In the scorching summer, escaping the heat in Guizhou has become the top choice for many families for holiday travel, and you can even occasionally see posts on social media about "attacking" Guizhou from various places. Traveling through the mountainous region of Guizhou, self-driving tours naturally become the best option.

Considering that most of the road conditions are smooth highways, choosing a solid German car with a sturdy chassis is simply perfect. After spending half a day on the car rental platform, I was lucky enough to find this 2024 model 320Li with only 7,000 km on the odometer.

After a few days of driving, I have pretty much figured out this G28.

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01

Static Experience: The Car's Infotainment System is Outdated

(The translation continues from here, but the original text seems to be cut off.)For the visible aspects such as exterior and interior design, I will gloss over them, and this time I will focus on discussing the areas where a Facelift model is likely to have significant differences compared to the previous model:

The interaction of the infotainment system, dynamic performance, and some details of the static experience.

After the minor facelift, the most noticeable change in the 3 Series is this new dual-screen iDrive system. Additionally, the 2024 model's infotainment system has integrated the 8155 chip, which theoretically should further enhance its smoothness.

However, essentially, it is only the hardware design that has changed, which brings some visual novelty. The underlying logic of the UI interaction remains a very traditional framework within iDrive. Over a decade ago, controlling the system menu through iDrive's unique large knob and a series of physical buttons was very trendy at the time. But now, whether this framework is outdated is not the point, many details, when viewed from today's perspective, have quite a few issues.First and foremost is the instrument panel, whose main functional feature lies in the switchable page layouts and display content. The page layout comes in three different styles, with subtle variations that primarily affect the visualization of display content windows other than key information such as gear, speed, and RPM, without any significant inherent differences.

By using the steering wheel's scroll wheel and left/right buttons, one can switch between different display contents and page layouts. However, such a design also impacts the interaction logic of other functions on the car's infotainment system. For instance, the frequently used multimedia volume control is assigned to the "+" and "-" buttons, rather than the more convenient and intuitive scroll wheel, which has already been repurposed for switching page content.

In contrast, many domestic brands nowadays can automatically switch the instrument display through associated signals such as vehicle speed, gear, power-on status, and driving mode, thereby reducing the logical conflicts caused by the sharing of controls.

Now, let's take a look at the infotainment system. Although the screen size has been increased, the horizontal screen shape is still not user-friendly for touch operations compared to the large screens that dominate the central control position in the latest domestic models. Moreover, the capability of the voice system is almost negligible, so the main interaction methods are limited to physical buttons and touch control.Although compared to the models on the UKL platform, the iDrive system of the G28 still retains the large rotary knob and its accompanying functional shortcut physical keys, which still have certain advantages in blind operation during driving. However, the interaction framework behind this knob has clearly offset the convenience advantages brought by these physical controls in today's era of an explosion of in-car features.

Firstly, the menu categorization applied is very simple and somewhat unclear. The functions arranged on the hidden negative one screen are not commonly used shortcuts for vehicle functions. Even considering that the system retains many physical keys related to vehicle settings, the function entries arranged on the negative one screen are not commonly used settings.

The design of the air conditioning function adjustment also has many drawbacks. After the Facelift, the physical keys for the air conditioning were removed and transferred to the car machine. On the other hand, to save costs, the physical key operation area on the center console for multimedia was retained. In fact, this area is the most suitable place for the physical keys for the air conditioning. Considering that there is already an operation area for multimedia on the steering wheel, the occupation of this part of the space is obviously a waste.

The functional design of the air conditioning is even more puzzling. While the main interface is overly simplistic, it is paired with complex hierarchical menus and function definitions that are difficult to understand. Additionally, since the physical keys for front and rear windshield defogging have been retained, these two functions are not present in the car machine interface, which is very unhuman from an interaction perspective.

It's 2024, and a host of intelligent features that are almost standard on domestic new cars are still considered optional and require payment in BMW's eyes, even remote air conditioning control, simulated sound waves, and the interconnection of car machine software ecosystems all cost extra— one can only say that the Germans are clearly still too "relaxed."Clearly, if BMW still wants to approach intelligentization with such a half-hearted attitude, it might as well learn from Volkswagen and quickly outsource this part of the business to a Chinese team.

02

Dynamic Experience: Retaining Decent Driving Control Standards

Now let's discuss the dynamic aspects.

Although the car's intelligent system is quite lacking, BMW will obviously not lose its proper attitude when it comes to dynamics.Although there is not much variety in the driving modes, with only SPORT/COMFORT/ECO PRO three options, there are many open options available in addition to the standard COMFORT mode. In SPORT mode, the steering, powertrain, and transmission system offer two styles of tuning, COMFORT and SPORT, providing two levels of adjustment for steering assistance, throttle gain, transmission shift speed, and gear shifting logic.

