When many people picture a BMW sedan these days the first thought goes to the BMW 3 Series that have become extremely popular as one of the most affordable luxury sedans around that is packed with performance and power features that make it very difficult to turn down. The M3 is the standard for entry-level luxury sport sedans, which sounds like it would be a very small segment but it includes such awesome luxury cars as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4, Lexus IS and Cadillac ATS.

Some of the attraction to the 3-Series of is the wide variety of configurations this group of cars can be had in, making sure there is a BMW 3 for just about every shopper in the market. The 3-Series models offer a new 320i as a value-oriented model, the M3 offering the most performance and power as well as a sports wagon, the Gran Turismo hatchback and even a hybrid model to round out the offerings. Added for the 2015 model year is the 425-horsepower high-performance model offering plenty of speed as well as Bluetooth audio streaming being offers as a standard feature across the entire spectrum.

The 3-Series cars are built for driving pleasure and that’s exactly what they offer. With a German engineered suspension and steering this lineup never misses an opportunity to dispel road imperfections or respond to any steering inputs from the driver. Driving these cars looks like serious business but in reality they offer a wonderful pleasure cruise on any road. Add to the awesome handling that can easily take on the curviest and windiest road anywhere the cabin is one of the quietest in any lineup. With noise cancelling technology the cabin doesn’t allow any outside noises to make their way into the occupant area allowing the occupants to only enjoy their choice of music.

The 3-Series offers up to six engine configurations allowing for at least one of these engines to be the right one for almost every driver. All but the M3 are offered with either a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The base engine found on the new 320i is a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine that brings in 180 horsepower and 200 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine when mated to the transmission comes in with 23 city/36 hwy mpg for the manual, 24 city/36 hwy mpg for the automatic in RWD and 23 city/35 hwy for the automatic in AWD.

Next up is the most popular 328i powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine that brings in 240 horsepower and 255 lb.-ft. of torque. When married up with the transmission this power train comes in with 22 city/34 hwy mpg for the manual, 23 city/33 hwy mpg for the automatic in RWD and 22 city/33 hwy for the automatic in AWD.

In the third spot is the 328d which is a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel inline four-cylinder engine offering 180 horsepower and 280 lb.-ft. of torque. Paired with the automatic transmission this power train offers 32 city/45 hwy mpg for the RWD model and 31 city/43 hwy mpg for the AWD version.

Next up is the 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine found in the 335i that brings a respectable power at 300 horsepower and 300 lb.-ft. of torque. This powertrain can offer 20 city/30 hwy mpg for the manual, 23 city/33 hwy mpg for the automatic in RWD and 23 city/28 hwy for the automatic in AWD.

On the plate fifth is the 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder with a 55 horsepower electric motor assistance found in the ActiveHybrid 3 model that shows up with 335 horsepower and 330 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine when mated to the transmission offers a fuel efficiency of 25 city/33 hwy mpg.

The engine found on the M3 comes in as a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine that offers up to 425 horsepower and 406 lb.-ft. of torque. This awesome engine is married up with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission making it a very high performing car.

Inside the cabin offers a feeling of direct and easy control for anyone driving any of the 3-Series cars. The controls are actually angles seven degrees toward the driver to allow the controls to be easier to reach and utilize. Covered in comfortable materials and offering plenty of legroom all around the 3-Series is a great ride for anyone tagging along on for the ride.

From the outside the 3-Series is easily recognizable as the poster car for luxury sports sedans. The split grill and sweeping front engine quickly have an eye moving across the vehicle. Quickly is about all anyone can get as this high performing luxury sports sedan shows a very trim and athletic look that makes it one of the most desirable cars around.

The standard features offered for the 3-Series include leatherette upholstery, manually adjusted front seats, rain-sensing wipers, dual-zone climate controls, a nine-speaker audio system with a 6.5-inch LCD display screen, a USB port and Bluetooth streaming. The safety features included show up as eight airbags, active head restraints, impact sensors to unlock the doors, activate the hazard lights and shut down the electrical system after a collision.

The 3-Series offers a nice list of optional equipment that allow each one to be more personalized to the owner. The list of optional features includes a surround view camera, a hands-free power trunk lid, a navigation system, a heads up display, adaptive cruise control, sports seats, and aerodynamic enhancements, suspension tuning and lightweight wheels.

Pricing for the 3-Series stars with the 320i that shows up at a very reasonable price of $33,500 with the 328i moving up close to $38,300. The 335i starts out at $45,000 and the diesel powered car comes in at $40,000. The hybrid model shows up around $51,000 to start its pricing. Adding AWD will increase the price by about $2,000 and the Sports Wagon opens up at $43,000 with an additional $1,000 called for to get the diesel. The Gran Turismo hatchback comes in at $43,000 and moves up $4,000 for the six-cylinder engine. At the top of the lineup the M3 will call for $63,000 but is well worth that price for the power and performance offered.