EdmundsWhat Edmunds.com says Fully deserving of its...
CarGurusSince its introduction in 1975, the BMW 3-Series has...
Car and DriverIntroduction Last year, more than 140,000 people...
Car and Driver: "Expensive-looking interior"
Kelley Blue Book: "clean, elegant look"
MyRide.com: "the only botched element is the front bumper"
The 2008 BMW 3-Series Sports Wagon is a variant of the popular 3-Series sedan. The Sports Wagon is about the same length as the sedan, while offering more cargo space and greater versatility. Though the wagon versions of some other models are taller, the 3-Series Sport Wagon is roughly the same height as the sedan.
Kelley Blue Book describes BMW’s new 3-Series range in glowing terms: a "long wheelbase coupled with short front and rear overhangs, plus a slight wedge shape, gives the compact 3 Series a dynamic flair that reflects common styling cues with the larger 5 Series and 7 Series, elements that are further reinforced by the signature twin-kidney grilles," which are also noted by Cars.com: "all body styles have a prominent twin-kidney grille." USA Today checks in with a rare insult for the 3-Series’s shape: “but way ugly nonetheless. It looks especially bad in white, better in silver and dark hues. Sad, because the previous 3 was so very nice-looking.” MyRide.com advises that one actually sneak a peek at the 2008 BMW 3-Series in person, as "the car looks much better in person than in photos," noting that "the only botched element is the front bumper, which contains character lines that continue the bulge in the hood all the way down to the lower air dam." From the rear, the 3-Series 2008 BMW "exhibits modern, tasteful, conventional design...blessedly free of the bustle-butt found on the 6 Series and 7 Series models," notes MyRide.com.
TheCarConnection.com finds most sources in agreement when it comes to what Car and Driver describes as the 2008 BMW 3-Series's "expensive-looking interior." Edmunds concurs, stating that the BMW 2008 "3 Series interiors provide a restrained show of luxury," while MyRide.com calls this 2008 BMW's interior "clean and business-like with large, metallic-trimmed gauges that are easy to read," adding that "(vinyl) upholstery is standard, with leather a stand-alone option or included in the Premium package."
Conclusion: The 2008 BMW 3-Series has controversial exterior styling, but the Wagon model is a little more conventional, with a restrained interior.
Car and Driver: "Superb to drive"
Edmunds: "there's no going wrong with either of the engines available"
Kelley Blue Book: "a full measure of BMW's legendary driving DNA"
MyRide.com: "Silken fluidity"
Reviewers from around the Web, including TheCarConnection.com’s editors, find the BMW 3-Series a paragon of rear-drive handling.
The 2008 BMW 3-Series Sports Wagon is offered with only one engine in the United States: an inline six-cylinder engine making 230 horsepower. The engine displaces 3.0 liters but is named the 328. Two specific models are available, though: the 328i, with rear-wheel drive, or the 328xi, with all-wheel drive.
Car and Driver reports that the inline six-cylinder engine is "smooth, powerful, and fuel-efficient"; Cars.com provides the specs, stating that the 3.0-liter powerplant "produces 230 horsepower and 200 pounds-feet of torque." Edmunds assures potential buyers trying to make up their mind that there is "no going wrong” with this engine; it’s “a little light on low-end torque, but it moves the car around smartly and provides slightly better mileage” than the engine in other 3-Series variants. Kelley Blue Book affirms this view: "even the entry-level 3 Series offers a full measure of BMW's legendary driving DNA," noting this BMW 2008's engine is "plenty fast from zero to 60 mph and easily capable of coping with any kind of traffic situation."
