BMW 320: world’s best saloon?

One of the most popular saloons on the market, and with good reason. Andrew Frankel reviews the BMW 320

BMW 320d SE saloon

This model from £28,410

For decades, the BMW 3-series has been the most coveted and best-selling, mid-sized quality saloon of all. And it’s not just because BMW has a strong image. When resale is taken into account, they can cost less than many mass-market saloons. The cars are also better engineered than any other in the class.

Take the 320d as the mid-range focal point: with a 181bhp engine, it offers class-leading performance that you might reasonably expect to come with commensurately poor fuel consumption. But it doesn’t: it manages 62.8mpg in standard trim despite a top speed approaching 150mph. The 143mph Efficient Dynamics is no more expensive and achieves a barely believable 68.9mpg.