The BMW 3-Series is the perfect entry level, sporty luxury car. The looks and brand project a great image and the BMW engineering makes this car much more fun to drive than its peers. The 3-Series is all about balance, the right amount of space, a good value and great performance. We had the car for 3 years (lease) and never had any real issues. The only small problem was with the tire pressure sensors that needed to be reset a few times, this was actually pretty easy to do myself once I figured out how (thanks Google!) Exterior: looks sharp, no complaints Interior: plenty of room, the fake leather seats (yes I am cheap) are comfortable on all but the longest of trips. The iPod integration works good enough, but the software is reminiscent of an old mainframe system...not the best, but can't think of any car makers that had gotten this right at the time. We added some rubber mats, since I had heard that the carpets can get worn, especially on the driver's side. Performance: great handling, we test drove this a Volvo, Mercedes and an Audi...the 3-Series won hands down on power off the line, responsiveness and handling (I prefer the more direct handling of the BMWs vs. the more passive luxurious handling of the Mercedes.) This car also has a great turning radius...I was always surprised how quickly I could whip around in tight spaces. We traded this one and got a new version...will probably get another in a few years.

This is our second 328, we leased this one after a great experience with the last one. It was a great car for daily driving around the city and longer drives to the mountains. The 3 Series is a great combination of good looks, responsive handling, and ample power. This year they made a few interesting changes. Performance: The inline 6 cylinder was swapped out for a turbo charged inline 4 cylinder. Despite the step down in cylinders, the car is very snappy with lots of reserve power off the line and for highway passing. They also added an emission reducing / fuel saving auto-engine shut off, that can be a bit annoying in stop and go traffic. Interior: The biggest improvement to the interior is the addition of a more integrated central display monitor. The system relies on an evolved version of the infamous iDrive control system, which is better than initial versions, however, it still is sub-par and clunky (especially when navigating a connected music device). The latest model has a bit more space in the back seat and trunk vs. the previous version. We mainly drove the car around the city (up and down the hills of San Francisco). We took a bunch or long trips to the mountains and despite rear wheel drive, the car handled great on the mountain roads and in deep snow (with chains). The seats are comfortable, but after a few hours in the driver’s seat it starts to get a bit uncomfortable.