An Excellent Car Competing Against Other Excellent Cars

Appearance:
To say the least the styling of the three series didn't exactly blow me away. However, I was rather pleased that BMW avoided the trendy styling that other manufactures have resorted to. While not a showstopper, the three series has aged well.

Safety/Safety Features:
As with many other cars in its class, the Bimmer has its fair share of safety gear. Dual front and side airbags come standard as well as a head protection system for the front passengers. All seat belts have pretensioners and the car automatically unlocks its doors and turns on its 4-Ways after being involved in an accident. However, it should be noted that BMW's Head protection system in not a curtain airbag protecting both front and rear passengers like other cars, just the front passengers. Rear side (not head) airbags are optional. Traction control in conjunction with ABS and a stability system help you avoid using those other safety features in the first place.

Safety Ratings:
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave BMW its highest rating of "Good" in its offset crash test.

Handling:
The handling is what you expect from BMW, minimal roll, dive, and squat. No one has a steering system that communicates as well as BMW's does; it is truly surreal. Braking was really the only area that I felt needed some improvement; while the pedal feel was excellent, panic stops seemed to take longer than expected, but I couldn't detect any fade even when I knew the brakes had to have been very hot. Power delivery is the smoothest of any car I have ever driven, always the right amount of power at the right time, BMW will be hard pressed to improve this in the next model.

Ride:
You would think that the Bimmer would have an overly firm ride, giving its handling abilities. However, that couldn't be less true; it delivers a well-controlled, compliant ride.

Fit/Finish:
When compared to some of its competitors, the three series ranks neither high nor low. The quality of plastics and materials used were good overall, and panel fits were tight; but it is a bit outclassed when compared to the A4 and the Lexus ES.

Interior:
The seats were generally comfortable and I found the proper seating position in no time. The ergonomics were better than in the past, only some controls were a bit cryptic, something BMW shares with other German manufactures. Space was what you would expect from a car of this size, but there was plenty of room for all passengers of average stature. The automatic climate control worked easily and efficiently.

Audio:
I had driven other cars up to that point that had stellar sound systems, mainly the Volvo S60 with the surround sound option. I came away a bit disappointed with the BMWs stereo, while it provided good sound, it was nothing special, also I should note that this was the optional H/K system.

Price:
This car isn't exactly a steal, dealers know they have a good product and let you know it by being sticklers to the sticker. Options quickly raise the price that makes the three even less appealing. My insurance quotes were also steep, but I expected that. Included with the car is 3 years / 36,000 miles of free maintenance.

Summary:
Overall, the BMW is arguably the most well rounded car in its class. Other competitors hit BMW were it hurts with their models, mainly in the price and room category, because they know they can't match its handling and overall goodness.