Category: Compact Executive 
Price Range: £21,475 to £38,250
Superb refinement, superb quality, terrific detail design and general all-round ability.
Not the entertaining driver's car that BMW fondly claims. Pricey too.
The best in this class, if not as much fun to drive as the Alfa 156.
Generally well-built, with substantial bodywork and good-quality interior, the E46 3-Series performed only averagely well in some customer satisfaction surveys. Problems reported include heater and thermostat failure, turbo problems with 320d and 330i, ignition coil problems and failure of the SMG transmission and, at high mileages, the auto 'box.
