Michael 
2016 BMW 3 Series Sedan 340i xDrive 4dr Sedan AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 8A)
Great performance, but very expensive.
 After several months of researching all types of different vehicles I ultimately decided on purchasing the 2016 340i xDrive. Overall, this vehicle met my needs and after reading countless reviews (consumer and professional) the 340i remained in my top three narrowed down selection. My personal needs for a vehicle required performance, luxury, AWD (due to the snowy winters in Chicago), and decent gas mileage (sub par mpg with my last vehicle, 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8). My 340i is equipped with the cold weather package ($800), driver assistance package ($950), M sport package ($2,600), technology package ($2,750), and the track handling package ($1,700). $8,800 for those added options is very steep in my opinion but after getting a good trade-in value along with very low APR financing, as well as a tax credit and 4 years free maintenance I felt that it all balanced out. As for my impression of the vehicle, let me start off with the interior. Although many people tend to favor the interiors of Cadillac, Audi, Mercedes, Lexus, etc...the BMW interior is still very nice and luxurious. I can understand if some people think it's beginning to appear a bit dated, but nonetheless it's still superior to many vehicles on the market. The Dakota leather sport seats are top notch quality and for the most part above average in terms of comfort. The anthracite headliner, aluminum and gloss black trim accents throughout the vehicle along with the ambient lighting (which is dimmable) all go together fairly nicely. The cabin is really quiet and there are no rattle like noises or unwanted vibrations. The exterior of the vehicle is the best looking to date for the 3 series sedan in my opinion. From the elegant lines on the hood and the minor refresh of the whole body in general gives the vehicle a great sporty look that is very tasteful but not overstated or too flashy. I opted for the black sapphire metallic paint and the 19" alloy orbit grey M sport wheels along with black kidney grilles complete the overall look. Now on to the performance. Let me tell you, this car can move and it is fast! It doesn't exactly give you the "throw you back in your seat" kind of feeling and I must admit I do miss that and all the rear wheel glory and torque of my previous SRT8, but I still experience an ultimate thrill and satisfaction while driving this car. The 8 speed automatic transmission is flawless. The AWD has a tenacious grip on the road and you feel like you have complete control at all times. I prefer to drive in the sport mode setting regularly as it is always responsive and ready to accelerate hard at any time. The start/stop fuel saver system is very intrusive and can be deactivated with a push of a button and I never use it. I have a lead foot and most of my driving is in the city and I'm averaging 16 mpg which for me is acceptable especially considering the performance you get with the 3.0 liter twin turbo V-6. I've read that 0-60 mph can be as low as 4.4 seconds which I don't doubt depending on the conditions and where you live of course. The adaptive M suspension is great, but comfort does suffer a bit if you're selecting the sport modes. The low profile run flat tires detract from the comfort too, but nothing that isn't tolerable. The handling on this car is great too. So much that it almost feels like you're driving a coupe. Although this is a sedan, it feels so light and steering it is so effortless without taking away from the overall driving experience. The M sport brakes are phenomenal and feel perfect and smooth (not too sensitive and not too soft) when I need to apply my foot to the pedal. I also really like the sound of the dual exhaust when I drive in sport mode. You'll definitely hear the "crackles and pops" when revving the engine and when you accelerate hard and ease off the gas pedal. I always look forward to getting behind the wheel of this car and just letting it open up on the road. But let me tell you, this car isn't perfect. I do have a few gripes with it. Mostly with the knob control of the display screen. It can get quite annoying. Turn the knob to scroll here, click this and click that, hit the back button to exit, and on and on. So many times I want to be able to just touch the screen and get to what I want with ease but I can't. I knew this beforehand of course and was willing to deal with it. Connecting your iPod or iPhone via Bluetooth or with a cable isn't the best in terms of integration with this vehicle either. The interface definitely needs some tweeking. For example, let's say you connect your phone via Bluetooth so you can play your music. Accessing playlists or trying to shuffle songs is not easy when dealing with the knob turn dial control. And with the lack of a touch screen, you can't just select what you want with ease. If you've had a Nissan/Infiniti or a Dodge, their infotainment systems are much better. Lack of a touch screen and remote start at this price point is disappointing.