A month has passed since that comparison test, and I’m watching a 3 Series ad on TV. Which gets me reminiscing about the 328i’s greatness. Ah, what a fabulous machine.
Closing my eyes, I can picture being behind the small-diameter three-spoke wheel zooming up and down Malibu’s mountainous merry-go-round, relishing the rear-drive chassis’ effortless moves, the intimate steering’s responsiveness, and the turbo engine’s gusto.
As hyperbolic as the TV ad is, I can’t disagree. Nor can my colleagues.
Senior features editor Jonny Lieberman noted, “It does everything better than the rest.” But thinking about the BMW got me thinking about the Volvo. Second fiddle to a car as great as the 328i still equates to sweet, sweet music. Which got me thinking even more: Given the S60's $15,000 as-tested price advantage, did we get it wrong?
As an all-new iteration, the 2013 328i was burdened with two lofty expectations: Be superior to its class-leading predecessor, and — oh, yeah — fend off seven fearsome fighters. It achieved both. So it won and remains the best. But to Volvo’s credit, the S60 knocked out a serious contender of its own: the Benz.
After having driven the eight sedans, and knowing the BMW was the clear winner, the Buick the clear caboose, and the Audi, Lexus, and Acura the obvious 4 through 7 takers, it came down to Mercedes and Volvo for next best. My notes said Volvo. Unlike the C250, the S60 felt more special, not only offering a high fun factor and stellar performance, but also standout style.
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