Photo Gallery:
2014 BMW 328d xDrive
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4
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I have to apologize this week – that is snow you see in the pictures, and lots of it. In fact, when I picked up this week’s tester the roads were pretty darn awful. Welcome to Ottawa in December I suppose, although it is rare to be this snowed in this early. Thankfully, this week I’m driving a BMW 328d with xDrive and it is equipped with winter tires – bonus!
Hazard a guess as to what was the first thing I noticed when I stepped into the 328d was? A screen, plopped right down on top of the dash… where have I seen this before? Oh that’s right the 2014 Mazda3 I reviewed a few weeks ago – where everyone on the forums complained that the screen looks wrong – I wonder if they will complain again? For some reason I think not.
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If you aren’t aware the “d” stands for diesel on this model. Finally more options for us Canadians who seem to be increasingly asking for diesel engines as our tastes more closely mirror those of the European Union. And of course since displacement and numbers no longer line up at BMW, the 328d is obviously a 2.0L inline four-cylinder turbodiesel engine.
Output is low on the horsepower side for a luxury sedan at only 180 hp but torque is 280 lb-ft, which is substantial. But when you compare it to the gasoline 328i that offers up 241 hp and a nearly equivalent 255 lb-ft of torque it does make you scratch your head a bit… until you look at the fuel consumption estimates. The 328d is rated by Natural Resources Canada as a combined 5.6 L/100 km, even with all-wheel drive and a ton of luxury pushing curb weight to 1,642 kg (3 622 lb) – this is downright impressive.
With a price premium over the 328i xDrive of just $1,500, the diesel actually seems like a viable option for the 3 Series, although you are forced to go all-wheel drive and there is no manual transmission, Then again, this is how most BMWs are ordered these days anyways.
Pricing: 2014 BMW 328d
Base price: $47,700
Options: Sport Line – $1,500; Glacier Silver Metallic – $800;Driver Assistance Package – $1,350; Premium Package – $4,000, ConnectedDrive Services package – $850
Freight/PDI: $2,095
A/C Tax: $100
As-tested price: $58,345
Competitors:
Audi A4
Lexus IS
Infiniti Q50
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Volvo S60
For more information on BMW and the 328d visit BMW Canada
For even more on this car FOLLOW James on Twitter
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4
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I guess I was wrong – I didn’t think anyone would complain about the screen on the dash in the BMW 328d but some have, although probably only because I provoked them. For me the screen is just fine. It is not intrusive or in the line of sight when driving and it dims beautifully so I’m happy with it.
The menu system is a little confusing though and the controls not super-intuitive. There are a lot of settings and options available and with the large widescreen you can run split-screen setups to display your favourite bits of information all the time – no matter the menu you are in.
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The rest of the interior is very sporty, the red leather sports seats certainly make the interior pop although the centre armrest I find too far back and too hard to be of use. The armrest in the Versa Note I drove last week was more useful.
After a few weeks in hatchbacks I realize how difficult it is to see out of today’s sedans. If it wasn’t for the back-up camera reversing into a spot becomes a huge guessing game as you cannot see anything back there. The side mirrors are small making visibility tough, although the electronic systems like blind-spot monitoring certainly ease any worries when changing lanes.
The fold flat 60/40 split rear seats work well and offer a ton of trunk space with the arms of the trunk not intruding into the space. Despite the 3 series growing in every dimension, the rear seat room still feels tight and headroom feels tight as well. The fact I drove a sub-compact that felt roomier last week is telling I think.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4
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A diesel is still a diesel; there is no hiding the “rough” sounds of the engine at low rpm range but the smells and that awful feel of sluggishness certainly aren’t there with this incarnation.
Although I wouldn’t say the engine loves to rev, it does so surprisingly smoothly – I have a feeling the eight-speed transmission is a big factor as it is quick to shift and ultra smooth. The result is effortless acceleration, imperceptible shifts and a great driving experience.
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For those in a big hurry BMW has equipped this car with paddle shifters, and when switched into Sport plus mode the 328d feels remarkably sporty and responsive – not something typical of a diesel engine car. What is typical is the feeling of endless torque at low rpm, which makes this car a great highway warrior.
Out on the road you cannot hear the clanky-clank of the engine, although when you do give it some gusto the engine does emit some less than exciting noise. Then again, most buyers looking at this vehicle aren’t looking for performance but rather everyday driveability and comfort.
As far as dynamics in braking, turning and feel, this 3 Series is no different than the rest: it feels solid, nimble and fun to drive (despite the pundits saying it has gotten too soft). Would I use it as my track weapon? No. But for the everyday lane-changing and zig-zagging that most BMW drivers seem to feel they need to do, it works great.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4
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I’m a fan – a diesel fan that is. Always have been, although it is rare that I drive one and for my personal vehicle it wasn’t really a viable option. But here I am, one week with a luxury vehicle that offered comfortable driving in harsh conditions and returned downright amazing fuel economy – what’s not to like?
I suppose the only thing I could complain about was that diesel was seven cents a litre more than regular gasoline at the station where I filled up the BMW 328d. Then again, the station down the road that didn’t have diesel was only two cents a litre cheaper than the diesel pumps. But those seven cents didn’t really matter too much to me. I drove 380 km this week on just 25 litres of fuel, averaging 6.2 L/100 km and with the trip computer claiming I could travel another 580 km before empty. I was very happy indeed.
MSRP as tested (including destination): $58,345
For more information on BMW and the 328d visit BMW Canada
For even more on this car FOLLOW James on Twitter
