Category: Compact Executive 
Price Range: £49,525 to £54,860
Quick, economical; excellent engine; all the usual 3-Series attributes
Not very roomy in the back; only a minor update for '09
The entry-level 3-Series is no low-rent lead-in model, but a desirable, appealing vehicle in its own right
The updated-for-2009 3-Series continues to be a class-leader in terms of driving dynamics, performance, refinement and all-round sophistication, though the redesigns to its bonnet, headlights and bumpers are reasonably subtle.
Main news with this update has been the introduction of the new 242bhp 3.0 straight-six diesel engine (see main story), but that's at the expensive end of the range: more relevant to most buyers will be this entry-level petrol unit, badged 318i.
Despite the '318i' label, this 143bhp engine's actually a 2.0-litre, and as with BMW's other four-cylinder units, it features stop-start technology to cut the engine when idling and thus reduce fuel consumption and emissions. It's available with ES, SE and M Sport trims, and prices start from £21,475; six-speed manual transmission is standard-fit, an automatic gearbox optional.
Latest Readers' Drives About the BMW 3 Series
wrote on 08 10 2007