BMW 3 Series Sedan 320i Review: Safe bet made better?

What we like:

Solid yet luxurious interior. The wider track further improves handling.

What we dislike:

Overall performance suffers due to the lack of two cylinders. Transmission is also not as eager to kick down.

In terms of comfort, I have to unfortunately report that it still lost out to the A4. You see, the 320i feels firm and can get a little busy when driven over uneven surfaces. And unlike the A4, the 320i doesn’t come with any fanciful Audi Drive Select system that lets you choose between “Comfort”, “Auto” or “Dynamic”.

Oh well, you can’t have it all in life, can you? There always has to be a compromise. While the A4 is good in terms of comfort, it loses out to the 320i in terms of outright handling. But the 320i, while is darn good in terms of handling, lost to the A4 on comfort. Get my drift?

Now why should you get one? If you’re the badge-conscious type who enjoys driving hard when not with the family and at the same time appreciate German engineering, then you’ve found the answer in the 320i. For below $140k, it’s pretty affordable now, and if you think the Professional model tested here is a tad on the premium side for you (but it’s a BMW after all), there’s also the basic version that’s some $8,000 lesser.

The typical traits of a 3 Series still remains - slightly hard ride but class-leading handling, a recognisable face and a solid interior. With this enhanced 320i, BMW once again shows why you can never go wrong with a 3 Series…even though the competitions are rife.

Credits: Story & pictures by Azfar Hashim