BMW 330d Video Reviews

At $67,900 before on-road costs, the 320d is the entry-point to the two model 3 Series launch range.It’s powered by a 2.0-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine, featuring common-rail direct-injection and variable inlet timing. It produces 140kW at 4000rpm and 400Nm between 1750-2500rpm.BMW says the 320d will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.8sec, yet it’s claimed to consume a miserly 4.5L/100km, emitting 119g/km of CO2 in the process.The standard equipment list is long, including ‘Adaptive LED headlights’ (with ‘High-Beam Assistant’), LED fog lights and tail-lights, electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors (with electric fold-in function), rain-sensing wipers, three-zone climate control, electrically-adjustable sports front seats (with memory function for driver and front passenger), wireless smartphone charging, ‘Aluminium Tetragon’ interior trim finishers, 12.3-inch ‘BMW Live Cockpit Professional’ digital instrument display, ‘Navigation System Professional’ with 10.25-inch digital touchscreen display also managing a 10-speaker, 205-watt audio system, including a 20GB hard drive and DAB+ digital radio. Apple CarPlay is included.Also included are ‘BMW TeleServices’ taking in ‘ConnectedDrive’(free use of vehicle apps via ‘BMW Online’), real-time traffic info and ‘Concierge Services’. The ‘BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant’ responds to a “Hey BMW’ voice command with a range of hands-free functions like nav, calls and texts. We had mixed success in challenging this friendly PA.And the new 3 Series’ standard safety package is exactly where it needs to be, now including a swag of current active safety tech as well as eight airbags.BMW offers a three year/unlimited km warranty, which is drifting off the pace now with the majority of mainstream brands stepping up to five-year cover, with some at seven.On the upside, bodywork is covered for 12 years, the paint for three, and 24-hour roadside assistance is complimentary for three years.

How do you know if there’s a vegan at your party? They’ll tell you. Yeah, you’ve probably heard that one, but the same goes for many hybrid and electric cars whose odd-ball styling tells every other road user that the driver is acting selflessly to save the planet. And you should thank them, immediately, for being amazing. So if you’re the type that does good things just for kudos then BMW’s new 330e petrol-electric plug-in hybrid is probably not for you.The 330e looks just like a regular 3 Series, the only hints that it might be a bit different are the low-key eDrive badges behind the rear doors and the charging port near the left front wheel.Press your face up against the glass to look inside and the only thing in cabin you won’t see on a normal 3 Series is the eDrive button near the gear shifter.Beneath the skin the 330e is actually quite different. Under the bonnet is the same turbo-petrol engine found in the 320i – a 135kW/290Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder – but located in between that and the eight speed transmission is a 65kW/250Nm electric motor.There’s never been a 330e before – it’s the second of BMW’s new i Performance hybrid cars to come to Australia, hot on the bumper of the X5 Xdrive40e SUV which arrived in May.BMW has priced the 330e at $71,900, that’s just $2000 more than the 330i and places it a rung below the 340i range-topper. Standard features are identical to the 330i. The cabin is wrapped in Dakota leather, there’s an 8.8-inch multimedia display, with 360 degree surround view and reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, DVD player, proximity unlocking, power adjustable front seats and 19-inch alloy wheels.But wait there’s more. Before you get in your 330e after it’s been sitting in the sun all day you can cool the cabin down remotely using a phone app. No other 3 Series can do this, because they don’t have a battery cooling system which can also be harnessed to regulate the cockpit temperature.Like all 3 Series models, there’s two cupholders in the front centre console, another two in the fold down armrest in the back and bottle holders in all four doors.The 330e has a maximum five-star ANCAP crash test rating, plus there’s stability and traction control, AEB, collision and blind spot warning and active cruise control. There’s also two ISOFIX mounts and three top tether points for child seats.Having a petrol engine and an electric motor at your disposal provides some interesting driving options and this where that eDrive button near the gear shifter comes in. The Save Battery mode lets you purr along purely on petrol, while braking recharges the battery. Auto eDrive sees the petrol engine and electric motor work together. Max eDrive will let you drive the 330e on electricity alone at up to 120km/h (the petrol engine will kick in after that) and you’ll make it about 30km on a full charge.Sure, 30km doesn’t seem far but according to the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development the average Australian’s commute to work is 15.6km. It’s entirely possible then for many Aussies to get to and from work without burning a drop of petrol. Even if you’re not environmentally minded the thought of not having buy petrol for your weekday driving is enticing.The 330e comes with a charging cable that’ll plug into your regular household power point and fully charge the car in about 3.5 hours. BMW also sells a wall unit charger (installation costs $1750) which can give you a full charge in 2.5 hours. The electricity bill comes out at about $2 per full charge, which is cheaper than a train ride to work with an armpit in your face.There are also currently 262 BMW charging stations around Australia with 256 being free to use.The 330e’s Australian launch took us on a 50km round trip through Melbourne’s inner suburbs – this really is the natural habitat for the 330e where most of the time you’re in stop-start traffic and covering short distances. BMW executives admit that if you live in the country clocking up bigger miles a diesel would a better proposition.The plan was to see if we could make it to the 25km halfway mark on a single charge. We were at a disadvantage from the outset, having used our test car to film the above video beforehand which left just 15km of range showing on the dash display.Selecting Max eDrive mode for pure electric driving, the 330e covered exactly 15km before reverting to petrol power. This accuracy suggests that 30km from a full charge is quite realistic.The car switched itself over into Save Battery mode for the rest of the journey, without myself or my co-driver detecting it – so smooth and imperceptible was the transition from electric to petrol.Driving in Save Battery can charge the 330e faster than a wall unit and after driving 12km we had regained 25 per cent of charge.With 10km of charge showing, we started our return trip back using just electric power. We made it 15.5km. So you can run on empty in an electric car too, then?Our total fuel usage was 2.3L/100km, not far off BMW’s official 2.1L/100km figure. So even in a combination of modes the 330e is very fuel efficient.In the same way that the 330e looks just like a regular 3 Series, it also drives just like one too - the ride is on the firm side of comfortable and handling is excellent. Our test car was fitted with the M-Sport package which brings sports suspension for better handling, but the compromise is a harder ride.The lithium-ion batteries under the boot floor along with the hardware which goes with them adds 165kg to the weight of the car and you don’t notice it until you meet a corner with a bit of speed on. The batteries also reduce the volume of the boot by 110 litres to a still-useful 370 litres.Gripping the chunky steering wheel the 330e goes exactly where you point it, that sounds obvious but this accuracy is a BMW trademark.Performance when you mash the pedal in Auto eDrive mode is excellent with both the petrol engine and electric motor joining forces for an output of 185kW and 420Nm. That’ll fire you from 0-100km/h in 6.1 seconds.The silent running in full electric mode is a thing of beauty. At one point as we cruised along at about 60km/h I could hear a cracking noise, and being a panic merchant I thought it was the windscreen, then realised we were moving along so quietly we could hear the lightest of rain drops splashing against the glass. Time spent in traffic is never tranquil but that was pretty nice.