Cars.com reports that "a six-speed manual gearbox is standard, and a six-speed Steptronic automatic transmission with Normal, Sport and Manual modes is optional." With the six-speed manual, which is the faster of the two, the 2008 BMW 328i Sports Wagon can reach 60 mph in about six seconds, yet is rated 27 mpg on the highway. Kelley Blue Book points out the manual’s hill-holder feature, “this subtle but effective helper that automatically applies the brakes for a few seconds whenever you're stopped on a hill to help prevent the car from rolling backwards while you engage first gear." MyRide.com also notes this 2008 BMW's hill-holder feature and adds that "rowing gears to access the power is sheer bliss, the stick gliding from gate to gate and the clutch delightfully light and easy to engage, unlike with previous BMW manual transmissions which had a hair-trigger clutch and a bit too much resistance at the gates." USA Today attests, “The clutch and gas pedals are well-placed for the lively dance known as heel-toe downshifting.” Automedia declares the “new, smoother and quicker-shifting optional six-speed STEPTRONIC automatic, when ordered along with an available Sport Package, has steering wheel-mounted paddles for manual shift control.”
According to Edmunds, one needn't sacrifice fuel economy for power: "Despite its potent powerplants, the 3 Series remains fuel efficient. The 328 gets about 17-18 mpg in the city and 25-28 mpg on the highway." The EPA rates the Sports Wagon at 18/27 mpg for the automatic rear-drive version, 17/25 mpg for the all-wheel-drive automatic.
With near-perfect driving dynamics, the 3-Series threads through corners with great balance and poise--even on rough pavement surfaces. A sign of great suspension tuning, it does so without sacrificing ride quality; the 2008 BMW 3-Series Sports Wagon has a ride that's firm, yet absorbent over all but the most threatening potholes and heaves. For a car that provides such engaging handling, the 3-Series tracks well on high-speed highway cruises, too. Car and Driver reports that this 2008 BMW model offers "great handling; a supple ride...comfortable but firm." Edmunds attributes this to the 2008 BMW "3 Series' world-class suspension, steering and brakes [that] will provide hours of entertainment on twisty two-lane highways," adding that the 2008 BMW 3-Series "communicates with the driver in a manner that inspires confidence no matter what kind of driving you're doing." Kelley Blue Book agrees: "There's a precise feel to the steering and the well-sorted suspension provides exceptional confidence through even the most challenging corners." MyRide.com notes, "The car doesn't ride roughly, but it does ride stiffly, and every little ripple in the road gets telegraphed to the cabin...But on a twisty road, a BMW 3 Series becomes an extension of the driver's nervous system, a finely crafted tool designed to maximize the joy of driving."
Conclusion: The 2008 BMW 3-Series Sports Wagon delivers on its claim as "The Ultimate Driving Machine."
Edmunds: "enough firm support to ward off fatigue during a day's worth of driving"
Jalopnik: "slightly roomier than any of its predecessors"
Kelley Blue Book: "six-footers are apt to feel a bit confined"
MyRide.com: "the cabin snugly envelops its occupants"
The 2008 BMW 3-Series offers riding comfort in what may be an intimate setting to some.
The 2008 3-Series Sports Wagon has firm, supportive seats that are good for long-distance driving, but the backseats provide inadequate legroom for adults. This is affirmed by MyRide.com, noting, "despite gains in interior room, the 2008 BMW 3-Series is still an intimate car. It's difficult to get into and out of due to small front door openings and an intrusive rear wheel well, and once situated inside the cabin snugly envelops its occupants." Nonetheless, Edmunds reports "the front seats have enough firm support to ward off fatigue during a day's worth of driving, while the rear seats are adequately roomy for adults on shorter trips and plenty accommodating for children." Kelley Blue Book observes that it "provides better accommodations in its firm but comfortably supportive front bucket seats than in the rear bench--where six-footers are apt to feel a bit confined."
Cargo room is not a problem with the 3-Series 2008 BMW wagon, according to Car and Driver: "The same dynamic goodness that makes the 3-series sedan the envy of most automakers, but with a more practical cargo area"; according to Edmunds, "the wagon offers a maximum cargo capacity of 61 cubic feet." While the backseats fold forward to expand the cargo area, they don't fold completely flat, and the floor isn't surfaced with a material that cleans up easily.
TheCarConnection.com found that most reviews appreciate the materials used in this BMW 2008 model. Edmunds notes, "Materials are high in quality and build quality is exceptional; indeed, even the standard leatherette (vinyl) upholstery looks and feels better than one would expect." MyRide.com observes that, for 2008, "BMW has improved its optional leather upholstery to the point where it is officially easy to tell the difference between real cowhides and the standard leatherette, [which] is rather stiff and grips clothing, making it hard to adjust your body while underway," adding that "the leather is soft and smooth."
