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to Sport, you feel the suspension stiffen
up (but it doesn’t get uncomfortable) and
the steering weighs down. However, the
heavier steering feels a little too heavy
and too vague for my liking.
If this was my daily ride, I would just
leave it in BMW’s own default Comfort
mode. It just feels well-balanced in terms
of performance, handling and ride quality.
Even with the run-flat tires, the clever
suspension settings were able to mitigate
the tires’ harshness. The compliance and
control is well adjusted, making the car
feel agile. The capable chassis is a major
contributor to this nimbleness too.
Regarding Eco Pro, it retards throttle
response (perhaps a little too much) and
upshifts at the earliest sign of a throttle
input. I don’t doubt its frugality in rush
hour traffic but it’s not a mode I’ll use
outside of that, especially since this is
a BMW. But drive it well in Eco Pro and
you’ll get the satisfaction of seeing on
the trip computer how many kilometres
you’re “adding” back to the tank.
INTERIOR
The cabin is largely a black & grey affair
interrupted only by some silver on the
gearshift and controls and the red swathe
running across the dashboard as well as
the red threading on the steering and
leather seats.
Ergonomics is good with every major
control available nearby – on the steering,
iDrive knob or dashboard. The drive
mode buttons are easy to find on the
center console and provide good tactile
feel that you don’t worry about pressing
the wrong button. The iDrive knob gives
you just about everything in the car that
can be shown on the dash-mounted
display.
The driver’s seat is electrically ad-
justable and provides good support.
Unfortunately, it only has 2 memory
settings but it’s quite a cinch to move it
to your desired position.
VERDICT
The 320i is well placed in the 3-series
range, being more powerful than the
entry-level 316i and more affordable than
the brawnier 328i. It’s also more refined
now and sits in an acceptable price
bracket for a premium car. Among the
3’s, even among sporty premium sedans,
few give such an overall good impression
in terms of performance, economy and
handling.
Specif ications
ENGINE
1,997cc 4-cylinder twin turbo
OUTPUT
184hp@5,000rpm; 270Nm@
1,250 - 4,500rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-Speed automaticwithmanual
override
BRAKESANDSUSPENSION
Solid discs (front & rear); adaptive
dampers; ESC; ABS; EBD
TYRE SIZE
225/50 R17
WHEELBASE (mm)
2,810
DIMENSIONS (mm)
4,624 (L) x 1,811 (W) x 1,429 (H)
KERBWEIGHT (kg)
1,495
FUEL TANK (l)
60
PRICE
RM240,800
320i). On the road, this allows the 320i
to do 0-100km/h in 7.3 seconds. That’s a
big improvement over the old 320i’s time
of less than 10 seconds, a time which can
be achieved by many mainstream sedans.
Together with a smooth-shifting
8-speed transmission that works better
than its immediate premium rivals, I
would consider this new one a well-
defined sporty sedan. This peppiness
that’s so easy to have however makes
you feel that this 320i is sorely missing a
pair of paddle shifters.
Even with such an eager drivetrain,
the 320i’s official fuel consumption is just
6.0l/100km. Admittedly, I didn’t get close
to it in my test but put it in the right drive
mode, take away some spirited driving
and heavy traffic and it’s not difficult to
come close to the official figure.
DRIVE
The 320i comes with 4 drive modes – Eco
Pro, Comfort, Sport & Sport+; Comfort is
the default mode. Driving out of Wearnes’
showroom in Segambut, I headed for
a stretch of road that was a work in
progress. The adaptive dampers proved
their worth on that road. The car never
jolted any of its occupants.
On the highway, the engine’s punchy
response made overtaking a breeze even
in Comfort mode. Sport adds excitement
to your drive while Sport+ takes it a
notch further. Switching up fromComfort