I have a chance to drive a 2015 BMW 328i (F30 chassis) loaner car while my E90 M3 is in the shop. A note in the car indicates that this vehicle is optioned up to the grand price of $42,000; that’s quite a lot of money for an entry-level BMW. With just 72 miles on the odometer, the car is brand new and smells the part too. However, what does not look new are the smudges on the tan floor mats, seats and door handles. Dear BMW dealer, don’t specify light interiors in your loaner cars when you expect mechanics to be driving them!
This 328i has Pirelli Cinturo 225/50 R17 all-season tires–the thickest ratio sidewall I have seen in a long time–and BMW’s ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic gearbox. I don’t believe the sports suspension was specified; the car looked more like a luxury line model. (Does BMW still market the 3-series in luxury, sport and modern lines?)
The only other F30 I have driven to date was the 320d xDrive model we rented in Germany two years ago. Compared to that car, the 328i’s steering feels a little sharper. There is still not much feel in it, and the steering assistance is very boosted and light, but the response from the car is quick and precise. This 328i has an odd amalgamation of demeanors to its handling. The lightness of the steering comes across as a luxury approach to turning in the “let me get that for you, sir” sort of way. But the quickness of response from the chassis suggests sportiness or athleticism. I think BMW should pick one consistent philosophy for their tuning and apply it equally to all the systems of the car.
Around town, the 328i feels quicker away way from a stop than my E90 M3. This is not too surprising, as everything is quicker from a stop than my M3! The 328i’s quickness comes from the substantial creep built into the automatic gearbox and the very quick spooling turbo. The 2.0L 4-cylinder builds boost as soon as there is any rise in rpm, so the rubber-banding nature of an old school turbo engine (like the Evo’s) is nearly eradicated. I say ‘nearly’ deliberately because a slight sensation of delayed and then surging power is still identifiable. Regardless, there is more than enough torque for around-town driving, and you’ll win plenty of stoplight drag races if the guy in the next lane over is asleep or is driving a high-revving V8 with little off the line torque.
You’ll be comfortable around town too. The tilt and extension of the steering column are generous. (Though the upper reaches of the speedometer were blocked from view by the rim of the steering wheel.) There is equal adjustability to the seat. My only complaint about the otherwise comfortable seat is the lack of lumbar support. The engine note is quiet, though the noise entering the cabin is neither sporting nor sonorous. This 328i has a softer suspension aided by the thick tires to cushion the ride. I must be getting older because I really appreciated the cushy ride while driving back and forth in town.
BMW lavishes its M cars with interior upgrades, so it is not unexpected that the 328i’s interior does not match the quality of the one in my M3. All of the 328i’s plastic looks hard and plasticy even though soft-touch materials are used. The rubberized coating on my M3’s buttons has a matte appearance; the 328i’s finish is not as lush looking. The 328i also has a wood-trim centerpiece, which I have a hard time believing is real wood. It does not help that it sounds like hard plastic when tapped.
Further disappointing is the feel of the seat material. I don’t know if they are covered with vinyl or low-quality leather, but in either case, the upholstery is coarse and rough to the touch. My other complaint about the interior design is that the steering wheel bows its belly out at you as if it were bloated. This is a minor demerit, obviously, but it looks odd to my eyes. I expect the rim of the steering wheel to be set level with the closest portion of the airbag cover.
On the good side, the iDrive navigation has been improved since 2011, and the traffic data is more comprehensive. I also like how I can now write letters and numbers on the face of the iDrive rotary dial with my fingers; this is a much faster method of entering input than the prior approach of turning to select characters on the screen.
While this 328i is more luxury-focused, I still find it worthwhile to drive it on some challenging roads to gauge its capabilities. It is raining as I start my normal loop through the hills above Malibu. The composure of the car is good on bumpy roads, even when driving at elevated speeds. The 328i never feels out of sorts through quick transitions or over bumps. All of the bumps are supply absorbed without jarring the occupants.
