Overview Diesel-powered European sport sedan with AWD
Pros Superior fuel economy, excellent handling dynamics
Cons Cost of diesel option and diesel fuel; some electronics sensitive to cold weather
Value for money Fair
What would I change? Lower the price
How would I spec it? As is
Take one superior driving sport sedan, fit it with an all-wheel-drive system and you have something that can be driven on any reasonably maintained road 12 months out of the year. As an alternative to the seemingly ubiquitous compact SUVs that are so dominant in my little piece of Greater Toronto suburbia, BMW’s 3 Series with xDrive is a rare and welcomed change-up. Not that it’s the only AWD car around; in fact, I have the missus’s Subaru Impreza in the same driveway. But the Subie’s driving dynamics, at least on dry tarmac, are more sedate than sporting — a function of its intent as well as its lower price point.
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2015 BMW 328d xDrive
Brian Harper, Driving
Now, substitute a turbodiesel for the gas-powered turbo four or turbo six-cylinder gas engine that’s the normal motive power for a 3 Series. How very European! Not a lot of horses but beaucoup torque, perfect for long drives at cruising speeds — and fabulous fuel economy, especially if you don’t have to fight your way through rush-hour congestion on a day-to-day basis. For a guy like me, who doesn’t have to go into “the city” on a regular basis, I’m in hog heaven. What could possibly upset this perfect combination? Oh, yeah, the freakin’ price of diesel versus gasoline at the pumps! It’s positively criminal, I tell ya!
Motor Mouth: Is diesel a stinky, ticking time bomb?
And that’s the rub — at least for now. At 13 cents a litre more than 87 octane (at the time I drove the car), who’s going to pony up the extra cash for a diesel engine only to get mugged at the pumps every time the robust 2.0-litre turbo four needs a refuel? (Comparing BMWs, the cheapest gas-powered AWD 3 Series — the 320i xDrive — is $39,990 versus the 328d xDrive’s $48,000. The 320i requires at least 89 octane, though).
No, it’s not a great time for any automaker to be pushing diesel engines, which is a shame considering their far greater driving range and low-end grunt. And it’s not as though the BMW 3 Series suffers a great loss in its sportiness for being diesel powered, beyond the distinct and growly sound of the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit (mostly when starting up cold and when it’s under load, far less at a steady speed).
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2015 BMW 328d xDrive
Brian Harper, Driving
The 328d, like the gas-powered models, comes with an eight-speed manumatic transmission as well as the Driving Experience Control switch, which offers Eco Pro, Comfort (the default mode), Sport and Sport+ options. In the latter two, the sedan displays surprisingly peppy scoot when given a prod, while Eco Pro (along with the auto stop/start function) stretches out driving range, albeit at the expense of acceleration. Most of the time I found Comfort to be the optimum balance between sport and economy.
As for that economy, I averaged 8.3 litres per 100 km for my week with the car, with a fairly even mix of suburban and highway usage, which I think would have been even better were it not for the prolonged blast of Arctic weather that occurred during the test drive. And speaking of frigid conditions, those who haven’t driven a diesel-powered vehicle for some time will be happy to know that there is no delay in start-up while waiting for the glow plugs to heat up. Just push the start button and the diesel fires up, even at -26 C (OK, it took two tries — and the engine, naturally enough, was “rumblier” than usual). However, the electric power steering didn’t care for the cold and refused to co-operate for about a minute. I also got low tire pressure and low battery charge warnings.
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2015 BMW 328d xDrive
Brian Harper, Driving
As I touched on earlier, a lot of the 328d xDrive’s charm comes from the fact it isn’t one of those ubiquitous SUVs, which means crisper handling and a more connected feeling with the road, regardless of conditions. True, the 3 Series isn’t the lightweight Euro-sedan it once was — and the tester does tip the scales at 1,642 kilograms — but, then again, all cars are heavier these days, more so those with an all-wheel drivetrain.
As is typical of BMW, the 328d cabin layout is all about function over luxury; and the tester was blessedly circumspect with the option list. The one primary addition included — the $1,500 Sport Line — did offer a splash of colour and comfort courtesy of the bright and cheerful coral red leather sport seats, door and dash trim, along with other shiny trim bits. The rest of the car is logical, with the various gauges, buttons and controller all in their proper places. The front seats are comfortable and their three-setting heat function were a godsend during the cold snap. The rear seats are also comfortable, at least for those of more average dimensions.
Here’s the uptake, at least for me: From a number-crunching point of view, it’s next to impossible to justify the cost of the 328d versus, say, the cost of the gas-powered 320i. So choosing the turbodiesel engine is very much a personal decision, much like it is for those who choose hybrids for fuel efficiency. But, if you do want greater fuel economy and four-season all-wheel-drive traction in an agile and fun-to-drive higher-end sedan (and not a sport-ute), the 328d bears a look (as would an Audi A3 2.0 TDI). A heated garage would be a decided plus, though.
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2015 BMW 328d xDrive
Brian Harper, Driving
The Specs
Type of vehicle All-wheel-drive compact sport/luxury four-door
Engine 2.0L DOHC four-cylinder turbodiesel
Power 181 hp @ 4,000 rpm; 280 lb.-ft. of torque @ 1,750 rpm
Transmission Eight-speed manumatic
Brakes Four-wheel disc with ABS
Tires P225/45R19 front, P255/35R19 rear
Price (base/as tested) $48,000/$51,395
Destination charge $2,095
Natural Resources Canada fuel economy (L/100 km) 7.6 city, 5.5 highway
Standard features Dual-zone automatic air conditioning, heated and powered front seats, power windows, door locks and heated exterior mirrors, heated windshield washer jets, tilt/telescopic steering column, auto stop/start, cruise control, automatic trunk release, power glass sunroof, multi-function leather sport steering wheel, AM/FM/CD audio system with nine speakers and USB audio integration, iDrive system with 6.5-inch display, four-function on-board computer, navigation system, dynamic and automatic stability controls, cornering and dynamic brake controls
Options Sport Line ($1,500) includes 18-inch alloy wheels, sport automatic transmission with paddles, sport seats, diamond black trim, coral red trim highlights, high-gloss shadow line, sport line, coral red Dakota leather; metallic paint ($895); 19-inch alloy wheels with performance run-flat tires ($1,000)
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