2006 BMW 325xi Touring Road Test (Video Clip)

Pleasure for the five senses

2006 BMW 325xi Touring (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123.com)

It's always special to find ourselves behind the wheel of a German luxury automobile. It's an experience that the five senses of the human body can enjoy. Ah, of course, when we're at ease financially, we get used to this sensorial feast. But for most peasants like me, it's an opportunity to benefit from this orgy of sensations.

At first glance while approaching this car, we notice its silhouette that seems cut with a scalpel. Its rounded-off wheel arches allow the optional 17-inch tires to display the beauty of its alloys. A very pronounced crease at door-handle height lends a nice contrast of light. In the dark, when we unlock the doors, a soft light glows from under each handle. Magnificent. The roofline on this wagon is so fluid, from nose to tail, that we have the impression that Chris Bangle's design team drew the wagon body style before the sedan.

Our pupils will rejoice from peeking inside the cockpit. We sit down, and immediately notice how much light infiltrates through the huge power sunroof. The lighting in this car is superb; it turns on and off like in a theatre. The dashboard's mix of black and beige offers an interesting contrast. They are split by a strip of fake wood (real wood is optional). We look left, then right, and notice the excellent visibility of the world outside. We appreciate the dashboard's quality materials, including the black top portion that is rich and doesn't shine. Controls and buttons are numerous, very numerous, and certain unfortunately need the assistance of the owner's manual in order to figure out what they do.

2006 BMW 325xi Touring (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123.com)

It's hard to find more comfortable seats than in this 325xi. The leather pleases our nose, and support for our back and hips is excellent. Despite the cow skin, we don't slide around in the seats while attacking high-speed curves. Several adjustments, including the power controls as well as a cushion extension for our legs, are available for the driver and front passenger. Also, three temperature levels keep us warm while sitting in front. However, the beige colour of the seats and carpeting will be hard to keep clean, especially in winter.

The sound system is impressive. No less than 10 speakers come as standard equipment and fill your ears with a fantastic sonority. With the Premium package, you'll get 13 speakers that will machine-gun your eardrums. The system includes a 6-CD changer with MP3 capability.

Interior space is, well, precious. The 3-Series is small, and it's obvious when our hair brushes against the headliner. We can improve the situation by lowering the driver's seat cushion, but then we have the impression of sitting on the floor. At least we can say that the car fits like a glove, and that's a fact. Personally, the dimensions of this cockpit suit

2006 BMW 325xi Touring (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123.com)

me fine anyway.

We start the car, and like the tachometer needle, the real-time fuel consumption needle is constantly in movement. Acceleration and passing power is impressive. However, let's not forget that the 3-Series Touring is only available with the middle engine of the model line, a 3.0-litre inline-6 that develops 215 horsepower. This unit produces a very nice sound that we can only hear above about 4,000 rpm, since the car possesses a very quiet cabin.