Let the car handle the traffic
Self driving cars - it’s a negative idea for those who enjoy the drive. The control of the car, the shifts, the cornering, the accelerating, the noise. All those joys could soon be lost in a world of self driving vehicles. But what about cars that still provide the joy of driving but can take over in that moment no one loves: traffic. BMW has provided such a vehicle with the 330i.
The 330i is essentially the starting point for BMW, so loved that the 3-series is BMW's most successful model and the world's best selling premium car. Sure, there’s more affordable or smaller options available, but for the average buyer, the mid-sized sports sedan is the entry point into the brand. The 3-series first started back in 1975 and now, in it's seventh generation, it has gone under the knife for a hefty facelift.
With a completely new body it still feels familiar, but this is more than a simple refresh. The front bumper and rear end are the most obvious cues to the new design, with softer curves from end to end. The updates continue on into the cabin with a fresh design. Updated seats with optional contrast piping and stitching now securely and comfortably hold you in place during a more spirited drive. A new gear shifter, updated steering wheel along with a new dash design are upfront. Trickling it's way down from the higher tiers the 3-series has soft LED lighting throughout that cabin. Really, the entire car has been refreshed. Annoyingly, leatherette is still the default seat trim, likely done to keep costs down, considering the 330i already starts at $49k before taxes and the many optional extras.
The 2019 330i has a new 2.0 liter, inline 4-cylinder engine with a slight increase in horsepower and a larger gain in torque. Now with 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque there is an increase of 7 hp and 37 lb-ft of torque over the previous generation. The added torque, along with other engine updates, helps get the sedan from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 and bring back that sporty fun that some had felt the previous models lost.
The new generation doesn't just bring back sportiness, but also takes away some of the stress when sporty driving isn't an option; i.e. traffic. If you add the $2,100 Advanced Driver Assistance Package you get Traffic Jam Assistant, which can easily navigate stop-and-go traffic, even in treacherous Toronto conditions. If you're stuck with the thousands of others making the slow trek into work or to home, just set the auto pilot on and even though it cautions you to stay alert, there is little else needed to navigate the busy roads, just keep your hands on the wheel. The Traffic Jam Assistant can handle the bends in the road, the changes in speeds and will stay engaged even if the car comes to a complete stop, and smoothly starts up again once traffic gets moving again. This could be the best optional add on for anyone dealing with transit-inept areas like Toronto.
This car had the sport pack, an optional extra which adds $2,000 to the price, which comes with a selection of wheels, sport suspension, a sport transmission with paddles, heated steering wheel, M aero and more. A great addition, but annoyingly it fills the car with M-badges when the car is not an M car. I counted 7 different M-badges. These identifiers should be reserved for the real M cars, like the M2, M3, and so on, and not on your average BMW.
The 3-series is BMW's best selling vehicle, and this new generation shouldn't break the trend. It's new look may only be an improvement to some, as the case with any car, but with an improved cabin and increased driving performance, the 2019 330i builds on its legacy. It is the benchmark for premium sedans, and it just got a little better.
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