In today’s auto market, consumers have numerous decisions to make before purchasing. Even after deciding on a brand, model

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and body style, there’s a choice of engines and drivetrains to consider. Offering such options is one of many things BMW does well, and its iconic 3 Series is the poster child of variety.

You might be surprised to hear that BMW can equip a 3 Series with up to six different engines, three different transmissions and either rear- or all-wheel drive, depending on the body style. The sedan, which is the subject of this test, comes in all iterations, starting with the most affordable 320i, followed by the 328i, 335i, and the clean diesel-powered 328d I recently had the pleasure of driving. Of course there’s the wickedly fast M3 as well, plus at the other end of the performance spectrum the thrifty yet still very quick ActiveHybrid 3.

If

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you want strong performance with the best fuel economy, however, the new 328d is the way to go. Its official claimed rating is 6.5 L/100km in the city, 4.5 on the highway and 5.0 combined, making it as stingy on a tank of fuel as many mainstream hybrid models. And while it doesn’t deliver the kind of high-end power as a 328i, 335i or better yet, the ActiveHybrid 3, the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel’s 280 lb-ft of torque makes it plenty quick off the line, taking about seven seconds from standstill to 100km/h when set to Sport mode, while its 181 horsepower allows it ample speed on the highway. We can thank BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system as well as the engine’s lightweight aluminum and magnesium construction for some of the car’s quickness, not to mention extensive use of aluminum in the new 3’s chassis and body shell, plus high-strength steel in the latter.

I’ve

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driven countless miles in BMW’s diesel-powered models and would choose one over any of its other powertrains if it were my money on the line. Currently diesel fuel is priced quite a bit lower than gasoline (although that’s not always the case), which certainly helps with the family budget, while its ability to achieve approximately 10-percent greater range per tank not only makes it cheaper to operate, but reduces time spent at refueling stations, and that’s a real-world luxury worth investing in. Add to that a diesel engine’s longer lifecycle, reduced need for regular tune-ups, plus higher resale values and a strong case can be made for converting to Rudolf Christian Karl’s invention.

The rest of the car is pure BMW 3 Series, a model that continues to be revered as the compact premium benchmark. The 328d isn’t tuned as sportingly as some of the

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other models in the 3 line, which is ok by me. Then again you can opt for a Sport package upgrade that not only improves handling with larger wheels and the option of a sport suspension, but enhances the car’s visual appeal too.

Off the mark the 328d can be had in three trim levels, starting with either the standard Luxury or no-cost optional Modern line, followed by the Sport line just mentioned, a $1,500 upgrade. The Luxury line is for traditionalists, featuring chromed exterior detailing on the outside and the no-cost option of burl walnut accents on the inside, while the Modern line replaces some of the Luxury model’s exterior chrome with matte black detailing and goes with brushed aluminum for much of the interior trim. The Sport line, on the other hand, gets the option of high-gloss

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black coated mirror housings, B-pillars plus front and rear fascia highlights, while the cabin comes with the same high-gloss black treatment or can be enhanced with unique Coral Red accents, as can the leather upholstery. A sport steering wheel with paddle shifters also gets added, as do sport seats, an anthracite roofliner for a sportier appearance, and most importantly the Sport rides on a set of sweet looking double-five-spoke 19-inch rims.

My tester was the latter, complete with gloss-black mirror caps and the Coral Red interior treatment. Talk about a standout car, its Glacial Silver metallic on red colour scheme made me feel like I was driving a classic BMW of yore, although the full assortment of electronics on board certainly wasn’t old school. Hardly short on upgrades, BMW supplied the optional $4,000 Premium package complete with navigation and a rearview camera integrated into an 8.8-inch colour infotainment

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display (which replaces the standard 6.5-inch display), auto dimming side mirrors, proximity sensing remote Comfort Access, a heated steering wheel, front and rear Park Distance Control, SiriusXM satellite radio, and skiers take note, a handy rear seat pass-through. My tester also had the $1,350 Driver Assistance Package that includes Active Blind Spot Detection, Lane Departure and Collision Warning, and a Surround View monitor, while $895 worth of previously mentioned metallic paint rounded out the options.

There are plenty of additional extras that can make your 328d more pleasurable to live with, but even the base car won’t leave you feeling shortchanged. An efficient eight-speed automatic transmission comes standard, as does speed sensitive electric power steering, HID headlights, adaptive LED taillights, fog lights, a leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel, leather upholstery, ambient interior lighting, Driving Experience Control (featuring Sport and Sport+ modes, Comfort mode, and ECO-PRO mode), dynamic cruise control, auto start/stop that shuts

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down the engine when it would otherwise be idling, brake energy regeneration, powered front seats with heated cushions and driver memory, dual-zone automatic climate control, rain-sensing wipers, a powered glass sunroof, nine-speaker audio with USB integration and Bluetooth hands-free, run flat tires, traction and stability control, and a full array of eight airbags.

The 3 Series is roomy up front and the seats are truly comfortable plus more supportive than some others in the class, while its rear seats aren’t quite as accommodating as a few of its peers. Still, I’m five-foot-eight and there were inches left over above my head and at the knees, so I’m guessing the majority of taller passengers won’t feel cramped. It’s a five-seater, but like most in the compact class the centre position shouldn’t be used for strapping in a large adult for any lengthy drive. As for storage, the 328d’s

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trunk is spacious at 368 litres, and if you need more you can opt for a 328d Touring (BMW-speak for sport wagon) that delivers 495 litres behind the rear seatbacks or a max of 1,500 litres with those seats folded flat. This would be my choice, with the added bonus of an available M Sport line in optional Estoril Blue paint.

However you want to configure your 3 Series, there’s bound to be one that suits your sense of style and lifestyle. Few cars combine the quality, driving enjoyment, efficiency, feature set, and expected resale value of a 328d, which should make it a very popular model once word gets out. That the new 3 looks so good overall, is just an added bonus.
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