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Top Gear
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Here's every generation of the BMW 3 Series: which is your favourite?
Advertisement "It's a perfect place to sit and operate the machinery. The seat and pedals are just-so. Visibility is astounding through deep windows and past slim pillars. It's wonderfully compact and concise. Take hold of the thin plastic rim on the huge steering wheel and head off..." Read Top Gear's review of the E21 BMW 316 here Advertisement - Page continues below "What a brilliant powertrain. It makes 192bhp, which is pretty special for an elderly naturally aspirated two-litre. And it pulls like a happy puppy all the way to 7000rpm, which means about seven-and-a-bit seconds to 60mph, on a weight of just 1200kg..." Read Top Gear's review of the E30 BMW 320iS here You might like "Oh my word, this is a magical car. The E36 got all-new rear suspension, and its principles are still used today. It got a freshly styled body and new cabin. And it all gelled together magically..." Read Top Gear's review of the E36 BMW 323i here Advertisement - Page continues below "Time for another big leap, and a controversial one. This Three got a jagged Bangle-ised exterior and an interior dominated by the primordial iDrive. It feels heavier, is bigger, and more serious than what's gone before. But more likeable? Nope..." Read Top Gear's review of the E90 BMW 320iS here "The main thing is new engines. But then, this is the Bavarian Motor Works we're talking about, so it's what you might call a core competence. One of them wears a new badge on the tail: 340i. Historians will note the significance of a new generation of BMW straight-six, as this turbo 3.0-litre is making its first appearance in any car. It produces 326bhp. It's actually the last man standing in the great tradition of petrol straight-six 3 Series..." Read Top Gear's review of the F30 BMW 340i here "Inside, BMW's finally stopped fiddling with its 1990s design themes and gone chasing after Audi and Mercedes modern-cool ambience. We've got a 12.3-inch digital instrument display that lies flush with a widescreen iDrive console. Metal buttons add a touch of class to fiddling with the air conditioning. There's ambient lighting, more sculpture to the shapes and surfaces, and the centre console's been thoroughly reimagined..." Read Top Gear's review of the G20 BMW 3 Series here Advertisement - Page continues below
Car and Driver
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
View Interior Photos of the 2025 Porsche Taycan 4S
Read the full review | See Exterior Photos While the Porsche Taycan gets significant updates for 2025, including improved range and faster charging, the interior is largely the same as it was before.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
I'm a Car Expert: 5 Least Improved Luxury SUVs Not Worth Your Money
The luxury sports utility vehicle (SUV) market is flooded with options, features and upgrades for your purchasing delight. However, not all SUVs are made the same, and while some auto manufacturers have learned from the past about what is needed for future models, others have not done their homework on how to advance their luxury rides. Read More: Consider This: GOBankingRates asked automotive experts what the five least improved luxury SUVs were and why they are not worth your money for the market suggested retail price (MSRP). Average Starting MSRP: $48,000 Alex Black, Chief Marketing Officer at EpicVIN, explained the Alfa Romeo Stelvio '…is a blast to drive, but the dealer network is slim, parts expensive, and long-term reliability reports continue to flash warning signs.' Black warned the interior technology is a step behind, and side-impact ratings trail competitors. While the price does not seem too steep for a luxury SUV, you definitely do not want to spring for the Quadrifoglio, which starts around $95,000. I'm a Car Expert: Average Starting MSRP: $50,000 'Expensive for what you get, reliability falls at the bottom of nearly every ranked list, and the 2.0-liter turbo has not really had a facelift in nearly a decade,' commented Black, adding that using premium gas to fill up for regular trips to work and for errands will only drain your wallet. Average Starting MSRP: $74,000 John Ellmore, EV Fleet Editor at Know Your Business, called the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 'an electric SUV that appears to fall short of market expectations,' highlighting that, for the price, 'you'd expect cutting-edge features, but this model seemingly disappoints with slow home charging at a dreadful 9.6 kW, frustrating braking performance, and overly complicated dashboard controls that distract drivers!' 