BMW 3 Series 2005 review

Sure, the over-starched creases along its flanks are audacious and there's a hint of Dr Frank N Furter in the angular front lights thick with mascara.

But this is not something from the Rocky Horror Picture Show — or if it was, it would have more to do with the conservative, clean-cut character Brad than a "sweet" transvestite from the planet Transexual.

As sales records for the car show, plenty of Brads (and Janets, too) are attracted to this fifth-generation 3 Series for reasons as varied as its looks, the blue-and-white badge on its bonnet and bum, and the driving satisfaction BMW has built into the small prestige sedan over the past three decades.

The model most favoured is the $54,600 320i Executive tested here, which for an extra $4700 over the baseline 320i sees the car embellished with a nicer set of wheels, front fog lights and creature comforts such as leather trim and exterior doorhandle lighting.

No matter how one looks at the sums involved, it seems like a lot of dollars when there's nothing more powerful than a 110kW 2.0-litre engine underneath that front propeller logo, as well as some startling shortcomings in terms of amenities and equipment.

A thoroughfare between the cabin and boot, in the form of either split-fold rear seatbacks or a ski hole, is not fitted standard. There is no electric seat adjustment or the means to alter seat lumbar support.

There is a dearth of storage throughout the cabin — a small glovebox, shallow front door bins and none of the following on the car we tested: centre console dishes, centre dash drawers, an overhead console, under-seat containers or seatback pockets.

Somewhere to stow a drink bottle? Forget it. The cup-holders that surface from the dashboard look and feel cheap. The window and wing mirror switchgear are placed too far away in an awkward, downward-sloping position. Executing basic tasks such as scrolling across radio frequencies take more time than should ever be the case with the (optional) iDrive controller. The exterior doorhandle on our test car kept sticking.

As is BMW's wont, there is also no spare wheel, just stiffer-sidewall run-flat Michelin Pilots on the rims that, in the event of a puncture, are claimed to be able to cover more than 250km while air leaks out of them.

Having said all that, those who have faith in high-tech rubber and can live without some practical features should find the 320i fits the bill. Cruise control, climate control, auto headlights, auto wipers, half-a-dozen airbags, anti-lock brakes and some of the latest electronic handling gizmos are onboard. The steering wheel has height and telescopic adjustment, tactile wands and stereo and telephone controls.

Even with the instant fuel consumption gauge still taking up valuable space (for nostalgic reasons, one presumes), the instruments are well laid out. And while the driver's seat is flat and lacks under-thigh support, the comfort it offers over a long-distance tour is impressive.

Rear-seat room in all directions is better than in the old model, although tall adults will hit the roof. There's not a skerrick of stowage in the back seat, and the centre position is too hard for even the most tolerant child, but there are at least a couple of air vents, map lights and a centre armrest (containing two more cheap cup-holders). The boot is an excellent size and, without that spare wheel, has a useful hole under the floor.

Above all else, the reason we continue to admire the 320i, now with the codename E90, is for the manner in which it conducts itself on the road. Matching the classiness of its E46 predecessor, this longer, lighter and stiffer version continues to impress with its high degree of body control, composure and cornering grip.

The electronic handling devices onboard are pleasingly non-interventionist (unless things get hairy), the steering is accurate, communicative and weighted to perfection, and the brakes are quite outstanding in their resistance to fade.

The ride is supple (and firm) and refinement levels are high, although the run-flat tyres do thrum across coarse bitumen and seem to be a contributing factor in the noise and vibration that can enter the cabin across cursed sections of road.

Developing 110kW at 6200rpm and 200Nm at 3600rpm, the 2.0-litre engine doesn't come close to BMW's excellent in-line sixes — doesn't cost as much, either — and with a full load onboard it forces the driver to labour with the less-than-smooth, standard-issue six-speed manual gearbox.

It isn't too much of a chore. Forcing the issue with the natural-breathing in-line four brings its inherent smoothness, sweet voice and reasonable strength to the fore. The 320i also averaged a wonderful 7.8 litres per 100km over our test.

Live a little with the new 3 Series and it becomes clear that BMW hasn't done the Time Warp again. The most restrained, conservative member of the household has a radical tinge and a few flaws, but its wholesomeness soon shines through.