Bucket seats provide fine support without feeling hard, and come standard with six adjustments. Power adjustments come standard on all models except 325i sedans. The manual controls on the 325i sedan work well, though they are best used when the car is stationary. The 10-way power seats that come with the optional Sport Package are superb, adding more side bolstering for winding roads, and slide-out thigh support.

The leather-covered steering wheel tilts and telescopes for optimum adjustment. Its slim design is a benefit of the latest in compact airbag packaging. Audio and speed controls on the steering wheel work well and add convenience. Two different steering wheels are used depending on body style and model. M3 comes with a fat three-spoke steering wheel that contains buttons for cruise control, the audio system, and a factory-installed phone, which makes it bulkier and less racy than the Audi TT steering wheel.

Dashboard and door panels are rich in appearance, and appealing to the eye. A titanium finish is used around the instrument panel, console, and doors. Genuine myrtle wood inserts are optional. 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. Window controls are located 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. Auto up/auto down is available for all windows and the sunroof, which is a nice feature.

Automatic climate control and a microfilter ventilation system are standard. Automatic headlamps are available. The in-dash single-CD player that now comes standard is easy to operate; the previous cassette deck is available as a no-cost option. The Harmon Kardon stereo with 12 upgraded speakers sounds great. Available steering wheel audio controls work well and add convenience.

We're not in love with the center console, which doesn't hold much. The flip down armrest, standard for 2003, is a bit in the way when shifting and unattractive shallow cup holders in the center console seem like an afterthought.

The back seat in the sedans is roomy enough for two adults during a night on the town, but it's not as roomy as some of the other cars in its class. There's a reasonable amount of room in the rear, but the middle person needs to be a kid to have any chance at comfort, as the transmission tunnel rises nearly to the height of the seat. If rear cabin space is a top priority, you can find more for your money elsewhere. Practically speaking, the Coupes fit between a two-plus-two sports car and a sports sedan. The rear windows in the Coupe are power operated, but it's almost an affectation, because they only open by flaring out a few inches at the back, as if to let stale air out, not fresh air in.

The 3 Series cars are not class leaders when it comes to moving cargo, either. The trunk is small, and the trunk opening is even smaller. However, the Cold Weather Package ($1000) adds split fold-down rear seats with a ski boot and armrest, plus other features. The convertible offers little in the way of trunk space.

Sport wagons seem the perfect solution for enthusiast drivers who need some cargo capacity. When the car is unlocked, the rear hatch can be opened by touching the electric release above the license plate; or just 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 of cargo 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 wagon's rear seats down; there's no need to remove the headrests. This reveals a nearly flat cargo area. There's enough room for two people involved in outdoor activities. Ski racks, bike racks and other accessories can be attached to the beefy roof rack rails.