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You'll have to do a comparison between her car and your IS300 that you had.
Yeah, it is quite an interesting thought - IS versus 3-series. They are so different in terms of technology and tuning, especially when it comes to the engines. Turbo versus NA is always a choice.
I was actually thinking even my GLI is a budget version of the same idea... sport sedan, compact dimensions, turbo four cylinder... although with front-wheel drive instead of rear. I did drive the two nearly back to back on Saturday, and I have to say the steering is the biggest difference. Maybe I'll get used to the 330i's steering, but I have to say I feel much more comfortable and confident when it comes to steering in the GLI. There really isn't much feel in the BMW, though I do think the rental X3 felt a little more video-gamey than this car. I never thought the Lexus came across as overly numb or video-gamey.
I wonder how the 3.5IS (refreshed model) is in comparison. At least they added a touchscreen and Android Auto/Apple Carplay!
Yeah, it is quite an interesting thought - IS versus 3-series. They are so different in terms of technology and tuning, especially when it comes to the engines. Turbo versus NA is always a choice.
I was actually thinking even my GLI is a budget version of the same idea... sport sedan, compact dimensions, turbo four cylinder... although with front-wheel drive instead of rear. I did drive the two nearly back to back on Saturday, and I have to say the steering is the biggest difference. Maybe I'll get used to the 330i's steering, but I have to say I feel much more comfortable and confident when it comes to steering in the GLI. There really isn't much feel in the BMW, though I do think the rental X3 felt a little more video-gamey than this car. I never thought the Lexus came across as overly numb or video-gamey.
I wonder how the 3.5IS (refreshed model) is in comparison. At least they added a touchscreen and Android Auto/Apple Carplay!
BMW steering feel is definitely its weak point. Its baffling how they were the best in class for decades then just lost the ability to dial in steering feel Everything else about the experience is pretty good though and wireless Carplay is nice to have.
Well, it's the end of an era. Today, my wife and I traded our Versa Note in on a 2021 BMW 330i with the M-Sport package!
Her birthday is coming up (in June, so... generously), and with me only recently getting a new job, I had a little budget to work with... Plus, we have had her Nissan Versa Note paid off for several months now. With me getting my 2020 VW GLI a few months ago, and this big move to the Atlanta area complete, it seemed like a good time to make a car change as well.
So why this 3-series? My wife has always been a BMW fan, if not exactly a "car guy" girl. Knowing this, I started looking into the numbers on one of these, and saw an opportunity. I asked her about other models like the X3, 2-series, and X1. Basically, it came down to the fact that we really didn't need the SUV format due to our kid-less status (if for the moment), and she preferred the more "normal" seating height of the 3-series. She also didn't want a boring color, and wanted something other than red. When we stumbled across this reasonably-optioned Portimao Blue Metallic 330i, it seemed like exactly what we were searching for.
This car has some nice M Sport specific touches, like the M colors on the blue-stitched seats, along with M Sport-branded wheels, M-colored carpet floor mats, and always-upright center caps for the wheels (Rolls Royce style). My driving impressions are pretty limited so far, with some residential driving in traffic as well as a brief highway ride, but I'll say it's a very smooth, luxury experience. However, with the M Sport dampers, it's certainly not floaty, either. The active exhaust sounds rather aggressive for what I had considered to be an entry-level car, with some nice burbles when revved. The ZF 8-speed is a champ as always, and other than it being somewhat awkward in the stop-and-go on the highway, it is smooth. Overall, it's very pleasant to drive - we'll have to test it out on the back roads to comment on the fun factor. However, I suspect it will be a hoot, with RWD, a great amount of power, and quick steering.
I just had to come on here and brag. Though this is the wife's car... Still, feels great to have a luxury sport sedan back in the stable again. Cheers.
nice choice of car. The 3 series is such a nice car. The perfect size, compact but not small. Sporty. Luxury. Lots of options. Excellent style. I love the overall design of the car. I’m so confused with engines these days. What engine does this have?
nice choice of car. The 3 series is such a nice car. The perfect size, compact but not small. Sporty. Luxury. Lots of options. Excellent style. I love the overall design of the car. I’m so confused with engines these days. What engine does this have?
2.0 inline 4 turbo - great engine from my experience with the G20 330i.
Congrats to you and the wife! Big upgrade sure she'll enjoy her time in it. Now time to start reading as I'm sure you will lol, was trying to show my mother some settings on her BMW she just got and it's extensive.
I like the tightness of BMW steering, but with that comes that numbness. I think the majority of drivers appreciate that. I think it's pretty cool at first when I test drive someone's, but like most enthusiasts...I want to feel the road and know just "where I'm at".
it will be very comfortable though.
the new car looks really sharp! And no doubt it drives well. You mentioned firm ride, does it have adjustable ride suspension?
Thanks!
And to the suspension question: nope. I played with the Individual drive mode settings and didn't see anything in there about the suspension. Meh.
I would say it's firm but not unpleasant. For instance, I am pretty sure my GLI rides about the same but doesn't insulate the impacts quite as well as this 3-series does. The BMW has a little bit longer wheelbase which probably also helps. Though, overall I am surprised that they went this firm with the suspension, especially considering it's not adjustable.
Just noticed this neat welcome light last night. Nice touch, BMW!
BMW calls this something like the Welcome Light Carpet. On our X3 the interior overhead lights have a similar pattern on the lenses. Is it the same on your 330?
BMW calls this something like the Welcome Light Carpet. On our X3 the interior overhead lights have a similar pattern on the lenses. Is it the same on your 330?
Yes, there's a similar pattern on the overhead lights. I like it.
Figured since I have driven the car a little more I'll list my hits and misses so far:
Hit: Sport mode. I like the way this has been programmed. It opens up the exhaust flap and makes throttle response a little more aggressive. It also noticeably improves gear shift speed. The car feels lively in this mode without being borderline unusable on the street like some cars do in their Sport modes (lookin' at you, Mk7 GTI).
Miss: Brake pedal. The brake pedal is oddly touchy, and it is difficult to come to a smooth stop in this car. The initial inch or so of the pedal has a big effect. This is coming from a GLI owner - a car which is known for having pretty immediate brake response as well.
Hit: Manual shifting. The paddle shifters command near-instant gear changes from the 8-speed, both up and down. It's something I could do all day long, not just in spirited driving like in, for instance, my GLI, which gets lazy if I try manually shifting in normal traffic. Moreover, if I give it some throttle, the shifts have a little jerk, or kick, which is satisfying.
Miss: Overly-aggressive lane-keeping. I think it's best to just shut off lane-keep assist in this car on a back road. If I try to dodge a pothole or even get close to the center line, the steering wheel unnervingly vibrates and tries to correct the car's line. The car is so easy to place on the road that I don't really see a need for this outside of longer highway trips, during which fatigue may become an issue.
Hit AND Miss: Steering. The car has some of the best on-center response of the cars I've driven before and generally feels pretty sporty. In Comfort, the steering is quite light but not unnaturally so, and it gets pleasantly weighty in Sport. However, I would say that it borders on twitchy in some situations. Perhaps a variable-gear-ratio system like the one in my GLI would have cleaned up the off-center twitchiness. But, when throwing this car around a roundabout, the linearity makes it very easy to adjust the line.
05-10-21 | 07:57 AM
Everything else about the experience is pretty good though and wireless Carplay is nice to have.
