BMW 3 Series E90 (2006-2011) review | Handsome to look at, and a delight to drive

What is the BMW 3 Series?

The BMW 3 Series E90 is part of a long line of what is BMW’s most successful model. It was sold between 2006 and 2013 and can be found in saloon, Touring estate (E91), coupe (E92) and cabriolet (E93) forms. All were less conservative than those that had gone before, boasting more individualistic styling, both inside and out, even before it was given a cosmetic facelift in 2009.

Beneath the skin, there were changes afoot, too. When the new BMW E90 3 Series was being developed the company was in the process of moving to downsized engines, so the six-cylinder powerplants that had marked out older models were available only in the most potent versions. More common-or-garden 3 Series diesel models used turbocharged four-cylinder engines for the first time.

But smaller engines didn’t dent the 3 Series’s fabulous driving experience, and that’s what marks it out compared with similarly stylish but slightly less involving rivals like the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4 and Volvo S60.

How practical is it?

Practicality is decent enough, if not outstanding. There’s less space in the back of the E90 3 Series than there is in the contemporary Mercedes C-Class, and both are bested by more mainstream rivals like the Volkswagen Passat and Mazda 6.

Having said that, nobody will feel cramped inside a 3 Series unless they’re either extremely tall, or extremely broad. And if your need is to fit two child seats into the rear seats, you’ll have no issues – though three will probably be a struggle.

The same goes for the 460-litre boot – it isn’t quite as vast as that of the Passat, but neither is it small by the standards of the class. Certainly, you should be able to fit in enough luggage for a day out with the kids, though if you regularly travel heavy on your holidays, the Touring estate version might be a better bet.

What’s it like to drive?

The move to four-cylinder engines didn’t stop the 3 Series being great fun to drive. In fact, you won’t find an E90 that isn’t, helped in large part by its rear-wheel drive layout.

However, we would advise caution if you’re thinking about choosing one of the racy-looking M Sport versions; these came with stiffer suspension and larger alloy wheels, which make the ride uncomfortably stiff. Stick with an SE if you can live with the plainer looks – and you value a comfortable ride.

Whatever your trim or wheel set-up, you will find the performance from the six-cylinder petrol and diesel models (the 325i, 330i and turbocharged 330d, 335d and 335i) much more satisfying than those of the four-cylinder cars, though as we've said the more lowly engined cars still deliver a great driving experience.

Even the entry-level 318i kicked out 141bhp when it was new, which means it manages to get to 62mph from a standstill in 10 seconds dead, for example. That’s better than many family cars can manage even today. Meanwhile, up at the most rapid end of the range (excluding the M3, which we’ve covered in a separate review), the 302bhp 335i can get to 62mph in just 5.5 seconds. That’s almost as quick as the fourth-generation M3 had been.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

Basic E90 3 Series were not as sparsely equipped as their predecessors, with air conditioning, alloy wheels, and a CD player all coming as standard. Jumping up to the SE added climate control, rear parking sensors, interior mood lighting and, if you chose a six-cylinder engine, automatic lights and wipers, and cruise control.

An M Sport model then added cruise control (on four-cylinder models), stiffer suspension, bigger wheels, and a more aggressive body kit.

Later on, the entry-level model was given a badge – ES – and for a time, there were also Business Edition models of the SE and M Sport, which gained satellite navigation, leather seats, and Bluetooth connectivity as standard.

The E90 was built in an era before touchscreens, but there’s still a trick radio with a separate display. This is fairly easy to use, although there are quite a few buttons – especially if you choose a car equipped with climate control. (Otherwise, you get three rather lovely rotary controllers for the heating and ventilation.)

Elsewhere there are chunky indicator stalks, a dial for the lights, and crisp, clear gauges in a neat little instrument binnacle – all of which feel refreshingly user-friendly compared with many modern cars.

BMW 3 Series running costs

The most economical version of the 3 Series is the 320d EfficientDynamics, or ED for short. You should see around 55-60mpg from one of these in everyday driving, and as it sits in VED band B, it’s cheap to tax as well.

If you’d rather have a petrol model, the 318i should see around 40mpg in day-to-day driving, while the 320i should achieve around 2 or 3mpg less than this. Of course, if it’s the M3 you’re after, you’ll have to be prepared for fuel consumption in the region of 20mpg or less.

The 3 Series uses a system BMW calls condition-based servicing. What this means is that it doesn’t have a set service schedule, but instead servicing must be carried out whenever it is deemed necessary by the car itself. Sensors within the engine monitor the condition of the oil and other systems, and when a service is required, an indicator on the dashboard tells the driver.

As a result, there’s no hard and fast mileage at which a 3 Series should have been serviced, but as a general rule, you’ll want to look for servicing that’s been carried out every 10-20,000 miles. As this version of the 3 Series is more than 3 years old, it benefits from BMW’s Value Service scheme, which offers discounts of up to 40 per cent on parts for older cars.

All 3 Series models feature a timing chain, rather than a timing belt, which you shouldn’t need to worry about replacing – in theory. More on that in the ‘Reliability’ section.

BMW 3 Series reliability

The BMW 3 Series’s timing chain shouldn’t in theory need to be replaced. But almost every engine fitted to this generation of 3 Series has been known to suffer to a greater or lesser extent from timing chain issues involving stretching of the chain, which results in severe engine damage.

It’s thought the problem is exacerbated by neglected maintenance – missing services, or filling the engine with cheap oil or the wrong grade. That’s why it’s vital to make sure you only buy a 3 Series with a complete record of regular servicing carried out by a BMW dealer or an independent specialist.

Look out for white smoke on acceleration on diesel models; this could point to a blown turbo, which is not unknown. You’ll also want to check there are no lights on the dashboard that could point to a blocked particulate filter, and beware dual mass flywheels, which are known to shatter without warning and are costly to fix.

Issues with injectors and/or coils can crop up on petrol models, and again, these aren’t cheap to sort out. A problem will be obvious because the car won’t run right, and there will probably be a warning light on the dashboard.

Steering racks are known to leak fluid, and not many owners check and top up the fluid level regularly. So have a look at the reservoir to see if it looks low, and if you can see the rack itself underneath the car, look for signs of leakage around the seals.