Current BMWs have a rocker switch to change between different driving modes. This 328i has Eco Pro, Comfort and Sport. Eco Pro is obviously the most frugal (or laziest depending on your perspective) with slow throttle response and quick upshifts. It also saves fuel by using a coasting or “sailing” strategy that declutches the gearbox when my foot is off the throttle. Moving up to Comfort mode, the biggest change is the throttle mapping, which becomes dials in more throttle for the same amount of pedal travel. The result is that the engine feels more powerful and immediate, and the 328i feels honestly quick. Still, while climbing the mountain in Comfort, the transmission is having a difficult time picking the right gear. Sport mode holds the gears longer and also uses an even more aggressive throttle map. Still, the Sport gearbox programming is not up to the task of conquering the mountain roads.
Instead of downshifting as I brake for a corner, it does its downshifting on the way out of the corner as I apply the gas. I end up manually shifting the gears via the central joystick to make the car perform as I desire.
Ignoring my quibbles with its programming, the ZF automatic gearbox is a good device, especially in manual mode. When it downshifts, there is no shock or drag on the drivetrain; when it upshifts, the changes are quick, if smooth and smothered. I don’t sense any blipping or rev-matching when I downshift, but perhaps the engine is just too quiet to detect it. Eight gears are so many! In most curves, I felt like I can choose between at least two right gears.
Less right is the steering. Its resistance is luxury-light yet it has quick and precise turn-in. The combination feels out of place during sporty driving. Off-center, the way the steering resistance builds is springy. I cannot detect any changes is steering weight as the tires load or any fingertip feedback as the tarmac changes texture. I assume the following comes from the sidewall flex inherent to tall tires, but when I turn the wheel, there is a bit of lag before the car wholeheartedly responds to my input.
While the 328i is objectively fast in the canyons, it does not engage me with its road feel or engine song. This lack of feel and feedback mutes the sense of speed and removes the reward for undertaking heroic passes up the mountain. It is very possible to hustle the car and make fast progress, but I feel set apart from the car as it does my bidding.
The rain eventually stops, and I take in the spectacular views of mountains and clinging clouds. The air is full of the sweet coastal sage smells. I am so glad that I decided to defy the rain and go for a drive.
The roads start to dry out, and I pick up the pace. The bumps that were well absorbed before are still traversed with confidence, but now there is a hint of float from the suspension, and I am hilariously tossed up and down in my seat. Perhaps those fat tires are to blame, or the suspension is under dampened, or the seats are too cushy? Whatever it is, I wish I wouldn’t flop up and down quite so much when driving hard!
The 2.0L’s power quite good even though the grunt tapers off at high rpm. It is a small capacity engine, and a turbo at that, so there is little engine braking available. Considering that the 328i was once the entry-level 3-series, I am very impressed with the unit’s performance. Its main detractor is its sound, which is more repulsive than exciting. I suppose there are very few 4-cylinder engines with a good note—the best in my mind being Subaru’s boxer engine from the STI.
The brakes are good, and they hold up without a change of feel through my mountain passes. Still, I’d like a firmer pedal. It’s a little soft at the top of the throw before the pads bite. These may not be fair complaints though, this 328i had only 85 miles on it when I started into the mountains, and the pads may not have been fully bedded. I did see smoke rising out of the wheels after one spirited pass of Stunt Rd.
Even with all-season tires and wet pavement, I am impressed by the balance of the 328i. I am making fast progress, and yet I don’t seem to be finding the limits of adhesion. There is no understeer to report, and I only encounter some minor power-on oversteer when I make a hard, off-camber turn onto Schueren Rd. The whole package is very capable.
In sum, what is the 328i? Well, it is a punchy and comfortable around-town runabout with a thread of athleticism. The suspension, steering, and automatic gearbox are perfectly capable of fast canyon driving but don’t reveal in the activity. The 328i has smoothness and control instead of exuberance and energy. The lack of steering feedback and quiet engine note mute the sense of speed in this car.
I really want to love the F30 platform because there is an F30 that combines all of the elements that should make an enthusiast jump for joy: the diesel 328d xDrive sports wagon. However, after driving this 2015 328i and the 2013 320d xDrive, I now know that the driving feedback pleasures I need as a driving enthusiast are not available from this platform. I’ll have to look elsewhere for my thrills.
Mike's Steering Column 