[Autohome comparison test] As a classic popular model, the BMW 3 Series that completed the replacement in 2019 is still the focus of public opinion. Regarding it, we Autohome have produced quite a lot of content, from test drive evaluation, shopping guide long test to peer review, I believe everyone has a full understanding of it. So, today let’s take a look at the new 3 Series and its predecessors. In this comparison test, we will show you the difference between the old and new 3 Series through the measured data. Is the new 3 Series progressing or regressing?
"Super Test" is our new test series selection in 2020. In addition to a full range of test data, it will cover a variety of tests including bicycles and multi-vehicle categories, with sharp, clear and direct views. The model selection is very simple, and both popular and high-sales models will become the protagonists. Past reviews: "Buick Encore Flag vs Volkswagen Touon", "Nissan Xuanyi VS Volkswagen Langyi", "Comparison Test Audi A6L and BMW 5 Series".
The two cars in this comparison are the 2020 325Li M Sports Sunday Suit (codenamed G28, hereinafter referred to as the New 3 Series) and the 2019 320Li Fashion (codenamed F35, hereinafter referred to as the Old 3 Series). It should be noted here that we replaced the old 3 Series with the rims and tires of the contemporary M Sports Suit to ensure that the comparison test is as fair as possible.
I won’t go into too much detail about the appearance design, each one takes an eye, and you’re done seeing it for yourself. I only have two points to say. First, the size of the new 3 series has increased, and coupled with the change in design style, it looks very burly. I even mistook a new 3 series in the distance for a 5 series on the street. Second, you should have noticed that since the F era, the 3 series has become more and more youthful and trendy, so that models such as the 320Li M sports suit have appeared. At the end of the F era, the M sports night suit was launched, which completely put the 3 series on the "modified car filter". In recent years, the trend culture has shone in China, and some variety shows are also contributing to the flames. The rejuvenation of the 3 series is in line with the trend of public aesthetics.
Compared to the appearance, I think the interior design is really difficult to adjust. The BMW 3 Series has always had a heritage relationship from E36 to F35, but it was completely broken on the new 3 Series (G28). Everything is moving closer to the electronic technology, and the steps are very big, abandoning some classic elements. Your mileage may vary.
The car system of the old 3 series has always been iDrive 4, which is more convenient to operate, but it lacks mobile phone interconnection function, and the Bluetooth version is too low, resulting in obvious delay in sound. Whether it is WeChat voice or video playback, the experience is not good. However, the old 3 series of the 2019 model is equipped with the iDrive 6 system, which supports wireless Carplay, and the long-standing pain points of the 3 series owners have been completely eliminated and praised. On the new 3 series, the car system has been upgraded to iDrive 7, which has richer and more comprehensive functions.
The seats of the new 3 Series are more comfortable, wide and thick, with sufficient padding, plus the blessing of comfortable headrests, the overall performance is stronger than that of the old 3 Series. In terms of riding space, the front row performance of the two cars is similar, and the rear row is slightly different. The longitudinal space of the new 3 Series is better, but the legroom is slightly reduced due to the thickening of the seats. In addition, the rear seats of both cars are designed with "theater style", the rear row is higher than the front row, and the leg support is very sufficient. There are also disadvantages. The rear seat backs of both cars are relatively straight, which affects the comfort to a certain extent, especially the new 3 Series, at the loss of such a good seat.
■ Skylight comparison
■ Storage space comparison
Storage has not always been the strength of BBA mid-sized cars. The old 3 series performed poorly in this regard, and the number of storage compartments was stretched. Although the new 3 series has not improved much, it has also been improved for the pain points of old users. There are three main reasons. First, the storage compartment at the door handle has been increased, which is not large in volume, but deserves praise. Second, the door panel storage compartment is wider, and a special seat for water cups is set up, which is very practical. Third, the volume of the central armrest box has increased, which is well received.
■ Trunk space comparison
The floor of the trunk of the old 3 Series can be opened, there is a hidden storage compartment below, and the rear seats can be reclined, which is very flexible, which is a necessity for people who often visit IKEA or love skiing. In contrast, the new 3 Series has almost no flexibility. There is no hidden storage compartment, and the rear seats cannot be reclined, which is a complete step backward.
