BMW

Short review of 2006 BMW 525i
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Price as tested: CDN$62690

With the introduction of entry-level 525i, BMW has lowered the admission to 5-Series. The latest iteration of 525i uses the same magnesium-made 3.0L straight 6 Double VANOS DOHC engine as new 325i. Considered 525i’s weight is at a high 1565 kg with its 215 ponies and 185 lb/ft of torque, dare I say adequate performance. Although the 6-speed Steptronic is nicely ratio and have responsive shifting characteristics, its still can’t compensate for the weight. The best description for its performance is rather leisulely. In terms of seat-of-a-pants feel, its about identical to the not-so-stealler E46 320i with 2.2L straight 6.

Thankfully, our tester doesn’t come with Active Steering. The transition through turns are more natural with better driver feedback. Its more of a consistent BMW steering feel which is supposed to be. There are slight amount of body rolls but everything else is very well-tempted.

Interior still not very much my liking with overcomplicated i-Drive and cost-cutting materials. BMW really has sharpened their pencil by cutting interior quality in order to lower the price of 525i, although it doesn’t feel much difference as in more expensive 545i.

Despite of my criticisms, there are still lots to going for in this entry-level 5-Series. A proven straight 6 powerplant, stiff chassis and handles decently. If you are shopping for a 525i, you should look closely at 330i before making the final decision. That car could sway you away with better of everything despite its smaller size.

Overall rating: 2.5/5

Vehicle(s): 2006 BMW 325i with 6-speed Steptronic, Premium Pkg, Dakota Leather, glass sunroof, Active Steering and adaptive headlights
330i with 6-speed manual transmission, Premium Pkg, Sport Pkg, burled walnut wood trim and Harmon/Kardon LOGIC-7 sound system
Price as tested: CDN$51490 (325i) CDN$55700 (330i)

Performance: Both the 325i and 330i are powered by the same 3.0L straight 6 24-valver with Double VANOS and Valvetronic technologies. The only differences between these units are the dual air intakes in 325i and 1 additional intake in 330i, exhaust system is another major difference. Since BMW’s straight 6 has become the industry standard of this unique configuration, its level of refinement and smoothness are exceptional.

With 255 horses and 220 lb/ft of torque, 330i is a true screamer. The throttle response is exceptional without being too abrupt. 6-speed manual is a joy to shift with well-defined gates, short throws and progressive clutch. Its engine note is simply amazing with Teutonic-like sophiscation without losing the sporty edge that defined this straight 6 motor. The Valvetronic really have a desired effect as the motor builds up the power dramatically after maximum torque arrives at 2750 rpm. In short, its a wonderful combination of bottom end torque and great high rpm fun in 330i.

325i’s straight 6 pumps out 215 ponies and 185 lb/ft of torque. While it remains as refined as the unit in 330i, it lacks the punch and responsiveness of 330i silibing. Despite Steptronic is a willing manumatic that is able to up and downshift quickly, it lacks the aura of acceleration that makes 330i so much fun. There is some sluggishness on the bottom end even though its maximum torque arrives at the same 2750 rpm. The torque converter has taken out too much power out of this base motor for low-end torque. As for high rev character, its as willing as any other BMW straight 6. You really have to keep your foot down if you want the most out of this motor with a Steptronic. On the other hand, the 5-speed stick shift 325i I also have experienced feels more responsive at the bottom end.

Handling: Dynamic qualities are one of the most appealing aspect of all previous 3-Series, the same goes for the newest iteration. New car is 25% stiffer than previous car, in terms of bending and torsional rigidty. The whole car feels like its built from a block of granite with a solid foundation that is completely lack of flex and rattles.

The Active Steering in a 325i still exhibits the similar inconsistence as the 545i I test drove. There remains an imprecision during the transition from left to right on the race track, which completely unfound in the one that doesn’t equip with this system. Given the steering ratio varies itself during transition, the “sudden” heavy, light, heavy, light steering weight remedies aren’t my liking. Its also doesn’t feel safe when you enter a corner enthuisastically and the steering suddently changed its ratio. Another problem with this system is it tends to make the driver feels the chassis floats instead of hangs on itself when pushed hard.

