following the launch of BMW's current 5 and 7 Series sedans, anticipation for the 2006 3 Series might be exceeded only by the potential for disappointment. As consumers we certainly are not disappointed, but as enthusiast drivers we're pensive about the 2006 325i and 330i sedans. At their core these remain true sport sedans, but their sporting heart is a bit more difficult to find. If we characterized the new 330i with one word, it might be "stuff," even if BMW would prefer "technology." Technology is everywhere in this compact sedan, some of it first-in-class and some not previously applied in any BMW. The 2006 BMW 3 Series offers Active Steering that actually turns the front wheels without driver intervention, not to mention 150-mile run-flat tires, turning bi-xenon headlights and an optional i-Drive interface inside. It's the first car in its class to offer radar-managed active cruise control, and even the standard cruise control will automatically apply the brakes if the 3 picks up too much speed going down a hill. Technology is not a bad thing, mind you. The 3 Series accounts for 40 percent of BMW's sales worldwide and BMW is a high-tech brand. The car buying public expects technology in its products. Yet after a good test drive we're left to wonder how much technology is appropriate in a 3 Series, and at what point it detracts from the car's original pureness of purpose. For this year at least, buyers have the unique opportunity of comparing the new with the old. The tires-up overhaul for 2006, including new exterior styling and interiors, more powerful engines, all six-speed transmissions and redesigned suspension, applies only to the 3 Series sedans. Coupes and convertibles are still available, but for now they are built on the previous-generation 3 Series platform, and are more closely related to the 2005 models. Make no mistake. The 2006 BMW 325i and 330i sedans accelerate more quickly, stop shorter and turn with more lateral grip than the 2005 models. They are roomier, with more standard and optional equipment and more sophisticated electronic controls. For entry-luxury market shoppers who put a premium on driving satisfaction, the BMW 3 Series remains the place to start. We simply recommend that you compare these cars with and without all the new stuff.

Walkaround

The previous-generation 3 Series sedans, and the current coupes, have a familiar, distinctive, handsome appearance. The 2006 325i and 330i sedans are certainly recognizable as BMWs in an evolutionary way, but they are also substantially different from their predecessors. For starters, the new sedans are larger. They're more than two inches longer and three inches wider, and wheelbase has increased 1.4 inches. Most of the increased exterior dimensions translate into more interior space, particularly in the back seat. Moreover, BMW claims the new body is stronger, in that it is more resistant to twisting or bending from road shocks. A rigid structure is crucial to its success and performance in virtually every other respect. Some reviewers have claimed that the new 3 Series has been spared some of the styling excesses in the BMW 5 and 7 Series cars. Certainly the approach with the 3 Series has been more conservative, and it's easy to understand why. This car accounts for nearly half of BMW 's income. Nonetheless, spared is not a word we'd use for the 2006 3 Series sedans. The predominant theme in front is BMW's traditional double beam headlights, now under clear covers that wrap around the corners and taper to a point to emphasize the car's width. In profile, the sedan's front and rear overhangs seem even shorter than before. The hood line continues past the windshield pillars all the way to the rear, while the roof line is rounder than before. Design is the most subjective of all automotive traits, and clearly the 325i and 330i retain some basic BMW qualities or character. Yet in certain respects they also look more generic than their predecessors. The sides are basically flat planes with a single crease below the door pulls and above the wheel wells, but the ends of the car are busier, and we've yet to discover cohesion to the design. Particularly in rear view there are lots of lines, and in this aspect the 3 looks as if it might have been designed in Asia rather than Munich. In short, we're not sure we like it, or at least we're still getting used it. One thing is certain. Larger wheels and tires filling the wheel wells are almost always a good thing for appearance's sake, and we like the new wheel upgrades (to 17-inch on the 325i and 18-inch on the 330i). The 330i can be distinguished from the 325i by more than its wheels. The 330i's windows and grille slats are trimmed with chrome, while slats across its lower front air intakes are body colored rather than black. Another sure thing: the new sedan's trunk is larger, and it's another sign that BMW has tried to make the 3 Series more consumer friendly, as well as stylish. Volume has increased from 10.3 to 12 cubic feet, giving the 3 Series trunk space that's more competitive. Moreover, the trunk opening is considerably larger, making it easier to get things inside, and the additional trunk volume does not count a new divided storage bin under the load floor (where a spare might have gone, if not for the new run-flat tires). There's also a drawer hanging under the rear interior shelf to take better advantage of what is often useless space. The new 3 series is still available with a split-folding rear seat and ski sack, expanding cargo space into the rear of the cabin. The new sedan's co-efficient of drag has been improved as well, meaning that it is more slippery as it cuts through the air. Other things being equal, that means more fuel efficiency, because it takes less power to move the 3 Series at a given speed, and there's less wind noise generated around the car. The high-tech theme that permeates the 2006 3 Series sedans is even visible from the outside. The 330i comes standard with adaptive halogen headlights that turn with the steering wheel to aim into a curve. All models also have BMW's adaptive brake lights, which are based on the idea that drivers in the cars followi

