Comparison Tests
A new BMW 3-series sedan is finally here. That means the often lauded last-generation 3’s days are numbered, and it will soon give way to redesigned coupes, convertibles, and M versions. We’re a little sad to see the previous 3-series go, as it didn’t necessarily need to be redone. Even in its last year, the 3-series treated its competition like a bull treats a rodeo clown. Sure, you sort of admire the goofy bravery of the guy in floppy shoes, but the bull always has him on the run. That is, unless you’re in Mexico or Spain, but that’s a whole other sport.
Is the new 328i still capable of sending the clowns scrambling? Are the other cars in the segment even all that laughable anymore? We gathered an Audi A4 2.0T Quattro, an Infiniti G25 Journey, a Mercedes-Benz C250 Sport, and a Volvo S60 T6 AWD—each fitted with an automatic transmission—to find out.
If we’d assembled this group last year, only the Audi would have been equipped with a turbocharged four-cylinder. This year, three of the five cars in the test have four-bangers under their hoods. The two new four-cylinder cars are the entries from BMW and Mercedes, each of which chopped two cylinders and added a turbocharger to create more-efficient base engines.
This is the new reality of mid-size sports sedans: Each generation of these cars gets physically larger and more technology-laden to meet perceived customer demands and to satisfy competitive zeal. But, increasingly, each is powered by a smaller, theoretically more fuel-efficient engine in order to serve other masters.
Infiniti has gotten into the downsized engine business, too. But instead of cutting cylinder count and adding a turbo, the company offers a smaller version of its familiar VQ-series V-6. So we invited the G25 to this rodeo, even if that meant it would be the cheapest car in the test.
This being a comparison of the little-engined sports sedans, we considered borrowing an S60 T5. At the time of our test, though, the new T5/all-wheel-drive powertrain combination was not available. And putting a less powerful engine into this only mildly sporty front-drive sedan would have put it at a huge disadvantage here. So we brought out the brawny 300-hp S60 T6. It lorded a distinct power advantage over the other competitors, although that didn’t mean much when we hit the back roads.
So the game has changed. And the bull of the segment has changed along with it. Will it end up bloodied and in the butcher’s case? Or is it still an SOB you don’t want to mess with, even if it’s short a couple of Rocky Mountain oysters?