'At a price point that should really guarantee excellence, the EQE SUV simply hasn't made the right improvements to stand out in the competitive electric SUV segment,' Ellmore pointed out. Average Starting MSRP: $82,000 According to Black, the Infiniti QX80 is made of used bones from a 2010 truck, and even guzzles gas like one with a 13 MPG city rating. '… a brand-new coat can't cover obsolete crash-avoidance technology,' Black noted. 'You're essentially spending Escalade prices for hardware from the 2000s.' Average Starting MSRP: $103,000 For a car that crosses the six figures line in terms of cost, Black advised the Maserati Levante is not worth a dollar of your money. 'Beautiful sound, but sky-high maintenance costs and electricity gremlins kill resale appeal,' Black went on to describe. 'Safety package and graphics on screen seem a generation behind the Germans.' Black advised that if you are looking for a luxury SUV, pass on these makes and models which have not evolved to keep up with the times. 'These rigs may be sharp in a suburban driveway, but haven't caught up in the important stuff: reliability, fresh safety equipment and value-for-dollar,' Black summarized. 'Wiser money is on a new-platform BMW X5, Lexus RX or Genesis GV80.' More From GOBankingRates 3 Luxury SUVs That Will Have Massive Price Drops in Summer 2025 10 Unreliable SUVs To Stay Away From Buying 5 Cities You Need To Consider If You're Retiring in 2025 This article originally appeared on I'm a Car Expert: 5 Least Improved Luxury SUVs Not Worth Your Money
The Drive
29-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
Why Porsche's Digital Gauges Are Better Than Everyone Else's
The latest car news, reviews, and features. The pivot from analog gauge needles to ubiquitous screens is a sad blow to the artistry of the automobile. But after a week in a new Porsche Taycan, I've come to realize that the German automaker's digital dashboards look a lot better than pretty much everyone else's in 2025. That's because Porsche's screen clusters are unique in two critical ways. First, unlike almost every other car company that slaps a rectangular screen in front of the steering wheel, Porsche gives its computer clusters a distinctive physical shape. Particularly in front of the driver, but also in the central area. Second, when they're powered up, Porsche's modern gauge clusters are clean, legible, and good-looking without being boring or annoying. More cars than you might expect fall close to one of those suboptimal extremes. Andrew P. Collins It's really that simple. I'll stop short of calling the Porsche Taycan's gauge cluster perfect—there are a few tweaks I'd make and some different info configurations I'd like to have. But out of the countless new cars I've driven in the last few years, this one had the best version of a screen-based gauge setup I've seen. Now that you've got my thesis, I'll expound a little for those who aren't scrolling straight to the comments to tell me how wrong I am. The Porsche Taycan's gauge screen has a pleasing shape that flows thoughtfully with the rest of the cockpit. More specifically, it pretty much follows the outline of a more traditional gauge cluster bezel—it's kind of like a wide kidney bean. Already, that makes the driver's seat feel like a special place, as opposed to a rectangular screen that makes a car's cockpit feel like a cubicle work station. The infotainment display, the main screen where you run your navigation and entertainment settings, only has square edges. However, it's tucked so perfectly into the rest of the dashboard that when it's off (which is easy to toggle with a console control), it effectively disappears. With the screen off, you'd never know it was there. Andrew P. Collins Exceptional interior design doesn't have to be complicated, as the Taycan's dashboard illustrates quite nicely. And on the screen itself, once again, less is more. When you switch modes in a Toyota Camry, you have to sit through seven seconds of the entire gauge cluster dwelling on an image of the car and the word 'SPORT.' Mini has freaking theme songs for its drive modes. And BMW, man, even something as simple as a speedometer in a modern Bimmer is bristling with 20 shades of coloring and surrounded by nonsensical decorative shapes. The Taycan has no such nonsense. Its cluster is just an orderly, purposeful readout of critical car information in high-contrast