Dashboard and door panels are rich in appearance, and appealing to the eye. Different trim packages offer a choice of Myrtle wood inserts or plastic that looks like polished aluminum. The instruments themselves feature soft orange lighting, which help reduce glare at night; some people find orange instrument lighting easier on the eyes than other colors.

Most switches fall intuitively to the driver's fingertips, but the 3 Series interior is not without its faults. Like many European vehicles sold in markets that can't agree on which side to locate the steering wheel, the 3 Series puts its window controls on the center console, requiring a glance down to open or close a windows. Having the controls on the doors would make them much easier to use. Automatic climate control and a microfilter ventilation system are standard; but the radio buttons look a bit too similar to the climate controls, so again a glance down is required to change radio stations. (Optional volume and station controls located on the steering wheel address this.) Unattractive shallow cupholders in the center console seem like an afterthought.

The back seat is roomy enough for two adults during a night on the town, but bear in mind that the 3 Series is a compact. If rear cabin space is a top priority, you can find more for your money elsewhere.

The 3 Series cars are not class leaders when it comes to moving cargo, either. The trunk is small, the trunk opening is even smaller and the rear seats do not fold down.

Sport wagons seem the perfect solution for enthusiast drivers who need some cargo capacity. When the car is unlocked, the rear hatch could be opened by touching the electric release above the license plate; the rear glass can be opened by pressing a button under the rear wiper. The rear cargo cover is nicely designed with a vinyl panel that easily slides out and hooks into place to hide valuables. Alternatively, a net slides up and hooks onto the ceiling to allow cargo to be piled to the ceiling. With the dog fence in place, the 325i sport wagon can carry 25.7 cubic feet of cargo and four passengers. That's more than twice the 10.7 cubic feet the sedan can handle. That makes the wagon a much better choice at the airport, though it doesn't have the cargo capacity of an SUV or minivan. For more cargo space, it's easy to fold the rear seats down; and there's no need to remove the headrests. This reveals a nearly flat cargo area. It's plenty of room for two people involved in outdoor activities. Ski racks, bike racks and other accessories can be attached to the beefy roof rack rails.

Front and front side-impact airbags come standard; new for 2001 is a more sophisticated airbag management system that activates only the belt tensioner for a belted occupant in a moderate collision, saving the airbag for unbelted passengers and/or really serious crashes. The system also shuts off both the belt tensioner and the airbag on the passenger side if that seat is not occupied, saving repair costs after an accident. Also standard (on all but the convertibles) are head-protection airbags that deploy from the headliner along the length of both sides of the cabin. Rear side-impact airbags are optional.

Xenon high-intensity discharge low beams offer much better visibility on stormy nights and we recommend them as an option, even at $500. BMW's Park Distance Control, a $350 option on all 330i's and the 325i Sport Wagon, uses an electronic beep to warn the driver of objects behind the car during parking maneuvers.

The purchase price of all 3 Series models includes scheduled maintenance for three years or 36,000 miles.