Interior Features

While we aren't completely enamored with everything in the new 3 Series interior, we have very few gripes. The cabin takes the best of several ideas introduced in the larger BMW 5 and 7 Series sedans, synthesizes them for a smaller car and improves them in the process. The most obvious change is the starter. The 3 Series sedans no longer have a keyed ignition switch, relying instead on a slot-type key fob and a starter button. The fob goes in a slot next to the steering column, and you push the button to fire up. The Comfort Access option ($500) makes everything automatic. With fob in pocket, the doors unlock automatically as the driver approaches and the seats are waiting in their proper position. The driver just pushes the start button, and pushes it again when it's time to get out. Seats have always been one of this car's strengths, and the new ones are better than ever. Even the standard-trim front buckets provide excellent support without feeling too hard. The manual adjustments work great, though we recommend using them when the car is parked. The 330i gets power adjustments with three memory positions coded to the key. The 10-way power seats that come with the Sport Package are outstanding. Additional back and bottom bolstering make them a bit harder to slide into, but we'd rather have them during a spirited drive. The new instrument panels have a pronounced horizontal format, with more community and less driver orientation than before. There are actually two: standard, with a single bubble or hood over the instrument cluster, and optional, with the navigation system. The option dash features a "double wave,'' with a second hood above the navigation screen at the top of the center stack. The front door panels are different, too. The passenger side has a sloped, vertical door pull, while the driver's door lays the door pull horizontally in the arm rest. Moreover, the new doors address one of our biggest gripes with the old 3 Series interior. Window switches are now clustered near the driver's arm rest, where they're easier to locate without glancing, rather than spread around the gear change on the center console. The soft vinyls and plastics in the new 3 Series sedans are an improvement in both touch and appearance, and they put the car more closely in line with the best cars in this class for materials and workmanship. Burr walnut trim is now standard, and there's a lot of it on the dash and doors. BMW's Leatherette vinyl is not the least bit tacky, though the optional leather is soft, thick and tight. The new 3 follows BMW's tradition of soft orange backlighting for the instruments. Some will like it, some won't. For the first time, the 3's automatic climate control features separate temperature adjustments for driver and front passenger. There's also a new mist sensor that measures moisture on the windshield and automatically adjusts the defroster, as well as a heat-at-rest feature that keeps the cabin heating for a time after the car is turned off. The standard in-dash single-CD player is easy to operate and sounds good, with 10 speakers and separate subwoofers under the front seats. We'd have no problem living with it, but the 330i automatically gets an upgrade called Logic 7. This system adds wattage and three speakers, with the latest digital sound processing and surround technology. Audio controls on the steering wheel work well, once they're mastered. BMW's multi-layer, mouse-style iDrive interface is optional in the new 3 Series sedans, but if you want the DVD-based GPS navigation system, you'll have to take iDrive. We'd probably do without the nav system, and have encountered few people who remotely like iDrive. Yet there is this in BMW's defense: The art of driver-computer interface remains in its infancy, and no one does it very well. In certain respects the 3 Series cabin is more consumer-friendly