The 3 Series cars sport BMW's classic look. They look elegant and refined, but purposeful. The roofline is long and gracefully integrated into the short rear deck. These cars are striking in appearance with their bold grilles, exotic-looking headlamps, and short front and rear overhangs. Their wheels fill the fenders and the body work seems wrapped tight, like it's stretched over muscle. The 3 Series sedans have the look of a true sports sedan. And the other models take full advantage of that.
Traditional quad headlamps are enclosed in aerodynamic covers. For 2002, BMW has upgraded the optional xenon headlights to bi-xenon lights, which include both low and high beams. The outer lamps provide high-intensity discharge illumination on low and high beams, while the inner lamps augment the high beams with halogen lighting. Auto-leveling of the bi-xenon lamps is included.

Introduced for model year 1999, the sedan was the first of this latest generation of 3 Series cars; it shares its styling and most of its body work with the sport wagon. Subtle changes to the design of the 3 Series sedans and sport wagons this year has freshened their appearance. Most people won't notice the differences, but park a new 3 Series sedan or sport wagon next to a 2001 model and the details are readily apparent.
For 2002, the sedan and sport wagon feature redesigned front fascias, front and rear bumpers, grilles, headlamps, tail lamps, hoods, and fenders. Similar to the theme set by the new 7 Series, the headlamps now tilt up at the trailing edges of the wraparounds rather than tilting down as they have traditionally. BMW also redesigned the shape of the cutouts below the headlamps. When equipped with the aerodynamic package, the front fascia looks like more of an air dam than before with round integrated fog lamps instead of small, thin rectangular lights. This year the lower grille is split all the way across. Bumpers, front and rear, have been given a simpler, cleaner look and the taillight units' functional segments reapportioned to give the main taillights greater illuminated area. The grilles, continuing BMW's dual-kidneys tradition, have been widened. The hood's character lines now sweep outward and rearward from the grilles' upper outer corners back to the body's A-pillars. Front fenders are also modified, with more prominent wheel-opening flares that interrupt the side character lines for an additional element of design interest.

Coupe and convertible models were introduced for 2000 with updated design cues and go into 2002 without any significant styling changes. Their headlamp cluster wraparounds taper down rather than up.

The 3 Series' interior is designed for the serious driver. Our 330i sedan came with the handsome Natural Brown Leather ($1450) package that's new for 2002. It's a classic shade and the quality of the leather is high, making for a beautiful interior. 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.

Dashboard and door panels are rich in appearance and appealing to the eye. For 2002, a new titanium finish on the instrument panel, console, and doors comes standard. 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. For 2002, 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 Harman Kardon stereo with 12 upgraded speakers sounds great. Available steering wheel audio controls work well and add convenience.

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I don't particularly care for the center console. The flip down armrest is a bit in the way when shifting and unattractive shallow cup holders in the center console seem like an afterthought.

The back seat 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. If rear cabin space is a top priority, you can find more for your money elsewhere. The Acura TL, for example, offers a roomier back seat, but it's no BMW. 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.

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. 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.