For daily driving, I would like to divide it into four dimensions: steering feel, power response, NVH and suspension feel. Please note that we are talking about daily driving here, and leave the movement and handling to talk about later.
The BMW 3 Series ushered in electronic power steering in the late E90, which felt much lighter, which once made it difficult for loyal users to adapt. But in the F35 LCI, the steering feel has been greatly improved. The 2019 320Li tested this time has a heavier feel and a richer feel, while the new 3 Series is much lighter, still maintaining a delicate feel and easier to operate.
The excellent power response has always been BMW’s advantage. Thanks to the use of Valvetronic technology, the engine throttle can be fully opened under some operating conditions, and a vacuum is formed inside and outside the throttle, thus improving the power response. The old 3 Series has a good power response, and the feedback of the accelerator pedal is very delicate, which shows the skill. In contrast, the new 3 Series has an empty position in the early stage of the accelerator pedal, which is slightly less delicate and less responsive.
The NVH performance was not different from expectations, and the quietness in the new 3 series cars finally reached the same level of middle and upper level. The fetal noise and wind noise of the old 3 series are very large, which is also a point that has always been criticized. The measured data strongly supports subjective feelings, and in the commonly used speed range, the new 3 series has obvious advantages.
The softer suspension of the new 3 Series is no secret, and the benefit is more comfortable road performance. In the face of high-frequency small vibrations, the body fluctuates less and is more stable. In contrast to the old 3 Series, the suspension is harder and more sensitive, and in the face of the same high-frequency small vibrations, the body fluctuates more.
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The speed bump test is divided into two types: symmetrical arrangement and asymmetrical arrangement, and is experienced at three speeds of 20km/h, 30km/h and 40km/h. It can be clearly felt that the new 3 series suspension is softer and more close to the ground, the spring recovery process is more natural and soft, the comfort is obviously stronger than the old 3 series, and the body shaking is less. In contrast, the old 3 series has poorer vibration filtering ability, and the vibration transmitted to the body is more obvious, but the suspension is very tight, even if it is high-frequency vibration, there is no loose vibration. Overall, the comfort orientation of the new 3 series is beneficial to most users, and BMW’s adjustment is the result of user "voting".
In the acceleration test, the new 3 Series won by about 0.5 seconds. The starting state of the two cars is almost the same, and the engine can "eject" at close to 3000rpm. The extra 30N · m of the new 3 Series is obviously effective, and it is not surprising to get better acceleration results. Not only that, the new 3 Series also has a slight advantage when accelerating halfway. Looking at the 184 horsepower B48, it is indeed impressive. Some manufacturers’ 184kW is not as fast as BMW’s 184 horsepower.
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The braking sensation of the two cars is different. The old 3 series is very hard, while the new 3 series is softer. The braking force is released very quickly, and the ten consecutive brakes have not attenuated significantly, which is relatively stable. The final result of the new 3 series is better, reaching an excellent level.
Let’s first explain the significance of the front and rear counterweights and angular weights of the body. What is the use of these data? When the vehicle is in motion, the load will move around the rolling center, and the moving direction is opposite to the dynamic travel trend of the vehicle. A reasonable body counterweight can balance the tire load when the vehicle is dynamic, and ensure the tire grip to a certain extent. This is why BMW 3 Series, Cadillac CT5 and other models pursue 50:50 front and rear counterweights. In addition, according to the official statement, the center of gravity of the new 3 Series is 10mm lower than that of the old 3 Series, and the wheel track has also increased, all of which are helpful changes for handling.
As for the angular weight balance, it mainly affects the dynamic consistency of the vehicle when turning left and right. If the angular weight is unbalanced, the characteristics of the vehicle’s left and right turns may be different. Of course, these theories are only a corner of the suspension geometry. The quality of a car’s handling is not absolutely related to the front and rear counterweights. For example, the Porsche 911’s counterweight is about 4:6. To sum up, there are two sentences: a reasonable counterweight will increase the control, but it does not mean that the reasonable counterweight must be well controlled.
