Category: Compact Executive 
Price Range: £21,525 to £38,060
Superb refinement, superb quality, terrific detail design - now even better to drive
Not much; a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for, and it's a bit cramped too.
If you're happy with a BMW - and plenty are - a sensible and hugely satisfying buy.
A slight downgrading from the previous E36 version's five stars, because the ride quality has been mildly compromised by sharper handling. On bumpier British roads, the 3-Series is more jostling than before. Otherwise, it's very good: noise levels are low, the engines are cultured and the car generally feels serene. The sports seats, however, offer little back support and the lack of cushion tilt on the cheaper models may be a problem for some. Air-conditioning is standard on all models.
Room for four is good, especially in front, but a fifth occupant will not be sitting comfortably (nor will they have a three-point seatbelt). The boot is fair, but suffers with a small aperture, while provision for stowage of oddments in the cabin is excellent. The basic stereo was by now pretty good in the 3-Series; options included hands-free phone operation, a minidisc player and two forms of sat-nav, one providing guidance via the stereo display, the second via a large LCD colour screen that doubles as a TV.