On the other hand, 330i without Active Steering handles like all BMW should be. Its steering is precise, responsive and got the right weight all through the cones. Its also provide exceptional driver feedback in every corners and on every surfaces. The sports suspension rides exceptionally well, which absorbs all the washboard pavements and expansion joints with excellent damping characteristics. The most impressive aspect of new 3-Series is both the standard and sports suspension have a supple ride even with standard run-flat tires.

The Dynamic Stability Control on both 3-Series are remain the uninstruisve variety which won’t kick in until the driver nearly lost control. That leaves enough threshold for drivers to experience the fun of oversteer that makes BMW’s rear-driver so much fun-to-drive.

Brakes: With 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, the pedal feel on these 3-Series are top-notch. The stops are short and straight. The pedal modulation and control are excellent while the ABS only kicks in until absolutely necessary. In short, a system that truly worthy of the BMW emblem.

Interior: The interior of new 3-Series is a mixbag. Let’s start with the goods. Both standard and sports seats are very comfortable and supportive. In the 330i with sports package, those sports seats have awesome support for both back and side which are excellent for cornering. The leather are all excellent materials which are soft and supple. The driving position is easily found, typical of BMW tradition. With 6-way power adjustable in 325i and 8-way power adjustable in 330i, finding the right driving position is a piece of cake. The dual automatic climate control is an effective one. While it blows out warm air efficient enough in a chilly morning, its equally blown out air conditioning efficiently in a hot and sunny afternoon.

However, there are a couple of drawbacks. Firstly, BMW designed to abandon their traditonal cockpit interior while adding the dreadful i-Drive system. Thankfully, this feature wasn’t in any of our tester which is a godsent. Secondly, the interior has tons of cheap and hard plastic around the center console and door panels which totally out of place in a BMW. While its no where as cheaply made as X3, it certainly not up to the level of its E46 predecessor. Lastly, due to the lack of cockpit design language. The interior looks uninspiring with its tacky aluminum trim and too gross with burled walnut trim.

The back seat space is an improvement with 1-inch additional legroom and larger headroom. Since none of the cars in premium compact sports sedan segment is famous for their back seat space, you can take this as a bonus.

The low liftover and unintrusive hinges combined to make an easy access to the cargo space, along with 40/60 split fold-down rear seats. It makes for a pretty versatile package.

Conclusion: Since the introduction of the 3-Series in 1976, every succeeding generation has been much better than the previous one. With the introduction of the new E90, it also celebrates its 30-year-old birthday with the best 3-Series ever. It got excellent drivetrains, great handling (that’s if you don’t opt for the Active Steering), better chassis and features. This car will remain as one of the benchmarks in this class even with all the newcomers.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2006 BMW 325i and 330i
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Performance: 4/5 (325i) 5/5 (330i)
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4/5 (325i) 5/5 (330i)
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5 (325i) 4/5 (330i)
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5 (325i) 4/5 (330i)
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5 (325i) 4/5 (330i)
Value-for-money: 3.75/5 (325i) 5/5 (330i)

Overall rating: 4/5 (325i) 5/5 (330i)

Vehicle(s): 2005 BMW 325i Exective Edition
330i M Performance Edition with Anthracite w/Cloth Laser Anthracite – Alcantara Combination and Black Alu Cube Trim
Price as tested: CDN$ 43100 (325i) CDN$54300 (330i)

Performance: Both of these twins are powered by BMW’s world-renowed straight 6 engine series. With 184 hp and 175 lb/ft of torque, this 2.5L has fell a bit short of performance compares to its more powerful Japanese V6 rivals. In terms of refinement and smoothness, this straight 6 remains the one to beat. Its willing to rev and plenty of torque available down low as maximum torque arrives at 3500 rpm. What is truly amazing is the upgraded 3.0L in 330i Performance Pkg. Both the hp and torque figures have jumped from “standard” 330i’s 225 and 214 to235 and 222 in Performance Pkg. Although the torque improvement is insignificant, the change to close gear-ratio 6-speed gearbox really does help a lot for an even more impressive acceleration. 325i’s In terms of flexability, trackability, rev-happy character and engine note; this 3 liter motor is second only to its more powerful M3 silibing. 5-speed stick shifts as nicely as 330i’s 6-speed close-ratio unit. The ratios are nicely set with crisp shifting character and nicely defined gates. Clutch is light and progressive in both cars. The clutch feel is better in Performance Pkg due to its heavier nature.

