2012 BMW 3-Series: Bigger, Bolder And More Fuel Efficient Page 3

By Viknesh Vijayenthiran

Viknesh Vijayenthiran

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Vik is an Editor at High Gear Media and contributor for a number of sites within the High Gear Media network. He was a co-founder of Motor Authority... More

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2012 BMW 3-Series Sedan Luxury Line interior

More comfort and safety than ever thanks to ConnectedDrive

BMW ConnectedDrive is an umbrella heading for a suite of new technologies and features coming to BMW’s cars. They offer new driver assistance technology and mobility systems as well as advanced safety features.

In the new 2012 BMW 3-Series, either as standard or an option, drivers can look forward to a color heads-up-display, a camera based surround view monitoring system, a parking assistant, as well as active blind spot and lane departure warning systems, collision warning, and a navigation system with real-time traffic information (RTTI).

Like most BMWs, the cockpit is angled towards the driver for easy reach of the controls. The cockpit’s four circular dials (fuel gauge, speedometer, tachometer and oil temperature gauge) come with a black panel display. Positioned on the horizontally-structured instrument panel is the freestanding iDrive display.

Positioned centrally on the center console within easy reach of both the driver and the front passenger is the standard iDrive controller.

The car’s larger dimensions ensure rear passengers are welcomed by 0.71 inches of extra legroom inside the doors as they climb aboard. Behind the fully contoured front seats, 0.6 inches of additional knee room and 0.31 inches of extra headroom further enhance the passengers’ comfort.

Storage space is a reasonable 17 cubic-feet, up 0.7 cubic-feet on the outgoing model. Worth mentioning are the 40:20:40 split rear backrests, which should prove very handy for those trips to Ikea. Another cool feature is the hands-free trunk lid opening function, which requires just a wave of the foot under the trunk similar to what Volkswagen’s European Passat has.