BMW 3 Series [2012-2016] User Reviews

UPDATE - As of January 2015, I have managed to clock 28,000 km which includes at least 12 trips to Bangalore and one to Goa.  During a recent trip, I got around 22km/liter driving at 130km/hour.   The tyres are showing wearout and are due for replacement.  I have had a few tyre punctures but they were easily fixed at a roadside tyre repair place within minutes.  So, all this talk about run-flats being a risk is utter nonsense.  Of course, you should not deliberately abuse the tyres.

Exterior still looks immaculate since I have taken great care to maintain it (pressure washes, mirco fibre cleaning, liquid polishes every week).  Interiors are also in great condition as I have managed to enforce a strict "no food" policy so far :-)

Overall - I am still a highly satisfied customer.  

Rest of the review below....

Exterior

 Is a stunner.  Great finish, solid build.  Recently two teenagers banged their bike right into my door but the dent created was very small compared to the force of the impact.  On another occasion, my side mirror was forced shut be an incoming vehicle but nothing bad happened. You can actually feel the quality of parts.  Try doing the same with some of your favority Japanese or Korean models.

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort)

Most features are standard in all BMWs of the current generation.  I miss the "SOS" button that I used to have on my older BMW 330i, back in the USA.  Also, for Indian variants, they have foolishly removed "Cruise Control" and rear-seat split options. 

The driver seat memory option really helps my driver and I to swich our settings.

Leather seating is very comfortable and rugged at the same.  There is good tigh support.   Compared to Audi, this feels even more high-end and well designed.

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox

 184 BPH of pure joy greets you the moment you step on the gas pedal.  Though I drive using "Eco Pro" mode for efficiency, occasionally, I flip to "Sport" to remind myself of why I bought this beauty !

Acceleration is linear, transmission is super smooth.  Fuel economy in the city (with bad traffic) is around 12kmpl while the highway driving with speeds around 140kmh is round 21 kmpl.

Engine does make the ugly diesel sounds when at lower speeds.  You can't really make it sound like petrol.

Ride Quality & Handling

Even when I am making sudden lane changes or turns at high speeds (exceeding 100+ kmph), the car never squeeks.  It feels rooted to the ground at all times.  When I break, I seldom worry about what is in front of me.  I have to constantly worry about breaks of the car behind me  :-)

Ride quality is best in the "Comfort" mode but overall, sitting in the back is not as pleasurabe as it should be.  I find Audi, Merc or even a BMW 5-services offer better back seat comfort, especially for long drives.  Having said that, I must admit that this current generation 3-services has come a very long way to improve suspension in this car as compared to what it was in the 5th generation 3-series.

 

Final Words

In one sentence, I would say that I simply have NO regrets over my choice even after 14,000 km.

 

Areas of improvement  

Cruise Control is a must have feature

Back seat comfort should be further imporved

Back seat audio controls could be a good option (especially for India where in even 3-series cars are chauffeur driven)

Back seat split should be provided by default

 

Great looker, solid performance, very efficientNo Cruise control option