2012 BMW 328i Review

Photo Property of BMW North America. Photo Shows 2012
BMW 328i in the luxury line.

There are always comments against a new 3-series when there is a change in vehicle size, engine displacement, or cylinder count. This new 328i has all three. Overall length is up by 3.7 inches with a stretch in wheel base of 1.9 inches. In addition, the engine has shrunk to a 4 cylinder 2.0L twin scroll turbo engine putting out 240hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. The 335i carries over the same engine, a 3.0L turbo charged straight six engine producing an even 300hp. On top of the engine, the 3 series now gains a no charge ZF eight speed steptronic automatic. 


During my review I had a chance to sample a 328i with the eight speed automatic in mineral white metallic with beige Dakota leather. This car included the optional premium package ($3,600) (auto-dimming mirrors, moonroof, comfort access keyless entry, lumbar support, power front seats, a universal garage door opener and a choice of leather seat options), split fold down rear seat ($475), heated front seats ($500), satellite radio ($350) and alarm system ($400). This brought the total as-tested price to $41,670 including 895 for destination and handling in addition to the $34,900 sticker.


To start with, I was not a fan of the last generation E90 3 series. I found the design to be awkward with bad placement of buttons (especially the window switches) to go along with awkward lines that defined the Chris Bengal era of BMW. I found the transmission to be jerky and harsh to go with an engine lacking pep (in the 328 anyway). With this new BMW, I have found all of my qualms of the previous generation repaired. I find myself falling back in love with the 3 series that I felt died with the production of the E46 line. My concerns about the reduced engine size, the creation of turbo lag and a boost in curb weight to support the increased size were immediately erased (in fact the new 328 is 80 punds lighter even with the increase in length).

Photo is Property of BMW North America. Sport Line
Interior Shown.

Inside the new 328 you will find a new driver oriented cabin that is both comfortable and stylish. The dash is turned slightly towards the driver with all controls in easy reach for the driver. This take the driver back to the E46 feel of control over the cabin. Fit and finish has a feel of quality to it. Seats, as is typical with BMW, are extremely supportive and comfortable even after a long period of time. The seats have plenty of side bolstering and the lumbar feature added from the premium package can make anyone comfortable. In addition, the rear has found an increase in legroom due to the extended overall length and wheelbase. Also trunk space has grown .7 inches bringing it to a total of 17 cubic feet. 

On a technology front, iDrive is now standard with a much improved interface. The car some stock with a 6.5" video screen that increases in size to 8" with the added navigation option. With the much improved interface, I found my iPhone connected quickly and also got the phone set up to play music through the stereo. 


On the exterior, you will find some carried over cues fromt eh previous generation but it is a new design that seems like a baby 5-series. I am a big fan of the connection of the headlights to the grille area, the dipping hood, and the slightly forward angle of the grille. The traditional ultra-short overhangs of earlier 3-series has grown with the increased length by about one inch at both ends. 


One of the most discussed new features were the four lines that would be offered. In addition to the base 3-series, there are now the modern, luxury, and sport lines. Each line features its own tweaks (including different interior and exterior cues) and 18 inch wheels. The M Sport line is not currently released but look for that later this year.


Another addition to the 3-series is start-stop technology. I am typically not a fan of this because I find it to be a frustration to a driver who is often stuck in stop-and-go traffic. This is far from a seamless system and you often find the car stuttering back to life of restarts and often did not even shut off at stops. This even began to annoy my BMW rider who looked to shut off the option shortly after leaving the dealer.


One feature was particularly useless. This is the ability to open the trunk by placing your foot under the rear bumper. This was disappointing to see when even a trained technician took five minutes trying to open the trunk before giving in. 


BMW has also reduced the number of drive modes to four (Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport and Sport+). Eco Pro mode reduces drag on the engine by running systems such as the air conditioning and seat heaters at less than full capacity. This mode, however, kills throttle responsiveness turning your $40,000 BMW into a car capable of losing to a Toyota Yaris in a drag race. While you are in the mode you are constantly receiving dash icons suggesting that you slow down and let off the gas. It did not take long to change to the other modes. All of the modes affect throttle responsiveness, suspension dampening (with the adaptive suspension) and steering effort. The only difference between Sport and Sport+ is that the computer puts the stability control into dynamic mode. Although sterring is a massive improvement over the BMW active steering fromt he E90, the steering often found more lock than you would ask for and a bit more variability that you would like.


The suspension is as great as you would expect it to be in a 3-series with perfect 50-50 weight distribution and a generous stability control system (which was still turned off anyway). The car felt controlled and easy to play with while driving around. It was very hard to notice a suspension difference between Sport and comfort modes, however. 


Overall, this is a great example of what BMW can do. I love the new efficient engine, the quality interior, and the ability to change the car from a quiet luxury car with a smooth ride to a wild beast of a sports car just by modifying the drive mode. I feel that the steering feel (or lack there of) as a result of the change to electronically powered steering assistance is a downside but since you are finding this in most current vehicles (even the new Porsche Boxster), it is not a major negative. I feel that the fantastic textured wood trim that I had in my test model should be more widely available. Finally, I feel that the increase i size was done well but there must be a point where it is too much. This 3-series passes the last generation 5-series in size.


Specs:
Body style: 4-door sedan
Accommodation: 5-passenger
Construction: Steel unibody

Measurements
L x W x H: 182.5 x 71.3 x 56.3 in
Wheelbase: 110.6 in
Track F/R: 60.3/61.9 in
Headroom F/R: 40.3/37.7 in
Legroom F/R: 42.0/35.1 in
Cargo capacity: 13 cu ft
Weight: 3406 lb
Fuel capacity: 15.6 gal

Powertrain
Engine: 16-valve DOHC I-4 turbo
Displacement: 2.0 liters (122 cu in)
Power: 240 hp @ 5000 rpm
Torque: 260 lb-ft @ 1250–4800 rpm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Drive: Rear-wheel
Fuel economy: 23/34 mpg (city/highway, estimated)

Chassis
Steering: Electrically assisted rack and pinion
Turning circle: 37.1 ft
Suspension, front: damper struts, coil springs
Suspension, rear: multi-link, coil springs
Brakes: Ventilated discs, ABS
Wheels: 19-inch aluminum alloy
Tires: Bridgestone Potenza S001
Tire size, front: 225/40R-19
Tire size, rear: 255/35R-19