Looking at the measurement data again, both test cars are in half tank condition. Due to the larger size and higher configuration of the new 3 series, it weighs about 36kg more than the old 3 series. On the front and rear counterweights, the old 3 series is 51.6%: 48.4% when no load, and the new 3 series is 51.9%: 48.1%. The two are almost the same, and the angular weight balance is better for the new 3 series.
What I just measured was the no-load state, but the car is used to drive after all, what if the driver sits on it? To put the result directly, whether it is the old 3 series or the new 3 series, the front and rear counterweights and angular weights have hardly changed, the reason is very simple, because the 3 series has always used a short front overhang design, which makes the cockpit almost on the center line, and the front occupants have very little impact on the front and rear counterweights. BMW has fully considered this situation at the beginning of the design.
| Body weight measured data |
| |
New 3 Series |
Old 3 series |
| Curb weight (no load) |
1608Kg |
1572Kg |
| Curb weight (with driver) |
1711Kg |
1672Kg |
| Front and rear counterweight (no load) |
51.9%: 48.1% |
51.6%: 48.4% |
| Front and rear counterweights (with driver) |
51.9%: 48.1% |
51.5%: 48.5% |
| Angular weight (no load) |
50.8% |
51.3% |
| Angular weight (with driver) |
50.7% |
51.1% |
More exciting videos are available on the Autohome video platform
More exciting videos are available on the Autohome video platform
The steering of the new 3 Series is smaller than that of the old 3 Series, resulting in faster front response. Since the suspension is softer, there will be more weight transfer and more load on the outside wheels. When the suspension is compressed to the limit, there will be bouncing, tire load changes, and grip floats, resulting in a little more slippage at the rear.
The front response of the old 3 series is a little slower, the steering is indeed not direct enough, and the problem of directivity is magnified when going around the pile. However, the follow-up of the body is very good, the front and rear of the car have a high consistency, and there is no feeling of disconnection. Compared to the new 3 series, the rear of the old 3 series is not active. In addition, when the speed gradually increases, the old 3 series will have some understeering.
In the corner test session, we invited Wang Tao, a well-known driver of Autohome, who will drive two cars at the same speed and the same route through the same corner. Through Wang Tao’s rich driving experience, the conclusion is given.
Subjectively, the rear of the old 3 Series is very "dead", coupled with a heavier steering feel, it gives people a strong driving confidence, and even a stronger sense of mobility. But the sense of movement and driving confidence are both subjective feelings of the driver, which does not represent the true level of a car. The reason why the new 3 Series makes people feel that the handling is poor is that the suspension is too soft and the support is slightly lacking, resulting in a large roll, which subjectively makes people feel less confident. Coupled with the lack of anti-roll bars on the rear axle, the response of the rear of the car is slower, and it is no wonder that people feel that the handling is reduced.
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So, is the handling of the new 3 Series really worse? The conclusion may not be so simple and crude. Wang Tao believes that the new 3 Series suspension is soft, but the limit is not low. At the same time, the rear wheels in the middle and outer corners have more loads, which changes the geometry of the suspension and makes the vehicle dynamically show a certain amount of oversteering, which is more beneficial for both corners and exits, and also gives the new 3 Series an advantage in high-speed corners or continuous high-speed corners. In contrast, the old 3 Series has a good attitude in the corner, but it has obvious push when exiting the corner. It is not as fast as the new 3 Series in high-speed corners, but it is good at low-speed corners.
In the Elk test session, we invited Lin Qi, a well-known Autohome driver, to test. He will drive two cars from a speed class of 65km/h, each speed class will increase by 5km/h, and so on.
The performance of BMW’s new 3 Series in the Elk test was not satisfactory. Although the front of the car had a sensitive steering action from the moment the steering wheel was turned, in the middle stage from Zone A to Zone B, due to the lack of the rear axle anti-tilt bar, when the center of gravity was shifted significantly, the response speed of the rear of the car was slightly slow, resulting in the shift of the center of gravity to the left test, the burden on the left rear wheel instantly became very large, resulting in the phenomenon of insufficient left rear wheel grip.
