2010 BMW 3 Series Review

Introduction

After four full years on the market, you'd think someone would have come up with an entry-level luxury car to rival the current BMW 3 Series. Perhaps by now an automaker would have bribed a BMW engineer to fork over the blueprints, or maybe had its CEO take a 3 Series, hand it to his engineers and say, "Here, copy this." Indeed, the 3 Series is often imitated, but somehow it's never been duplicated. For unparalleled driving excellence, the 2010 BMW 3 Series is still where it's at.
As is typically the case, BMW has relentlessly improved this 3 Series since its debut in 2006. For '07, the 335i's twin-turbocharged inline-6 debuted, an engine that has been showered with critical praise ever since, and a sleek coupe and retractable-hardtop convertible also joined the lineup. For '09, the sedan and wagon's controversial taillight design was rectified, and a gloriously torquey and fuel-efficient turbodiesel inline-6 became available for the sedan. Heck, BMW even managed to fix iDrive last year, thanks to a proliferation of physical buttons and a much-improved menu structure. All of that partly explains why the 3 Series is still the most desirable car in its class, even at the ripe old age of five.
The other part is the inherent goodness of its chassis. Quite simply, no other entry-level luxury model can match the 3 Series' exquisite combination of athletic handling and premium ride comfort. Even the base suspension setup is more capable than most, but the Sport package really brings the 3 into focus, giving it sports-car-grade cornering capabilities without the slightest hint of impact harshness. The performance numbers are impressive in themselves, but this car transcends them -- it feels even more confident and composed than those numbers suggest.
The 2010 BMW 3 Series has long been America's best-selling luxury car, and we see no reason why it won't retain its crown. Automotive journalists and consumers agree that the 3 is the segment leader, which highlights its irresistible appeal to enthusiasts and casual drivers alike. There are worthy rivals, of course, including the powerful Infiniti G37, the striking Cadillac CTS and the Euro-chic Audi A4. But even as the twilight of this model's production run approaches, the 3 Series continues to reign supreme.
For Pricing information, see our Pricing page.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2010 BMW 3 Series is available in sedan, wagon, coupe and hardtop-convertible body styles. The base model for all styles is the rear-wheel-drive 328i, while the coupe, sedan and wagon also come in all-wheel-drive 328i xDrive guise. All but the wagon are available as the rear-drive 335i, while the sedan and coupe can be had in 335i xDrive form. The range-topping sedan model is the diesel-powered 335d.
Standard equipment on the 328i models includes 16-inch wheels, heated side mirrors, premium leatherette vinyl upholstery, automatic climate control and a 10-speaker CD stereo with HD radio and an auxiliary input jack. Coupe and convertible versions come with slightly more equipment, including a sport-tuned suspension on the coupe and a power-retractable hardtop on the convertible. In addition to its more powerful engine, the 335i adds 17-inch wheels, xenon headlights and power front seats with driver memory. The 335d is similarly equipped but includes xenon headlamps and a sunroof.
The Premium package adds leather upholstery (heat-reflective in the convertible), auto-dimming mirrors, Bluetooth connectivity, BMW Assist telematics and, on 328i models, a sunroof and power seats with driver memory. The Sport package specifies a firmer suspension on convertibles, sedans and wagons (the coupe already has this as standard) and all get larger wheels, sport seats and steering wheel, and special "Shadowline" exterior trim. The Climate package adds heated front seats and steering wheel, retractable headlight washers and fold-down rear seats (though the latter are unavailable in the convertible). Many of these items can be had as stand-alone options.
Among the à la carte options are xenon headlights and a sunroof (328i only), automatic high beams, a hard-drive-based navigation system with the iDrive controller, keyless ignition/entry, active cruise control, front and rear parking assist, an active steering system (335i only), paddle shifters for the optional automatic transmission, rear window shades, satellite radio, an iPod adapter and a Logic 7 surround-sound audio system.
For more Style information, see our Compare Styles page.

Powertrains and Performance

The 328i models are powered by a 3.0-liter inline-6 that produces 230 horsepower and 200 pound-feet of torque. The 335i gets a 3.0-liter inline-6, this one twin-turbocharged to produce 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. The 335d boasts a twin-turbocharged diesel engine rated at 265 hp and an enormous 425 lb-ft of torque. All gasoline-powered models come standard with a six-speed manual shifter, while a six-speed automatic with available paddle shifters is optional (standard on the 335d).
In performance testing, we've clocked a 328i sedan with the manual transmission from zero to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds, while the heavier convertible is a few tenths of a second slower. We've tested a variety of 335i sedans and coupes, and they consistently require a bit more than 5 seconds to reach 60 mph. The 335d did the sprint in 5.9 seconds.
According to the EPA, the 328i gets 17-18 mpg in the city, 25-28 mpg on the highway and 20-21 mpg combined, depending on body style and powertrain. The 335i with the automatic achieves 17 mpg city/26 mpg highway and 20 mpg combined, while the manual transmission and all-wheel drive lower those numbers slightly. The 335d is rated at an impressive 23 mpg city/36 mpg highway and 27 mpg combined.
For more Performance Data, see our Specifications page.