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BMW steals a significant march on its rivals in terms of offering clean, efficient yet powerful engines - petrol and diesel, writes Iain Dooley
It's one thing to be in possession of a good product, but it's another thing to recognise that listening to your customers and acting on the feedback is just as important as blowing millions on advertising.
And so it is with BMW and its 3 Series range; the German car maker's incredibly popular and important compact executive motor has, in saloon and estate form, been treated to a mid-life upgrade. The firm has listened to feedback and the result is a familiar car boasting a few choice improvements.
The last few years have seen BMW steal a significant march on its rivals in terms of offering clean, efficient yet powerful engines - petrol and diesel. The latter remains the choice of many, especially in the fleet sector, so it should come as no surprise that the 3.0-litre unit in the 3 Series is all-new and offers a little more of everything: power and economy plus a pleasingly low CO2 rating.
Of course, not everyone requires a super-potent car like the 330d. In the real world, the 177bhp 320d variant has proven to be the preferred choice of many seeking a sensible mix of performance and economy. The 320d doesn't disappoint, delivering strong acceleration when it counts, high levels of refinement when cruising and more than enough flexibility to make stop-start driving around Manama bearable.
Along the way its official combined economy figure of 58.9mpg and 128CO2 rating should help make some significant savings. And if that's not enough, the car's very own stop-start mechanism shuts down the engine when you come to a stop, ensuring more fuel stays in the tank when you're not moving.
In fact, BMW's whole Efficient Dynamics programme has proven to be such a talking point that it not only caught out rival firms but various components of the system will see service in the German company's more expensive cars over time. Who said saving money was the preserve of the less well off?
With all that in mind, it's now acknowledged that nothing really comes close in terms of economy and performance when talk turns to BMW's 3 Series range, and with the help of a few styling and cabin tweaks the gap between it and its rivals has again widened.
They may be subtle, but the changes to the car's exterior do much to keep its appearance fresh. In a clever move, some optical illusion tricks has been deployed to make you think the car is a little longer and, especially at the back, a little wider.
Inside the car some of the switchgear has been tweaked, however the big news is the introduction of an all-new iDrive display and improved controller complete with useful shortcut buttons.
There's no question that the controller is a welcome upgrade, however the new display, user interface and features should finally banish the critics for good. Better mapping data with more detail, a more intuitive interface and an overall easier to understand way of navigating between the various features - phone, sat-nav, audio - make it worth the expense.
This is all great news, although it's fair to say that fans of the BMW brand are just as interested in the way the 3 Series drives as they are concerned how easy the car is to own. With the latter covered, the former proves to be just as good as the German firm says it is.
Realistically, compact saloons boasting balanced weight distribution and rear-wheel drive will always win in the face of the front-drive opposition. And for all the minor changes, the Three's accomplished on-road behaviour is what the car is all about. Direct, accurate, responsive and rewarding - it's all here.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
Model: BMW 320d SE saloon.
Price: From around BD16,000 on the road.
Engine: 2.0-litre diesel unit developing 177bhp.
Transmission: 6-speed manual transmission as standard, driving the rear wheels.
Performance: Maximum speed 143mph, 0-62mph 7.9 seconds.
Economy: 58.9mpg.
CO2 Rating: 128g/km.
