Though not generally lacking, the BMW has subjectively less interior space than its exterior suggest.  For starters, the ingress/egress is now even made harder because of the standard moon roof.  The thick center tunnel (the 3 Series is rear-wheel drive, after all) and the lower dash intrude to hip and foot well space respectively, which can pose a problem for the big framed. 

Like all other 3 Series, starting up the 320d is a “why tech” affair.  Instead of simply slotting the key in the ignition and twisting, you’ll have to slot in the key-sized card and push a separate start/stop button.  It heightens the driving anticipation for a couple of times, but it turns silly rapidly; unless of course you opt for the Comfort Access keyless entry system (and sorry, you can’t retrofit it to non-equipped E90s).  Once started, you’d be surprised at the not-so quiet engine under the hood.  Quiet the diesel engine may not be, but at least it’s very smooth.

The BMW’s 2.0-liter inline-4 is a powerhouse: 163 horsepower, 340 Nm of torque.  Mated to a proper 6-speed automatic, the 320d proves to be a bullet train.  The wide torque band is nice, especially when it comes to overtaking.

On a tight and twisty road, the 320d is noticeably agile and flawless to drive.  Though the steering is a bit heavy, there’s nice communication in the set-up and the chassis feel very balanced.  It’s easy to keep the 320d pointed in the right direction, and with little sense of under steer and body roll, this is the perfect car for the very enthusiastic driver.  The braking is hard to fault too as it bites with precision and is very easy to modulate.  The story reverses though the moment it hits the open road such as the South Luzon Expressway.  Because of the 320d’s lightning fast reflexes, it acts like a hungry Rottweiler on the food prowl, requiring 100 percent driver concentration.  This is especially true on uneven pavement which seems to unsettle the low-profile tires a lot.  This means the 320d is somewhat tiring to drive over long distances.

Despite this flaw, it’s hard not to like the BMW 320d.  Any time spent behind its wheel is simply pure bliss.  While its rivals have all gone wayward—getting fatter, sloppier and softer than before; this car remains true to its fundamental design philosophy.  Be it ‘sports sedan’ or ‘luxury sports car’, this car does well as both.

Trading the matte "titanium" trim, the 320d Sport has real world inside.  Dual zone climate control is also made standard, and so is a power adjustable driver's seat.

Trunk space is huge, but not exactly class leading.