BMW 3 Series Sedan 316i Sport (A) Review
08 Feb 2013|93,569 views
It seems that BMW's best selling model is back for more. Spurred by overwhelming acclaims by critics worldwide, and not forgetting adhering to emission standards, it's no surprise that the Bavarian marque is expanding its range.
The current sixth generation 3 Series came to Singapore last March, unveiling the six-pot 335i, followed by the four-cylinder 328i and 320i, both of which use the same basic 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, albeit differently tuned in terms of their power output.
Our test car came equipped with the M Sports package, further enhancing its aggression
Now the new BMW 316i becomes the first 3 Series to enter
Singapore's COE Category A with a 1.6-litre powerplant. And BMW couldn't have chose a better time to release this latest 3er, after recent updates to the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the Audi A4.
Exterior
Sporting one of the most exciting design cues that resemble the bigger 5 Series, the length of the 3er has increased by 93mm while having a bigger footprint of 37mm and 47mm for the front and rear respectively. As a result, the car looks more poised and commanding on the road.
The current sixth generation 3 Series came to Singapore last March, unveiling the six-pot 335i, followed by the four-cylinder 328i and 320i, both of which use the same basic 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, albeit differently tuned in terms of their power output.
Now the new BMW 316i becomes the first 3 Series to enter
Singapore's COE Category A with a 1.6-litre powerplant. And BMW couldn't have chose a better time to release this latest 3er, after recent updates to the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the Audi A4.
Exterior
Sporting one of the most exciting design cues that resemble the bigger 5 Series, the length of the 3er has increased by 93mm while having a bigger footprint of 37mm and 47mm for the front and rear respectively. As a result, the car looks more poised and commanding on the road.
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But despite the car's newfound size, the 3er has shed some 40kg, thanks to the extensive use of extra-lightweight chassis components and the new generation of light but no less efficient and powerful engine. Comparing it to the previous model, the new BMW truly represents a progression form that deserves salutation and praise.
In its place, you will be able to see a sheet metal that has sharper and more defined lines with a stretched face that integrates the kidney grille with both headlamps.
There are some changes to the rear of the car too. Taillights now shine through a pair of dazzling BMW L-shaped design tail lamps, giving the F30 a fresher feel and the needed visual emphasis that was missing in its predecessor.
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Interior
On the inside, the 316i is hardly basic despite being an entry-level variant. Comparing the car to its bigger capacity siblings, there are hardly any differences.
The sizzling red benches and M leather steering wheel make this base 3er not so base anymore...
It feels completely premium in terms of quality, with top notch
finishing and soft touch surfaces. The exceptional general feel is probably one of the things that makes the Bimmer so highly desirable. You will hardly come into contact with any sharp or low quality materials in the cabin.
On the inside, the 316i is hardly basic despite being an entry-level variant. Comparing the car to its bigger capacity siblings, there are hardly any differences.
It feels completely premium in terms of quality, with top notch
finishing and soft touch surfaces. The exceptional general feel is probably one of the things that makes the Bimmer so highly desirable. You will hardly come into contact with any sharp or low quality materials in the cabin.
The design of the interior is also form-driven without sacrificing its functional purpose. The centre console is slanted slightly towards the driver, giving you the impression that this was made to be a driver-centric car. More notably, buttons and controls are nicely laid out and all within reach of the driver.
The 3 Series doesn't disappoint when it comes to space, too. It's now able to provide more legroom for rear passengers, thanks to the extended wheelbase of 50mm while taller passengers will get to enjoy extra headroom - extra 8mm to be exact - credit going to the increased height of the car.
Boot space has increased significantly by 20 litres, forming a generous total of 480 litres of space
The 3 Series doesn't disappoint when it comes to space, too. It's now able to provide more legroom for rear passengers, thanks to the extended wheelbase of 50mm while taller passengers will get to enjoy extra headroom - extra 8mm to be exact - credit going to the increased height of the car.
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Drivetrain
Mated to an efficient and creamy eight-speed automatic transmission, the entry-level 316i sports a 1.6-litre four-pot in-line powerplant that's capable of churning out a maximum of 136 horses and 220Nm of torque.
The base 3er may sport a smaller 1.6-litre engine but it's creamy smooth and refined on the go
These figures, while a tad far off from its bigger siblings, are sufficient to send the car to the century mark in 9.2 seconds. But more impressive is the remarkable smooth demeanour of the power delivery and engine regardless you're driving slow or fast.
On the go, the BMW doesn't lose out to its obvious German rivals. In Comfort mode, the Bavarian car has absolutely nothing to fear when it comes to ride quality. It soaks up broken surfaces with such a supple and confident manner that it'll put many bigger cars to shame.
