Other cars in this price range surpass the 3 Series in significant areas. The Lexus ES 330 is smoother and far quieter, and the Acura TL provides a roomier rear seat and more features for less cash. But those are near-luxury cars, while the BMW is a true sports sedan. If driving satisfaction is top priority, one of the 3 Series models should top your shopping list.

Which model? The 325i sedan is a terrific car. It's four doors and usable rear seat are practical, and you may never miss the power of the 330i. The sport wagons add space and versatility, and the only way we could tell we weren't driving a sedan was to glance into the rear view mirror. The coupes add sports appeal with their two-door styling, and their split rear seats provide some versatility. The convertible, well, do you have to ask? The 330 models add a lot of performance to the equation. All-wheel drive offers winter capability to a car not noted for that. The M3 is the best, earthly priced high-performance car on the market with a real back seat. Order mine with the Sequential Manual Gearbox. The 330i sedan with the new Performance Package may offer the best balance of all 12 variants measured by price, performance and practicality.

Concerned about maintenance costs? Free scheduled maintenance for four years or 50,000 miles comes standard with all 2004 BMW 3 Series models.

Depending on equipment, the 3 Series can be pricey, measured by objective values of space, features and horsepower for the money. Subjectively, there is nothing better in the class. There's no mystery why the 3 Series remains the benchmark for moderately priced sports sedans. It's been that way since the late 1970s, and we don't see it changing.