Except for some boominess on coarse surfaces, the interior is quiet and refined. Noise does not appear to be an issue in the BMW 2008; ConsumerGuide comments, "engines sing under acceleration but cruise quietly...wind rush is evident at highway speeds," and adds that "tire noise is subdued with base suspension but elevated with sport suspension."
Conclusion: The 2008 BMW 3-Series wagon remains a cozy vehicle, with just enough room in the backseat and cargo hold to qualify as a utility vehicle.
ConsumerGuide: "visibility is fine"
MyRide.com: "side-impact airbags...properly positioned no matter how the seat is placed"
NHTSA: Four stars, frontal impact; five stars, side impact
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awards the 2008 BMW 3-Series Sports Wagon four stars for frontal impacts, but top five-star ratings for side impact.
No testing has been performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), but an IIHS test specific to the sedan finds it just "acceptable" in its seat-based rear-impact test but "good" in other areas.
A wide range of safety features are included in the Sports Wagon, including electronic stability control, front side airbags, and side curtain bags. MyRide.com reports that in the 2008 BMW "passive occupant protection includes standard seat-mounted side-impact airbags for front seat passengers, an improvement over last year's door-mounted restraints." Because these BMW 2008 airbags are placed in the bolsters rather than the frame, "they are properly positioned no matter how far forward or rearward the seat is placed in the track."
Cars.com points out that the "BMW [2008's] Head Protection System uses a side curtain airbag system to protect occupants in both the front and rear seats."
Available run-flat tires "[allow] 150 miles of range at up to 50 mph," according to MyRide.com.
"Rear visibility is fine," claims ConsumerGuide, although this 2008 BMW's "front pillars can obscure vision to the forward corners."
Conclusion: Front-impact safety is a little less than expected, but the 2008 BMW 3-Series performs well in crash tests.
Car and Driver: "navigation requires hideous iDrive system"
Cars.com: "A remote replaces the key...engine fires via a start/stop button"
Edmunds: "We'd steer clear of the optional navigation system"
The 2008 BMW 3-Series offers much in the way of excellent options, as well as some that are not so excellent. Standard features include the usual power windows/locks/mirrors, cruise control, air conditioning, and AM/FM/CD player.
Cars.com praises this 2008 BMW's sound system, which features "Subwoofers beneath the front seats...included with the standard audio system." MyRide.com also notes that the 2008 BMW 3-Series offers "ground lighting in the door handles [and] rear ambience lighting."
Optional features on the BMW 2008 include Sirius radio and Logic7 surround sound, while a "multifunction remote replaces the conventional key," starting the engine with a start/stop button. According to Cars.com, for 2008, BMW also offers "Dynamic Cruise Control, adaptive xenon high-intensity-discharge headlights and Active Steering with Servotronic speed-sensitive assist."
Vehicles optioned with the navigation system also pick up the iDrive system, which requires a complicated, screen-driven interface for some controls. Car and Driver describes it as the "hideous iDrive system." Edmunds also advises buyers of the 2008 BMW to steer clear "of the optional navigation system...as its accompanying iDrive interface is very unintuitive."
Conclusion: The 2008 BMW 3-Series Sports Wagon can be trimmed out with the latest tech gear, but iDrive makes the navigation system user-unfriendly.
TheCarConnection.com has read some of the best reviews on the new 2008 BMW 3-Series to produce this comprehensive review that covers both the sedan and wagon. ... Read full bottom line
2008 BMW 3-SERIES STYLING | [9 out of 10] Cars.com: "a dynamic flair that reflects common styling cues with the larger series" Edmunds: "Plain-Jane interior ... Read full review
MSRP: $32,700 - $64,950
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©2008 by The Car Connection™ All Rights Reserved—The Car Connection is a Trademark of Car Advisory Network
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and not those of R. L. Polk & Co. or its licensors.
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