BMW promises the 3 Series GT mixes all the practicality of the touring with the sharp handling and sleek styling of the saloon.

Running on ‘the smell of an oily rag’, once an attempt at automotive humour, is no longer a joke when talking about diesel-powered cars. The new BMW 318d, for example, a diesel fuelled sedan, takes up the fuel economy battle to the hybrids.At $56,400, the entry-level 318d limbos under the luxury car tax threshold bar with little to spare but can be tipped over into the higher bracket by a long list of cost options.Standard features include dual-zone climate control, cruise control with brake function, power-operated windows and exterior mirrors, keyless engine start/stop, remote locking with boot open button, Multifunction steering wheel, automatic lights and windscreen wipers, rear Park Distance Control, Bluetooth connectivity for hands-free mobile phone use and MP3 compatible CD audio systems with Auxiliary and USB inputs.Putting the BMW 318d in the ring with such petrol/electric hybrids is a four-cylinder TwinPower turbo-diesel engine that weighs in with a peak power output of 105 kW and maximum 320 Nm of torque. Fuel consumption is just 4.5 litres per 100km on the combined urban/highway cycle.During our week with the new BMW 3 Series entry-level model we managed to get fuel consumption down to just 3.6 litres per hundred kilometres on the motorway and 6.1 in town, which goes a long way to matching petrol/electric hybrids.However, diesels create significantly more CO2 than petrol/electric hybrids. As an example the BMW 318d has a Green Vehicle Guide rating of 118 grams per kilometre, compared with the Toyota Prius at 89 grams. Helping to achieve such low fuel consumption figures in the BMW 318d sedan is a cutting edge eight-speed automatic transmission. All 3 Series models also now feature auto start/stop, as standard, automatically cutting the engine at traffic lights or in stationary traffic to save fuel.Further fuel saving measures include brake energy regeneration that has power for the vehicle electrical system being generated only during braking and overrun. The fitment of electric power steering, that only draws power when assistance is required in cornering, also helps reduce fuel usage.Drivers and passengers have the benefit of the new Driving Experience Control which in the BMW 318d sets the tone with three driving modes – Comfort, Sport, and Eco Pro – working on powertrain, steering, throttle and Dynamic Stability Control settings.Eco Pro, as well as altering throttle response and transmission shift points, keeps cabin heating and air-conditioning, optional heated seats and the exterior mirrors working at optimum efficiency, cutting fuel consumption by as much as 20 per cent. A fourth setting, Sport+, is available if the car is specified with Sport Line, Adaptive M Suspension or Variable Sports Steering option.On the outside, the BMW 318d has the looks of a well-cut business suit, the result of extensive wind tunnel testing, which also contributes to fuel economy with a co-efficient of friction of Cd 0.26. The car gets down to business with 16-inch alloy wheels.Inside, there’s more space than in the previous model and offers a high quality Sensatec man-made leather trim in beige or black. Focus is on the driver, with the cockpit layout being angled towards them by seven degrees to ensure controls are ergonomically positioned and fuel gauge, speedometer, rev counter and oil temperature gauge are easily visible. This extends to a full colour monitor being integrated into the top of the dashboard for all iDrive operations including information, entertainment, communication and navigation functions.A new Active Protection package is fitted as standard across the new 3 Series. The system is automatically activated above 18 km/h when it gently tensions the driver and front passenger seatbelts. If a crash is likely, the seatbelts are further tightened and windows and sunroof (where fitted) are automatically closed. In the event of a crash the system will also automatically brake the car beyond the initial impact for 1.5 seconds to reduce the likelihood of a second collision.Further safety options include a Lane Change Warning System and Lane Departure Warning System, including Collision Warning that tells the driver of a possible collision during a lane change manoeuvre or if the car strays out of its lane.Performance, on the other hand, takes a hit with acceleration from zero to 100 kilometres an hour taking 9.3 seconds. If you want more performance, opt for the petrol driven 320i which hits the same speed a couple of seconds quicker. While there’s a premium purchase price to pay over the likes of the Prius and Civic, on running costs, the 318d takes the fuel sippers on in a fiscal fistfight. It’s close.With 12 million sales around the world since its introduction in 1975, the BMW 3 Series is into its sixth generation and, with the 318d model adding further appeal, looks set to maintain its spot as a leading contender.