For the ECO PRO mode, the adjustable options are also very rich, which is not common in other vehicle driving modes. It allows for restrictions on the power of the compressor, heating of the exterior mirrors, and even affects the gliding effect of the powertrain. Although it cannot achieve energy recovery like an electric vehicle, it can reduce the use of brakes and thus reduce unnecessary power loss through internal drag within the powertrain, achieving a similar effect.

The linearity of power output is still top-notch, and the throttle calibration gives a very clear perception. Basically, it provides feedback proportional to how much you press down, and it is easy to figure out when it only raises the engine speed, when it will appropriately downshift, and when it will fully kick down.

However, the data of 156 horsepower is right there on paper. Even with the throttle fully open, there is no significant pushback feeling, and the engine sound is somewhat muffled, similar to that of a large-displacement motorcycle.The fuel consumption performance is quite average; throughout the journey, more than 80% of the time was spent on pure high-speed roads, almost always driving at the speed limit, and the air conditioning was mostly set at a high volume between 23-24°C. The actual average is approximately 8.6L/100km. Therefore, if you frequently use your car for national highways and high-speed travel, it's more cost-effective to spend an extra twenty thousand or so on the 325Li.

Additionally, there's a detail to pay attention to: possibly due to the large size of the transmission, it occupies a significant amount of space in the central tunnel, which results in the 3 Series' accelerator pedal being closer to the sidewall.

If your car, like rental vehicles, has a thick floor mat, avoid wearing thick shoes while driving; otherwise, after a long time with your foot on the accelerator at high speeds, it can lead to compression of the right foot, and over time, you might even develop calluses on your toes.

In terms of the chassis, having driven an E90 before, I have a very vivid impression of that era's 3 Series. Comparing it to the current G28, the aspects that clearly carry on the legacy are predominantly in the steering: the large-diameter steering wheel, the robust rim, the heavy yet smooth damping, the top-notch road-reading capability, and the very linear angle-dependent damping increase, which brings a sense of stability on the highway like an anchor, clear directionality in corners, and swift self-centering upon exiting the bend.

However, this car has a noticeable flaw, albeit minor, but there is a clear perceptible tendency to veer to the right, whether it's a common issue or a difference in individual vehicles is uncertain.The performance of the suspension system has evidently softened compared to its predecessor. On relatively smooth road surfaces, it still maintains a decent sense of tension when dealing with minor undulations; when encountering narrow speed bumps, it can absorb them at a relatively fast speed, retaining a direct sense of impact without being overly harsh, which is very characteristic of the "BMW feel."

However, on soft ground, the vehicle's response to jolts becomes relatively sluggish. When facing rough, unpaved roads, it offers more cushioning and enhanced flexibility, but this also affects its cornering performance.

Although the vehicle's center of gravity is sufficiently low, the sensation of body roll is more pronounced, even affecting the vehicle's followability. The front end is eager to turn, while the rear end seems to be dragged into the corner, stumbling in pursuit of the front.

Fortunately, the seats offer excellent wrapping and support, combined with a low center of gravity and the ability to sit very low, creating a strongly enveloping cockpit. Therefore, even in corners, it does not appear disheveled. Driving it, you might feel like Jackie Chan performing a drunken fist routine after having too much to drink.

The strong grip also ensures the baseline of handling, which is clearly due to the set of tires. The 225/45/R18 low-profile tires at the front and back are more aggressive than the typical road tires provided for family cars, but this also results in higher tire noise. Even though the original vehicle's wind noise and engine noise at low speeds are well-controlled, once on the highway, there is still a noticeable "rumbling" sound.Jia Shi Summary

This long-wheelbase 3 Series can be regarded as a "muscular yet simple-minded" utility vehicle:

Although it is inherently underpowered, the calibration of the engine and transmission remains excellent;

Although the extended body and softened suspension have somewhat reduced the joy of handling, driving it is still a pleasant experience.

With well-supported seats and a spacious rear compartment, aside from the lackluster level of intelligence, you are unlikely to have many complaints in everyday use.On design, on power, on handling, the 3 Series has reached a very mature stage. The 320 serves as an entry-level option, the 325Li focuses on balance, and the 325i emphasizes fun. There is little that it fails to encompass. However, facing the future, given the solid perception people have of the 3 Series, it is actually quite challenging for it to establish a dominant position on an entirely new track.