Mated to an efficient and creamy eight-speed automatic transmission, the entry-level 316i sports a 1.6-litre four-pot in-line powerplant that's capable of churning out a maximum of 136 horses and 220Nm of torque.
These figures, while a tad far off from its bigger siblings, are sufficient to send the car to the century mark in 9.2 seconds. But more impressive is the remarkable smooth demeanour of the power delivery and engine regardless you're driving slow or fast.
On the go, the BMW doesn't lose out to its obvious German rivals. In Comfort mode, the Bavarian car has absolutely nothing to fear when it comes to ride quality. It soaks up broken surfaces with such a supple and confident manner that it'll put many bigger cars to shame.
In Sport mode, however, the suspension stiffens, steering becomes a little meatier and the throttle becomes sharper - all done for you to wind the car up for a good time.
It's also very quiet on the move. Despite wearing 18-inchers, road noise is down to bare minimum and wind noise is only apparent when you're doing high speed driving. And while you're at it, the 3er continues to handle with the same panache as its bigger siblings. It's agile and sure-footed, displaying poised characteristics around bends with accuracy and little roll.
The 316i has all the novelties as its bigger capacity siblings
Conclusion
The 316i will get a rebate of $10,000, thanks to its carbon emission of 137g/km. That's $5,000 more than the BMW 320i and BMW 328i.
Granted that it's optimised for efficiency rather than outright performance, the base 3er doesn't disappoint in terms of its road manners and driving capabilities, even when compared to its bigger brethrens.
It's also very quiet on the move. Despite wearing 18-inchers, road noise is down to bare minimum and wind noise is only apparent when you're doing high speed driving. And while you're at it, the 3er continues to handle with the same panache as its bigger siblings. It's agile and sure-footed, displaying poised characteristics around bends with accuracy and little roll.
Conclusion
The 316i will get a rebate of $10,000, thanks to its carbon emission of 137g/km. That's $5,000 more than the BMW 320i and BMW 328i.
Granted that it's optimised for efficiency rather than outright performance, the base 3er doesn't disappoint in terms of its road manners and driving capabilities, even when compared to its bigger brethrens.
It seems that BMW's best selling model is back for more. Spurred by overwhelming acclaims by critics worldwide, and not forgetting adhering to emission standards, it's no surprise that the Bavarian marque is expanding its range.
The current sixth generation 3 Series came to Singapore last March, unveiling the six-pot 335i, followed by the four-cylinder 328i and 320i, both of which use the same basic 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, albeit differently tuned in terms of their power output.
Now the new BMW 316i becomes the first 3 Series to enter
Singapore's COE Category A with a 1.6-litre powerplant. And BMW couldn't have chose a better time to release this latest 3er, after recent updates to the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the Audi A4.
Exterior
Sporting one of the most exciting design cues that resemble the bigger 5 Series, the length of the 3er has increased by 93mm while having a bigger footprint of 37mm and 47mm for the front and rear respectively. As a result, the car looks more poised and commanding on the road.
The current sixth generation 3 Series came to Singapore last March, unveiling the six-pot 335i, followed by the four-cylinder 328i and 320i, both of which use the same basic 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, albeit differently tuned in terms of their power output.
Now the new BMW 316i becomes the first 3 Series to enter
Singapore's COE Category A with a 1.6-litre powerplant. And BMW couldn't have chose a better time to release this latest 3er, after recent updates to the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the Audi A4.
Exterior
Sporting one of the most exciting design cues that resemble the bigger 5 Series, the length of the 3er has increased by 93mm while having a bigger footprint of 37mm and 47mm for the front and rear respectively. As a result, the car looks more poised and commanding on the road.
But despite the car's newfound size, the 3er has shed some 40kg, thanks to the extensive use of extra-lightweight chassis components and the new generation of light but no less efficient and powerful engine. Comparing it to the previous model, the new BMW truly represents a progression form that deserves salutation and praise.
In its place, you will be able to see a sheet metal that has sharper and more defined lines with a stretched face that integrates the kidney grille with both headlamps.
There are some changes to the rear of the car too. Taillights now shine through a pair of dazzling BMW L-shaped design tail lamps, giving the F30 a fresher feel and the needed visual emphasis that was missing in its predecessor.
In its place, you will be able to see a sheet metal that has sharper and more defined lines with a stretched face that integrates the kidney grille with both headlamps.
There are some changes to the rear of the car too. Taillights now shine through a pair of dazzling BMW L-shaped design tail lamps, giving the F30 a fresher feel and the needed visual emphasis that was missing in its predecessor.
