Topic: Test Drive: 2013 BMW 328i xDrive

[Autos_Editor]

BMW backed off on the sporty dynamics of the 3, but it's still a terrific luxury compact, says Peter Bleakney.

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[sailor723]

Nice review. I was especially interested to read about the new 8 speed AT. The 6 speed slushbox in our '11 328 is a definite weak spot. On the other hand, I love the sound of that straight six when you pull out to pass! 

[Mike]

Nice review. I was especially interested to read about the new 8 speed AT. The 6 speed slushbox in our '11 328 is a definite weak spot. On the other hand, I love the sound of that straight six when you pull out to pass! 

The new 8-speed is great, but I'd trade it and the turbo-four in this car for the straight six and 6-speed in your car any day.  Now, if only we could assemble the 3 mid-priced German compact luxury sedans and see which one is best...like say tomorrow for instance...

[sailor723]

Nice review. I was especially interested to read about the new 8 speed AT. The 6 speed slushbox in our '11 328 is a definite weak spot. On the other hand, I love the sound of that straight six when you pull out to pass! 

The new 8-speed is great, but I'd trade it and the turbo-four in this car for the straight six and 6-speed in your car any day.  Now, if only we could assemble the 3 mid-priced German compact luxury sedans and see which one is best...like say tomorrow for instance...

Well, the 6 speed AT can be pretty annoying. It hesitates badly starting out if you step on it and sometimes the downshifts are pretty slow to come while driving. You can fix a lot of the problem by putting it in sport mode but then it holds the gears too long for driving in town. You pull out and accelerate smartly but then find yourself cruising down the street at a steady 55-60KPH  with the engine roaring at 4000+ RPM.  That straight six does sing though when you wind it out 

Sign me up for that A4 vs C class vs 3 series testfest!

[nlm]

"no manual if offered with the AWD"

BOOOOOOOO!

[mixmanmash]

"no manual if offered with the AWD"

BOOOOOOOO!

Agreed!

[Fobroader]

"no manual if offered with the AWD"

BOOOOOOOO!

Agreed!

Are you guys surprised?!?!!? Apparently if one wants a manual,  sporty, awd sedan....you gotta go to an STi.....

[SeaBlueS4]

"no manual if offered with the AWD"

BOOOOOOOO!

Agreed!

Are you guys surprised?!?!!? Apparently if one wants a manual,  sporty, awd sedan....you gotta go to an STi.....

Audi still cater to us manual fans - S4 and A4 both offered with manuals and AWD. Though not the A4 Avant, and none of the other model lines offer a manual at all, except the FWD A3. And of course the TT and R8, but those aren't sedans. Becoming a rarer combination by the day...

[Fobroader]

"no manual if offered with the AWD"

BOOOOOOOO!

Agreed!

Are you guys surprised?!?!!? Apparently if one wants a manual,  sporty, awd sedan....you gotta go to an STi.....

Audi still cater to us manual fans - S4 and A4 both offered with manuals and AWD. Though not the A4 Avant, and none of the other model lines offer a manual at all, except the FWD A3. And of course the TT and R8, but those aren't sedans. Becoming a rarer combination by the day...

Oops....completely forgot about Audi....

[sailor723]

As always, I suspect there would be a manual in every showroom if consumer demand was there. Car companies build what they think will sell. Low volume stuff gets dropped.

[Soram6275]

First and foremost, exellent review.  I have yet to try this BMW.  I definitely like the styling over the previous generation, both inside and out.  I don't mind that it's a little softer.  It might start to get "woolly" or whatever at 7/10ths but who drives their car at 9/10ths anyway, and not in North America anyway.  For the common driver, which is 99.9% of us, this car is beyond what most us needs in the handling department.  On another note, I've been reading amazing things about the Cadillac ATS.  It should be a little embarassing for the 3 series that Cadillac now outhandles it.  Propz to Cadillac.  I never thought I would see this day.

[Fobroader]

As always, I suspect there would be a manual in every showroom if consumer demand was there. Car companies build what they think will sell. Low volume stuff gets dropped.

Too bad its all the enthusiast model and features......the tan on tan leather, luxo barge models are here to stay. Its sad to hear the the 3 series isnt the sports sedan it once was but now just a run of the mill sedan with an expensive badge.....

[whaddaiknow]

It should be a little embarassing for the 3 series that Cadillac now outhandles it.  Propz to Cadillac.  I never thought I would see this day.

I don't think BMW will lose much sleep over this. The top of the line ATS may beat the lower grade 328i in handling but BMW still has the M3 in its stable, and Caddy has a long way to go before it becomes a de-facto industry benchmark.

[hemusbull]

Wait! Who decided ATS handles better? Is ther any wide public perception for that? Is this the image ATS has in the automotive world? Come on, let time show us...

[OliverD]

"no manual if offered with the AWD"

BOOOOOOOO!

Agreed!

Are you guys surprised?!?!!? Apparently if one wants a manual,  sporty, awd sedan....you gotta go to an STi.....

BMW still offers a manual in the AWD 335i though, so it's somewhat surprising that they would remove it from the 328i. I realize the take rate for the manual in the 335i is far greater than in the 328i but I bet the actual number sold is similar (since the 328i outsells the 335i by a huge margin).

[Mike]

Wait! Who decided ATS handles better? Is ther any wide public perception for that? Is this the image ATS has in the automotive world? Come on, let time show us...

Four of us all drove the 3-Series back-to-back with quite a few competitors.  It isn't the handler it once was.

[Ace]

2 very good reviews today, a black ATS and a white 328i. Exactly the same price.
I choose the bimmer hands down.

[BernardP]

As for pricing of the 2103 328xi, newspapers have been full of ads for a $39990 model. The BMW.ca web site shows this as 328xi Classic Line, which omits principally leather seats and bi-xenon headlamps, and has 17 inch wheels instead of 18 inchers. This model allows BMW to be more competitive with equivalent entry models from Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

[Northernridge]

As always, I suspect there would be a manual in every showroom if consumer demand was there. Car companies build what they think will sell. Low volume stuff gets dropped.

Too bad its all the enthusiast model and features......the tan on tan leather, luxo barge models are here to stay. Its sad to hear the the 3 series isnt the sports sedan it once was but now just a run of the mill sedan with an expensive badge.....

Maybe we're in the low point of a phase. Perhaps customers will start moving towards the driver side of the equation and punish new-era soft-rider German cars. BMW has the most to lose by regressing on driving dynamics given that they built their FGC reputation on that leg of the stool. I could see BMW customers defecting to Audi for design or Mercedes for luxury if driving dynamics are equal. Or all of the above to Japanese brands. Nobody to Cadillac though...sorry.

On the other hand maybe people just don't care about driving anymore.

[johngenx]

On the other hand maybe people just don't care about driving anymore.

Yes and no.  The success of the BRZ/FRS leads me to believe enthusiasts are still out there, but the reality of the luxury car market is that most people just drone to and from work in these cars, and quick steering and agile suspension don't really matter when you're creeping at 30km/h in stop and go traffic.  On the weekends, the minivan is used to shuttle kids around.  Who goes out and just drives anymore?

And if they do, they get something else.  Look at English-Turbo-Bob's thread.  He is looking for a commuter car.  He's going to buy something else for fun.

I wonder how many BMW dealers were losing sales to Lexus "cause it's quieter and rides nicer and the stereo is better?"