Handling: Combine solid foundation with very well-bahaved suspension, 50/50 RWD balance and excellent steering. That’s about sums up the dynamic qualities of 3-Series. 325i and 330i have four distinct characters despite they share the same merits of all 3-Series. Executive Edition has standard suspension which absorbs bumps exceptionally well. On the other hand, the handling remains precise and predictable when pushed. The Performance Edition, however, its a more aggressive beast. Both the suspensions, springs and shocks have been stiffened to provide handling sharpness that is about equal to the more powerful M3. Despite the ride is not as comfortable as standard or sports suspension that is optional in other 3-Series, the handling trade-off worths every pennies. Another distinct differences between this Performance Pkg and other “normal” 3-Series are the steering ratio and DSC-3′s level of instrusiveness. The steering ratio is faster, which means sharper turn-in and precision. The quicker lock-to-lock means driver really needs to be alert because it has set way to fast for daily driver. To some extent, it feels even faster than M3 unit which feels more user-friendly as a daily driver steering set-up. Just like the clutch, Performance Pkg’s steering feels heavier at low speeds than other 3-Series silibings. While most 3-Series has only 2 setting for DSC-3, complete turn-off or turn-on. Performance Pkg has 3 thresholds. The first level is completely turn-on which means it will kick-in whether it sensed the driver has got too hot in the corners. Press the button twice and it becomes the 2nd threshold, which means it would let the driver to have a bit of oversteer fun before kicking in. The 3rd level is completely off which is the highest threshold. It would only kick-in when the driver has pushed the tail out in crazy manner and needs panic assistance during last second situation. As usual, the body rolls are minimal when pushed.

Brakes: With standard 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, the pedal feel lives up to BMW’s usual high standards. That means short stopping distance with easily modulated pedal. The ABS also won’t kicked in until absolutely necessary.

Interior: Inside the 3-Series, its the typical BMW environment. The instrumentation gauges are clear and analog with usual annoyance. The fuel economy gauge keeps flying around during accleration. The traditional BMW cockpit interior remains with well-placed stereo and climate control. In terms of interior materials, its not the best-in-class nor terrible. The driving position is easily found with tilt/telescope steering and easily adjustable powered leather sports seats in 325i. In the Performance Pkg, however, it got standard Anthractie/Alcantara sports seats which have far superior grip during cornering due to the material’s rougher surface. Unfortunately, power seats are an option in Performance Pkg which nails the value part in the overall package. Here are a couple of pet peeves. There are just way too many buttons behind the shifter. Heated seats, remote trunk and DSC-3 buttons all placed there. They are all lookalikes which are not ergonomically correct. Another pet peeve is almost “typical” since early 3-Series. Instead of placing all 4 switches on driver’s side door panel, BMW still put them all scattered around behind the shifter. Not a smart design when driver wants to open all 4 windows altogether. Door panel remains a better home for power window switches.