Interior
On the inside, the 316i is hardly basic despite being an entry-level variant. Comparing the car to its bigger capacity siblings, there are hardly any differences.
It feels completely premium in terms of quality, with top notch
finishing and soft touch surfaces. The exceptional general feel is probably one of the things that makes the Bimmer so highly desirable. You will hardly come into contact with any sharp or low quality materials in the cabin.
On the inside, the 316i is hardly basic despite being an entry-level variant. Comparing the car to its bigger capacity siblings, there are hardly any differences.
It feels completely premium in terms of quality, with top notch
finishing and soft touch surfaces. The exceptional general feel is probably one of the things that makes the Bimmer so highly desirable. You will hardly come into contact with any sharp or low quality materials in the cabin.
The design of the interior is also form-driven without sacrificing its functional purpose. The centre console is slanted slightly towards the driver, giving you the impression that this was made to be a driver-centric car. More notably, buttons and controls are nicely laid out and all within reach of the driver.
The 3 Series doesn't disappoint when it comes to space, too. It's now able to provide more legroom for rear passengers, thanks to the extended wheelbase of 50mm while taller passengers will get to enjoy extra headroom - extra 8mm to be exact - credit going to the increased height of the car.
The 3 Series doesn't disappoint when it comes to space, too. It's now able to provide more legroom for rear passengers, thanks to the extended wheelbase of 50mm while taller passengers will get to enjoy extra headroom - extra 8mm to be exact - credit going to the increased height of the car.
Drivetrain
Mated to an efficient and creamy eight-speed automatic transmission, the entry-level 316i sports a 1.6-litre four-pot in-line powerplant that's capable of churning out a maximum of 136 horses and 220Nm of torque.
These figures, while a tad far off from its bigger siblings, are sufficient to send the car to the century mark in 9.2 seconds. But more impressive is the remarkable smooth demeanour of the power delivery and engine regardless you're driving slow or fast.
On the go, the BMW doesn't lose out to its obvious German rivals. In Comfort mode, the Bavarian car has absolutely nothing to fear when it comes to ride quality. It soaks up broken surfaces with such a supple and confident manner that it'll put many bigger cars to shame.
Mated to an efficient and creamy eight-speed automatic transmission, the entry-level 316i sports a 1.6-litre four-pot in-line powerplant that's capable of churning out a maximum of 136 horses and 220Nm of torque.
These figures, while a tad far off from its bigger siblings, are sufficient to send the car to the century mark in 9.2 seconds. But more impressive is the remarkable smooth demeanour of the power delivery and engine regardless you're driving slow or fast.
On the go, the BMW doesn't lose out to its obvious German rivals. In Comfort mode, the Bavarian car has absolutely nothing to fear when it comes to ride quality. It soaks up broken surfaces with such a supple and confident manner that it'll put many bigger cars to shame.
In Sport mode, however, the suspension stiffens, steering becomes a little meatier and the throttle becomes sharper - all done for you to wind the car up for a good time.
It's also very quiet on the move. Despite wearing 18-inchers, road noise is down to bare minimum and wind noise is only apparent when you're doing high speed driving. And while you're at it, the 3er continues to handle with the same panache as its bigger siblings. It's agile and sure-footed, displaying poised characteristics around bends with accuracy and little roll.
Conclusion
The 316i will get a rebate of $10,000, thanks to its carbon emission of 137g/km. That's $5,000 more than the BMW 320i and BMW 328i.
Granted that it's optimised for efficiency rather than outright performance, the base 3er doesn't disappoint in terms of its road manners and driving capabilities, even when compared to its bigger brethrens.
It's also very quiet on the move. Despite wearing 18-inchers, road noise is down to bare minimum and wind noise is only apparent when you're doing high speed driving. And while you're at it, the 3er continues to handle with the same panache as its bigger siblings. It's agile and sure-footed, displaying poised characteristics around bends with accuracy and little roll.
Conclusion
The 316i will get a rebate of $10,000, thanks to its carbon emission of 137g/km. That's $5,000 more than the BMW 320i and BMW 328i.
Granted that it's optimised for efficiency rather than outright performance, the base 3er doesn't disappoint in terms of its road manners and driving capabilities, even when compared to its bigger brethrens.
Photos by Julian Kho
Also read our comparison article on:
BMW 3 Series Sedan 320i Sport (A) vs Lexus IS250 2.5 F Sport (A)
Car Information
BMW 3 Series Sedan 316i Sport (A)
CAT B|Petrol|16.9km/L
Horsepower
101kW (136 bhp)
Torque
220 Nm
Acceleration
9.2sec (0-100km /hr)
This model is no longer being sold by local distributor
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