Review of the new BMW 320i

For so long, a four cylinder engine under the bonnet of your BMW marked you down as that most craven of badge snobs. It represented the skinflint's way of buying into the marque. There were exceptions to this rule, but the image obsessed sales rep was usually the one to be found mercilessly thrashing a four-cylinder 3 Series, having ticked the box marked 'badge delete' to keep everyone else in the dark. The entry-level six-cylinder model has traditionally been the 320i. First introduced in 1975, the 320i now needs to work harder than ever to maintain its position, especially as it now sports a four-cylinder engine.

The truth for British motorists is that on most objective scorecards, the 320i loses out to its 320d diesel sibling. The diesel car is cheaper to run, has a beefier resale value, lower emissions and although it's slower against the clock on most measures, it feels a whole lot more muscular. That's the practical side covered - now for another perspective.

While the roar of that diesel engine when fully extended is purposeful at best, compared to the 320i, it's much like putting me up at the microphone against Luther Vandross. Those who get a kick out of the finer aspects of driving are already attracted to the sheer depth of engineering inherent in a 3 Series and they'll understand the importance of a beautifully balanced naturally-aspirated engine. Blip the throttle in a 320i and it responds instantly. Heel and toe downchanges are utter simplicity, as there's none of the mushy response of a turbocharged engine when caught off boost. Although the 320d may offer the average motorist more for their money, in any longer term relationship between car and driver, the 320i is a more satisfying companion.

"The 320i badge is laden with over thirty years of history"

Improving the current generation 3-Series was never going to be easy and the latest car, priced in 320i form from just over £23,000, shows that the money men and the stylists went head to head when it came to the mid-term facelift. It looks like the stylists have blinked first, this 3-Series featuring changes so subtle that you'd be excused for missing them. Still, with this car accounting for fully 52 per cent of BMW's UK sales, alienating this bedrock of customers with a wilfully odd looking design was never going to make a sound business case.

Unusually for a 3 Series, it could be that what's on the bonnet gains as much attention as what's under it where this revised model is concerned. The styling has been updated in a number of small ways but the raised lines that fall down the middle of the bonnet are most noticeable. Elsewhere, the BMW trademark ringed side lights are standard and the grille has been tweaked while the entire rear light clusters are now entirely ruby red in colour and the side skirts have a more pronounced crease line. The interior looks largely similar to the previous model but BMW has again updated its iDrive control interface with scrolling menu displays designed to enhance usability. There's 8 gigabytes of music storage capacity in the system too, enough for 100 albums, while the quality of the trim materials around the cabin has also been enhanced.

These days, the 3-Series has to redefine its place in BMW's range, no longer being the entry level model, and the range must be planned so that 1-Series buyers can easily migrate to a Three on the way to bigger BMWs. At least that's what the suits in Munich are hoping.

The 320i uses an engine based on the architecture of the 318i motor. With improvements to the induction and VANOS systems, this engine jumps from the 318i's 143bhp to a round 170bhp. Although only possessing four cylinders, it has the smoothness of a six. Capable of covering the sprint to 60mph in 8.2 seconds and able to hit 142mph, the 320i can also manage to eke 46.3 miles from a gallon of unleaded.

Although it will do well to stave off the threat from within, the 320i must also look to best rivals from Mercedes, Audi, Jaguar and Lexus. First impressions suggest that for the serious driver, none of the others even gets close. If, like BMW, you understand what makes a great handling car, you'll find the sheer tactility and purity of the 320i utterly beguiling. If you're checking out rivals, try the 320i last. It'll make everything else feel woolly and lumpen. If, however, you can't run to the asking price, don't kid the salesman into a test drive. Whatever else you buy will seem very second rate.

TOP 5 3 SERIES DEALS

The results below show the top 3 SERIES deals on buyacar

BMW 3 Series 320d Luxury 4dr Step Auto Diesel Saloon
Price £28,706 Read 3 Series Reviews	Save £3,399
BMW 3 Series 320d Sport 4dr Diesel Saloon
Price £26,135 Read 3 Series Reviews	Save £2,945
BMW 3 Series 320d M Sport 2dr Diesel Coupe
Price £27,980 Read 3 Series Reviews	Save £5,435
BMW 3 Series 320d EfficientDynamics 4dr Step Auto Diesel Saloon
Price £26,581 Read 3 Series Reviews	Save £3,024
BMW 3 Series 320i M Sport 2dr Step Auto Coupe
Price £27,478 Read 3 Series Reviews	Save £5,257
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