The Latest BMW 3-Series has certainly continued where the old E46 model left off. Bigger, quicker, cleaner and more economical - today's 3-Series has the upperhand on all the previous generations. The styling is spot on and if BMW can continue to maintain their prestige image balanced against huge sales, the E90 3-Series should continue to soar. One model that figures highly in the continuing 3-Series success story is the mid-range 325i SE petrol model we look at here. The 325i SE has always been seen as a credible set of wheels amongst the chattering classes and this offering from BMW will certainly need to maintain their loyalty.

Many of the contemporary BMW styling signatures are present on the car, although they have been toned down radically. The sill line is bowed, although nowhere near as drastically as in, say, a 1-series. Compare how the rear bootlid is a chamfered and smoothed version of that worn by the 5-Series. Even the flanks betray a less aggressive concave contouring, while the rest of the traditional BMW cues such as the 'Hofmeister Kink' at the rear window and the kidney grille are present and correct. Although it's not what you'd call a striking piece of design, it is nevertheless mature and assured.

Priced at £26,475, the 325i SE features BMW's familiar smooth and silky straight-six 2.5-litre petrol unit that now utilises Valvetronic technology that does away with conventional throttle butterflies in favour of a complex electrically-powered valve lifting system. This impressive engineering results in 218bhp and 270Nm of torque. It is certainly enough power to entertain, especially when mated to the excellent new manual six-speed gearbox. This power is reflected in the sprint to 62mph which is achieved in a 6.7 seconds and a top speed limited to 155mph. Despite this, the fuel economy figures are pretty good at 40mpg. The Valvetronic engine is a surprisingly clean unit given its prodigious outputs and features an electric water pump to cool the engine block for increased efficiency. The car also features the BMW EfficientDynamics programme which uses Brake Energy Regeneration and Auto Start-Sto,p amongst other technology, to maximise engine efficiency. The CO2 emissions run out at a tidy 170g/km.

"There is little to match it in the premium sports saloon sector ?."

Standard equipment on the 325i SE includes 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic air-conditioning, a multifunction steering wheel and a sensible auto-dimming interior mirror that makes night driving much more agreeable. Parking is made less of a gamble with rear distance sensors and motorway driving more relaxed with cruise control.

Inside, BMW have used their experience from five generations of 3-Series to create an interior with true style. The standard car features a single binnacle housing the classic twin circular dials for speed and rpm. If you opt for either of the satellite navigation systems, you will also inherit BMW's iDrive system with the controller set in the centre console and the display screen mounted in the middle of the dashboard. The designers have angled the dashboard by four degrees towards the driver, giving a cosseted feeling and ensuring that all the controls are readily to hand. The iDrive is still not a system that is totally convincing in this environment and for many, the jury is still out. One neat touch is the programmable shaft-less key fob. Once slotted into the ignition socket it allows the driver to use the start/stop button to fire up the engine with a single push.

The balance of weighting between the steering and the slick six-speed gearchange, together with the effort required to depress the various pedals is all beautifully judged. The spacing between those pedals, the driving position and the sightlines out of the cabin all lend the belief that the 325i was screwed together by a manufacturer who deeply appreciates the finer aspects of building a car. Drive other rivals and you'll see how quickly they drop the ball in these apparently fundamental regards.

Safety has become a big selling point in less prestigious models than this 325i SE but BMW are well up to speed here with six airbags and Dynamic Stability Control Plus (DSC+) as standard. The DSC+ system links the traction control, stability and brake assistance features into one homogenous unit. They work in harmony with each other to keep this 3-Series totally under control, even under the harshest on conditions. Amongst its attributes, DSC+ primes the brakes for emergency stops, clears the discs of surface water and reduces the effects of brake fade. If you opt for BMW's Active Steering, then DSC+ ensures greater stability when braking hard on varying surface conditions.

Run-flat tyres are used with every tyre and wheel option on this 325i model. Although some have grumbled about the deterioration in ride quality when run flats are specified, it's worth noting that this is only normally the case when the run-flat is an optional extra. When, as is the case of the E90 3 Series, the suspension has been tuned to accommodate the stiffer sidewalls of a run flat tyre, the overall ride quality isn't noticeably inferior.

It was a tough ask to create a car that would continue the relentless success of the 3-Series but BMW would seem to have pulled it off yet again and the 325i SE deserves to be one of the most sought after models in the range. There is little to match it in the premium sports saloon sector, so don't be surprised if you find one parked next to you in the company car park.

TOP 5 3 SERIES DEALS

The results below show the top 3 SERIES deals on buyacar

	BMW 3 Series 325i [3.0] SE 2dr Auto Coupe
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £339	Price £30,111
	BMW 3 Series 325i [3.0] M Sport 2dr Coupe
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £380	Price £31,105
	BMW 3 Series 325i [3.0] SE 4dr Auto Saloon
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £1,632	Price £26,583
	BMW 3 Series 325i [3.0] SE 4dr Saloon
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £1,483	Price £25,097
	BMW 3 Series 325i [3.0] M Sport 4dr Saloon
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £1,723	Price £27,497