The mainstay of the BMW range has been given some extra weapons to take into what has become a close-fought battle.For 35 years, the 3 Series has been the benchmark for the prestige medium-sized field - and last year notched up 37 per cent of BMW's sales here. But in recent times it's had to fight harder against the Audi A4 and sales leader Mercedes-Benz C-Class - which launched a new assault last month. That doesn't worry BMW, spokesman Toni Andreevski says."We're very happy with how the 3 Series has performed in the segment over the past 36 years," he says. "We don't pay attention to a few months' worth of sales figures."However the 3 Series has recently been well-positioned to claw back some territory with package and price adjustments.The main attention in the range has been given to the 325i sedan tested here, which has wiped $5000 off the price tag and added nearly the same amount in extra kit by making the Innovations package standard - giving you premium nav, voice control, high-beam assist bi-xenon headlights with washers, and power folding exterior mirrors with anti-dazzle function.That gives the 325i a price of $71,900 for the manual, and a 'more for less' benefit of 11 per cent. But it's worth shopping it against the $59,700 BMW 320d and looking at adding in the extra spec options - thus saving 2.5L/100km with the diesel's better economy while getting the extra torque benefit.The $67,900 C-Class C 250 and $69,300 A4 2.0T quattro both have less power but more torque than the 325i. They also have slightly more boot space, and the Audi wins in usable rear seat room - something to consider if the kids are growing.It's a handsome body and face, but not outlandish. And that means while there's a new look coming next year, the current one will still look good in traffic for a while to come. The interior is a different matter, where even the contrast of real metal accents against the dark dash of our test car wasn't enough to prevent it feeling outdated.We liked the roomy boot, but would have welcomed better design for storage around the cabin. The door pockets are miserly, the multi-level centre console bin is annoying and the pop-out dash cupholders - which position your coffee for the optimum trajectory toward your lap - are just plain scary.The 325i gets a 2.5-litre inline six-cylinder with 160kW of power and 250Nm of torque put to the rear wheels via either a six-speed manual, or the six-speed auto on the test car.Worth comment - since it used to be commented on so adversely - is the nav, entertainment and information 'command central' iDrive system, which has over time been simplified and become much more user-friendly.It's got five crash-rating stars, six airbags and any number of safe-tech acronyms. But no spare - which is not a problem with the run-flat tyres as long as you stay within city limits. Pot(hole) luck in the country.The 325i is far from the most powerful in the line-up - that gong of course goes to the M3 end of the range -- and it's not the most economical. But it's also far from being the runt of the litter, and for those who want to stick to a middle-position petrol engine it offers a good prospect.There's enough torque on offer to tickle it along respectably, and the majority of buyers will never be dissatisfied with the reserves. The ride is a good balance between cushioned compliance and a dose of firmness that avoids wallowing, and the cabin's level of hush probably has official librarian approval.But the real pleasures of the car are in the driving. While the M3 will out-track it, the 325i offers great everyday handling, responsive steering and a smooth-shifting automatic transmission.Whether you're crawling in the city, or cruising in the country, this car will keep you comfortable and contented.