Inside, the aluminum trimmed centre console is flanked by powered leather seats with lumbar and bolstering adjustment courtesy of the sport package. A Harmon-Kardon stereo system is fitted for music, and a selection of premium features including an air quality system, automatic climate control, universal garage door opener and push-button engine start liven up the user interface.
But it's all very conservative looking- more a modern take on a classic look than a revolutionary new one, with nothing standing out except the exemplary build quality and attention to detail. Any control you could interact with feels rock solid and well bolted down, and the craftsmanship is also undeniable- right down to the stitching of the Dakota leatherwork.
Complaints of the interior include slide-out cupholders which can trap taller folks in their seat while being used, an audio display screen that's impossible to read while wearing polarized driving glasses, and old-fashioned looking orange instrument lighting.
But it's an easy car to board and exit, and easy to see out of too. Trunk space is adequate, as is rear seat room- provided passengers aren't excessively tall. The controls are combined together with logic and become intuitive quickly, and it's also quiet, relaxing and remarkably free of road and wind noise- even at high speeds.
The test car was fitted with Active Steering- a $1,500 option which adjusts the steering ratio to a variety of conditions in real time. The result is consistently great steering with a great deal of sharpness and precision. You'll feel every bit of the roads surface, which is useful when pushing the car around corners quickly. Drivers can lock onto their line and tear pavement to shreds with confidence courtesy of the heavy steering, though it can become tiresome after long highway trips.
Add sport-tuned suspension and 18'' wheels with the sport package and the 335i ensures a deep, strong and unquestionable hold on the road. Here's a machine that feels as solid, planted and heavy as Italian marble flooring, but sheds most of its weight when you ask it to accelerate, steer or stop. Last time I drove something this nimble, it didn't have a back-seat- or room in the trunk for two golf bags. This is dazzling dynamics as only BMW does it.
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| The conventional dashboard layout is easy to work with. |
But it's all very conservative looking- more a modern take on a classic look than a revolutionary new one, with nothing standing out except the exemplary build quality and attention to detail. Any control you could interact with feels rock solid and well bolted down, and the craftsmanship is also undeniable- right down to the stitching of the Dakota leatherwork.
Complaints of the interior include slide-out cupholders which can trap taller folks in their seat while being used, an audio display screen that's impossible to read while wearing polarized driving glasses, and old-fashioned looking orange instrument lighting.
But it's an easy car to board and exit, and easy to see out of too. Trunk space is adequate, as is rear seat room- provided passengers aren't excessively tall. The controls are combined together with logic and become intuitive quickly, and it's also quiet, relaxing and remarkably free of road and wind noise- even at high speeds.
The test car was fitted with Active Steering- a $1,500 option which adjusts the steering ratio to a variety of conditions in real time. The result is consistently great steering with a great deal of sharpness and precision. You'll feel every bit of the roads surface, which is useful when pushing the car around corners quickly. Drivers can lock onto their line and tear pavement to shreds with confidence courtesy of the heavy steering, though it can become tiresome after long highway trips.
Add sport-tuned suspension and 18'' wheels with the sport package and the 335i ensures a deep, strong and unquestionable hold on the road. Here's a machine that feels as solid, planted and heavy as Italian marble flooring, but sheds most of its weight when you ask it to accelerate, steer or stop. Last time I drove something this nimble, it didn't have a back-seat- or room in the trunk for two golf bags. This is dazzling dynamics as only BMW does it.
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| The sport package adds 18-inch wheels, sport seats and sport suspension. |