At this time, the vehicle has fully entered the B zone, and the stability assistance system has also begun to intervene, but the correction of the stability system is to reduce the rear sliding of the vehicle, so only the left two wheels are braked, although the rear sliding is effectively suppressed, but from a practical point of view, this braking action has firmly grasped the left wheel of the new 3 series, causing the vehicle to have a large degree of understeering during the process from the B zone to the C zone, and cannot easily enter the C zone. Finally, the speed level of the elk test is only 75km/h, and the actual speed is 77km/h.
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The performance of the BMW Old 3 Series in the Elk test is slightly better than that of the BMW New 3 Series. When traveling from Zone A to Zone B, the initial body dynamics are relatively similar. However, due to the suspension adjustment and the assembly of the rear anti-roll bar, the rear dynamics of the Old 3 Series are relatively more flexible. When the center of gravity is shifted greatly, the rear wheels respond faster than the New 3 Series. Although the calibration of the electronic assistance system is basically the same as that of the New 3 Series, due to the advance response of the rear wheels, the vehicle is reserved for more space in Zone B to Zone C, which makes the performance of the Old 3 Series relatively easy here. In the end, the Elk test passed the speed class of 80km/h, and the actual speed was 81km/h.
Purely from the comparison results, the new 3 series has won most of the projects, and as a replacement model, it is very successful. From a product point of view, the 3 series of the G era and the F era are very similar to the era when the E90 transitioned to the F3x. The successor was initially questioned, but at the same time faced countless curiosities. The skeptics said no, but the body was very honest. I believe that the vast majority of people who bought 325Li are home transportation, and in terms of this demand, the new 3 series tested this time is a well-deserved top student.
Not long ago, I drove the 330i model of the new 3 series, and its dynamic characteristics are very different from the long-axis version. It is not difficult to see that BMW has made a differentiated positioning for the 3 series of the G era. The long-axis version is more comfortable, and the standard axis version still focuses on sports. This is an extremely smart approach. Instead of fighting for the so-called "sports" on the long-axis model, it is better to buy a 330i in a down-to-earth manner, not to mention that this generation of 330i only costs 379,900 yuan. You know, the 328i/330i of the F era are 400,000.
There are three main competitors of the BMW 3 Series, the first is the Audi A4L. This guy has just completed a mid-term facelift recently, and the appearance and interior have been improved. The product strength is really not bad, and combined with a large discount, it will be a strong competitor to the BMW 3 Series. The second is the Cadillac brand. The CT5’s sportiness and cost performance will pose a threat to the 325Li, and the CT4 that has just been launched can be frontal 325i and 320i, and the price is also more advantageous. Cadillac’s two-car strategy is very disruptive, and it is bound to grab a group of young users from the "BBA". It is the biggest potential "threat" to BMW. The most difficult is the third – Mercedes-Benz C-Class, its user loyalty is very high, the three-pronged star emblem has its own attractive force, after changing 1.5T, still orders continue, it is more difficult to pry Mercedes-Benz users.
According to past practice, BMW will step by step improve the competitiveness of the 3 Series through annual and mid-term changes. Who knows if it will come out with another M Ultimate Sports Diablo suit? If nothing else, the sales of the BMW 3 Series will remain at a stable state, and even a small fluctuation in the strength of the discount will not have much impact on sales. Now, the doubts faced by the launch of the new 3 Series have almost "disappeared", and the excellent sales data has verified the success of BMW’s product strategy. Admittedly, the brand bonus of "BBA" is really beyond imagination. The 1.3T and 1.5T next door are still selling well. What is the reason why the BMW 3 Series cannot sell well? I personally speculate that this generation of BMW 3 Series will become the highest-selling product in the past models. ( Wen Autohome Zheng Lei, Lin Qi, picture/photo, Zheng Lei, video, Wang Linghao, assistance: Lin Qi, Wang Tao, Wang Xiaochen, Liang Qi, Cao Yi)
