By Tim Suddard
When we first reviewed BMW’s current G20-chassis 3 Series upon its arrival back in 2018, we lamented the lack of a manual transmission as well as the high price. The car we drove lacked a leather interior and some other niceties you would expect in a $50,000-plus automobile.
We recently spent a week pre-running our upcoming Smoky Mountain Tour in a new version of that same sedan. This car, equipped with the Sport package, might be missing some of the features found in the Competition, but after a week on the twisty roads of North Georgia and Tennessee, we have high praise for the driveline and chassis.
Even on roads like the Tail of the Dragon and the Cherohala Skyway, this 2.0-liter, 255-horsepower, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine, backed by a wonderful eight-speed automatic, feels plenty powerful enough and smooth as glass. In Sport mode, the transmission seems to know just what gear to hold back in when going down the hills.
The ride is smooth, and the handling is classic BMW. And with fuel mileage in the mid-30 mpg range, you’ll have plenty of money for extended cruising.
While the interior appointments are typical BMW, which means top in class, the seats feel harder than church pews after a long day of mountain carving. The infotainment system could be figured out and is probably configurable, but having to keep pressing a button to make the trip odometer reappear is annoying when planning tour routes.
What seemed overpriced when it came out in 2018 seems pretty reasonable in the modern world at $46,600. While this car is due for a refresh next year, it’s still a pleasant and wonderful driving sedan.
Just a comment about your drive through the mountains. You mention driving the road "Tail of the Dragon." In fact, "Tail of the Dragon" is a business created to capitalize on the popularity of the road. The road is "Deals Gap" or "The Dragon." Those of us who have been driving that road long enough know that, and I remember when that business first appeared near The Dragon.
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