Diesel car road test: BMW 320D

Search: More on the BMW 320D

Price: £26,680
On sale: Now
0-62mph: 7.9 seconds; top speed 142mph
Average fuel: 50.4mpg
Standard equipment: remote locking, power steering, ABS with auto stability control, dynamic traction control, corner brake control, electronic brake force distribution, auto 2-zone AC, LED rear lights, front and side airbags, electric front/rear windows, steering-mounted audio controls, rake/reach adjustable steering, height-adjustable front seats, power/heated door mirrors, 17-inch alloys, CD player with MP3 format, leather steering wheel.

More than a makeover
Makeovers can be such a non-story -a tweaked light cluster here and a slap to the CO2 figures there and presto, you have a 'new' model. But the mid-term changes to the 2009, fifth-generation of BMW's 3 Series are much more than v5.1.
In fact, some ad men might chance their arm at dubbing this new: entirely fresh panels come in (notably the bonnet, which has a double-rib design), the front and rear track is wider and there are new bumpers and lights all round. And crucially, for people who want their German cars to look German and not from Korea, gone are the dreadfully complicated-looking angles of the rump-end light units, replaced by a simpler design that matches the tail's squarer profile and instantly renders BMW's mainstay saloon more of the family and less like the product of some indiscreet liaison in Kuala Lumpur.
Subtler changes abound, too: there are new sporty crease lines in the side valance, the kidney grille in the front is tweaked, the rear lights use brighter LED technology and the front lamps have twin-corona side lights as standard.

Changes inside harder to spot
Changes inside are less profuse: new chrome surrounds for the instruments add a little more definition, but that's about it -thankfully, because the cabin was a class-leader in any case. Vorsprung durch leaving things the same, as they maybe said. If you want to spend on extra technology, you can spec the latest version of the twiddly, some say fiddly, iDrive. This multi-functional widget promises simpler use than ever, thanks to a "back" button and new favourites buttons. More than 100 of your treasured albums can be stored in the 8Gb of space the car's hard-drive sets aside for iDrive, should you opt for it. I'd probably stick with my MP3 player.

No Pain at the pumps
If you seek diesel-fuelled nirvana I guess the new extra-light straight six-cylinder 330D is the option here. It has a smidgenly 14bhp more power than before, yet manages to be less thirsty by 7% and will breeze through the forthcoming EU6 emission regs. A tweaked turbo delivers a massive 384lb-ft of wallop and you'll be seeing 62mph in a piffling 6.1 seconds. So that's probably the last thing for us to encourage BMW drivers into. Much better for Sir to consider this: the mainstay 320D...
Okay, the 320 isn't going to lacerate Audi TTs or rip up RX8s, but it's hardly a shrinking violet. Break horsepower stands at a solid 175, it will accelerate to 62mph in under eight seconds and top speed is a give-me-autobahn 142mph.

. The real reasons, however, for being happy with this option come with the physical drive, not the paperwork. Manual gearboxes as tested here don't come better. It's a six-speed, but despite the extra gatework is sheer perfection when it comes to natural and smooth progression; the right gear just falls into place and it's a fumble-free affair. The age-old rear-wheel drive set-up ensures all the crucial information coming through the front wheels feeds to your fingertips with a clarity that Audi and Mercedes still can't quite match, and the engine? It keeps the bar high as ever: smooth, quiet and punchy yet promising a claimed 57.6mpg overall, which is outmatched only by the 318d option's 58.9. CO2 emissions of 130g/km keep your budget in the upcoming D band, thus copping a competitive £90 tax disc next year (and £120 for now).

Small safety changes:
Safety changes are hopefully never to be experienced but reassuring all the same: along with the six airbags now come active head restraints.

To sum up:
So far, 43 per cent of BMW's 3 Series buyers have settled on this two-litre diesel, while 46 per cent of estate Touring buyers do the same. There's nothing here to suggest that it won't retain its favourite status.
And the practical footnote only reinforces a glowing verdict: new regenerative brake technology, optimum gearchange indication and stop-start technology (which ensures that the engine cuts out whenever your waiting in static traffic) boost the fuel consuption rate to a point where 50mpg is easily achieved. Forget ultimate driving, welcome to credit crunch's Ultimate Scrimping Machine.

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