Conclusion: Why we are still reviewing E46 when new E90 is just around the corner? Because we wanted to show the current 3-Series still able to hold its own against all the newer competitions. It remains as one of the best cars in its class; in terms of performance, handling, ride quality and comfort. Given 3-Series accounts for 80+% of all BMW sales volume, just hope this Munich company doesn’t mess up E90 as with what they did with E60 5-Series.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2005 BMW 325i EE and 330i PEP
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Performance: 4/5 (325i) 5/5 (330i)
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive 4/5 (325i) 5/5 (330i)
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5 (325i) 4/5 (330i)
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.5/5 (325i) 4.5/5 (330i)
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5 (325i) 4/5 (330i)
Value-for-money: 4.75/5 (325i) 4/5 (330i)

Overall ratings: 4.5/5 (325i) 5/5 (330i)

Vehicle: 2005 BMW 545i with 6-speed Steptronic, Dynamic Handling Pkg, Sport pkg and park distance control
Price as tested: CDN$85100

Performance: With 325 ponies and 330 lb/ft of torque, this 4.5L V8 DOHC engine’s power is never an issue. It has excellent response and refinement at every speed. Its not only silky smooth, it also tuned with a nice Teutonic engine note that is a pure joy to listen. The flexability and trackability of this 4.5L is even more impressive than the outgoing 4.4L V8 in 540i, thanks to the advanced Valvetronic technology. Matched with this exceptional motor is the wonderful 6-speed Steptronic that is a gem to use. The shifts are clean, crisp and response. Its willing to up and downshifts. The tranny is also designed to allow enthuisastic drivers to upshift at redline before computer upshift by itself. The only trait that I don’t care about is the overly responsive throttle.

Handling: While it retains BMW trademarks of wonderfully stiff chassis and minimal body rolls. There are some dynamic traits that really turned me off in this generation of 5-Series. Although the Active Steering does enhance the ease of parking thanks to lower steering ratio in low speed, this system has taken away the precision and mechanical feedback that are hallmarks of BMW. During the transition from low to high or vise versa ratios, the inconsistant feedback through the steering doesn’t provide the sorta of confidence of a typical consistant steering ratio steering. What I meant by inconsistant feedback is the lack of linearity from low to high speed. When you are entering a corner, you usually lift-off the throttle or downshift. That’s when the Active Steering learns to provide a lower ratio. As you exit a corner, the Active Steering suddently boosted the ratio by providing an inconsistant heavy feel. Another problem is when the ratio is really low, the steering is featherweight. Once it increases its ratio, it becomes very heavy to almost dead feedback. The mechanical feel typical of BMW has become a thing of history in new 5-Series. On the other hand, the 545i still provides some favourable dynamic traits. The Dyanmic Stability Control remains uninstrusive until the driver gets really hot in the corners. The oversteer is easy to control and stable at or above the limits. Its 50/50 perfect balance also makes it tossable in corners. In terms of ride comfort, it remains comfortable and supple even on our tester with sports suspension. Judging by the fact that its predecessors; E28, E34 and E39, are considered as some of the finest handling cars in the world. The E60′s dynamic quality is a step backward compares to its remarkable forebears.

Brakes: With large 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, 545i’s braking performance is amazing. The stopping distance is short while the pedal feel is exceptional. Its also easy to control and modulate.

Interior: Just like Active Steering, 5-Series’s interior is a mixbag. The instrumentations are typical BMW. Clear, concise and easy-to-read. While the annoying fuel economy gauge remains, that’s not where the problem lies. The sports seats are superb with excellent back and side supports. Now, here are the drawbacks. The interior materials of E60 has seen some corners cutting against the excellent E39. There are plenty of hard plastic on the door panels. The particular tester also has mismatched panels on the ventliation. Next, i-Drive. Although BMW has improved 7-Series’s system by reducing the mouse to 4 directions instead of 8 for 5-Series. It remains a nightmare to use while driving. The i-Drive screen also tends to wash out during daylight. BMW should use buttons beside the mouse for easier navigation instead of relying on one single function.

The back seat space has been improved. There are plenty of head and legrooms.

Conclusion: Its hard to improve a car that doesn’t need improvements, that’s best describe the outgoing E39 5-Series. With the introduction of the E60 5-Series, BMW has taken a step backward with its awkward i-Drive and Active System grimmicks. Its no longer as driver-oriented as its predecessors, nor its a looker with its ugly looks. That’s how a company ruined a previous class leader and become an also-run.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2005 BMW 545i
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Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 3.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 2.25/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 3.75/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-f0r-money: 3/5

Overall rating: 3.75/5