colors. It's classy and sporty, which fits the aesthetic Porsche's going for just right. I love me some whimsy, in life and in car design. But slacking off on physical cabin design to go crazy with digital display-screen decorations, which seems to be all the rage right now, is inelegant and uncool. I won't really be happy until I see cars get back to driver displays with actual depth and motion. But my time with the electric Porsche has at least given me some hope that screen-based interfaces can be done in a way that feels intentional, deliberate, and engaging without being corny or distracting. Is there another current-era gauge cluster you like better? You can reach the author at
Auto Blog
29-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
BMW Isn't Going to Like the Audi A5's New Tech and Overhauled Steering
Where the 2025 Audi pulls ahead of the BMW 3 Series BMW's 3 Series, starting at $45,950, entered its 2025 production year with minor design and tech tweaks while maintaining its reputation for solid driving dynamics. However, the 2025 Audi A5 gives the 3 Series a run for its money, with tech updates not present in its BMW counterpart, along with refreshed steering and suspension that address former criticisms of its driving characteristics, such as understeer. Audi reveals sporty new A5/S5 with an emphasis on design Watch More The Audi A5, starting at $49,700, adds an available 10.9-inch passenger display that you won't find in the 3 series. When a passenger uses the display for something like entertainment, the screen initiates Active Privacy Mode, shielding it from the driver via a digital curtain utilizing shutter tech and dedicated illumination profiles that direct light toward the user. Additionally, unlike its BMW rival, the 2025 A5 features an optional LED strip spanning the width of the vehicle's dashboard that provides visual cues confirming functions, such as door locking and unlocking, turn signal operation, and more. Regarding steering and suspension, A5 drivers can expect a more neutral and engaging road feel, which reduces understeer and facilitates more dynamic handling—something that previous production years fell short of compared to the 3 Series. The A5 puts up a fight in the areas that matter most Since the A5's 2021 production year, Audi has made all-wheel drive (AWD) standard across the model's lineup, and 2025 is no different. Alternatively, AWD, or xDrive, is optional on the 2025 BMW 3 Series models. While a 2025 3 Series starts at $45,950 for a rear-wheel drive (RWD) version, the starting price you'll pay jumps to $47,950 for an xDrive 330i. You'll also receive slightly more power in a base A5 than in a 3 Series. This Audi produces 261 standard horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, whereas its competitor offers 255 standard horsepower and the same amount of torque. You'll receive an 8-speed automatic transmission within this BMW, but some may prefer the A5's 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Regarding fuel economy, the A5 offers 26 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway with its base version, remaining competitive against the entry-level 3 Series, which achieves 28/35 MPG in the city and on the highway, respectively. Drivers prioritizing a spacious trunk will appreciate the 2025 A5's 26 cubic feet of cargo room, which easily surpasses the 3 Series' 17 cubic feet of trunk capacity. The 3 Series offers slightly higher passenger volume at 94 cu ft, compared to the A5's 91 cu ft, but the A5 is nearly equivalent in key areas, such as rear passenger legroom. Both models feature sharp exterior designs, with the A5 sporting a sleeker profile and the 3 Series leaning more toward traditional sedan styling. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Final thoughts The 2025 A5 and 3 Series are neck-and-neck in many ways, but there's an argument to be made that this Audi brings more to the table than its BMW rival. Audi's A5 features innovative technology not found in the 3 Series, including an optional passenger display that won't distract the driver. The A5's LED strip across the dashboard, which indicates vehicle functions such as door locking and unlocking, further enhances the interior's innovative and fresh feel. Additionally, the A5 maintains competitive fuel economy, features a roomy trunk, and updates its suspension and steering to address past criticisms, such as understeer. You can't go wrong with a 2025 3 Series, but the 2025 A5 warrants plenty of consideration. About the Author Cody Carlson View Profile
