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We originally went down to the local BMW dealership to pick up a 335i Twin Turbo. Unfortunately, the 335i is sold out nationwide and is back ordered until February 2007. So in the mean time, we needed to find a suitable daily driver and the next vehicle in line was the 328i Coupe. The car's sporty design and overall performance makes it a very appealing buy.
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| CarForums.net Review of the 2007 BMW 328i Coupe |
Price as tested- $42,800
Exterior
My first impression of the 328i Coupe was that it had a very sporty, yet classy look to it. The car comes standard with 17 x 8 Star Spoke light-alloy wheels. The front clip is accented by Xenon Adaptive Headlights with auto-leveling, and halogen free-form front foglights. The body lines and design of the car give it an incredible mix of performance and class, something that BMW has mastered.
Interior
The interior of this car is incredible. There are too many features to mention all of them, so I'll talk about a few of the interior features I feel really stand out. I'll start with convenience and comfort items. When you first open the door to get in the vehicle, you'll the interior is very inviting, and not overly complicated. It gives a feeling that everything is exactly where it should be. Once seated, the car is easily started with the push of a button. A neat feature once you start the car is that the the seat belt is pushed forward so that you can grab it easily, which eliminates feeling around and stretching backwards to find your seat belt.
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The steering wheel holds audio and cruise control buttons on the right and left sides, and has BMW cladding in the center. The car comes equipped with a Logic7 Audio System. The Logic7 system consists of Digital Sound Processing (DSP) and 13 upgraded speakers. The sound quality is very clear and separated and is pleasing in any seat of the vehicle. It also comes Ipod ready and with a free preview of SIRIUS Satellite Radio with a standard receiver.
Performance
The overall performance of the car warrants a B rating. The car comes equipped with an inline 6 cylinder engine that puts out 230hp. Acceleration isn't horrible, the 0-60 times were about 6.5-7 seconds. It doesn't have the kick of the 335i or the M series models, but it definitely outperforms the previous model. The model we tested had the 6 Speed Steptronic automatic transmission. The car's braking and handling make up for it's lack of "put you in your seat" power. Cruising on the freeway, you can easily do 100-120MPH and the car gives off the feeling of going 60MPH. The ride is very smooth, and definitely what you would expect from a BMW.
Another interesting feature is the electronically controlled water pump system. The water pump uses less power than conventional pumps, contributing to the engine's increased power output. The engine block is made out of a very lightweight composite magnesium/aluminum.
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EPA Observed Fuel Economy (miles per gallon): 20 city 29 highway
Overall Score: 8.5 out of a possible 10
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High points: This car has a very classy, yet sporty design. The level of quality the car possesses is definitely what you would expect from a BMW vehicle. The interior is luxurious and has plenty of great features, making it a very comfortable ride.
Low points: Although the car handles great, straight line performance is definitely not there. It would be a lot more fun to drive if it had the 335i engine platform. Considering it costs around the same as the 335i, you would expect a bit more power. However, don't let that fool you, even with 230hp this car feels great and performs well for what it is.
Spec Sheet
Manufacturer Specifications
Sources: All specifications are from BMWUSA.com
Acknowledgements
Desert BMW of Henderson
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