Luxury Sports Sedans: BMW 3-Series, Lexus IS300, Volvo S60

by Alex Hu

(March 27, 2003) As cars have gotten better and better, it has gotten progressively harder to separate the good from the best. The BMW 3-Series has been the reigning champ of compact luxury sports sedans since the early 1990’s, and the newest iteration, E46 series, has been no exception. Having had extensive personal experience with a BMW 325, this humble test driver set out to see how it fared against the latest competition: the Lexus IS300 and the Volvo S60.

I’d generally consider myself a Volvo fan. I have owned an 850 Turbo sport edition for a few years, and through all the quirks and mechanical problems (many of which were inexcusable), I loved the car for its personality and for its non-conformist design and attitude. The new S60 (which replaces the 850) retains the same personality as its predecessor but in a higher-quality package.

The S60 T-5 that I had the opportunity to test came equipped with a 2.3 liter turbocharged inline 5 cylinder. Though the numbers sound identical to its predecessor, this new engine is leaps and bounds beyond the last. Power is instant – no turbo lag - and the usable torque band is extremely flexible, offering nice pick-up from stop, in passing, and in powering out of turns. The most important improvement is the elimination of torque steer on acceleration. Gone is that nasty tendency for the car to pull towards one side on hard acceleration.

Inside, the Volvo has a pleasing cabin with comfy wide seats, lots of head and knee room, and easily decipherable controls and gauges. Dark colored wood and thoughtfully placed controls nicely offset the slightly somber gray plastic dash. The back seat looked reasonable, relative to the other cars in this class.

The Volvo is one of the most comfortable cars to drive or ride in; however it was not up to the BMW or the Lexus. It offered the least taut steering and suspension, and its front-wheel drive simply could not compete with the other two.

The Lexus IS300, on the other hand, came awfully close to winning me over. While conservative grace characterizes the Volvo S60, the Lexus IS300 is marked by its racecar tendencies and a “make you feel younger” driving experience. In this group, the Lexus feels most like a sports car, with sharp, quick reflexes and a high-revving athletic engine. The steering is easily its centerpiece, with extremely accurate, precise reactions. The suspension and drive characteristics are not as smooth and supple as with the Volvo, nor are they quite as balanced as with the BMW, but the combination of chassis and drivetrain in the Lexus makes it a car you want to push harder and harder. The engine screams up to its high redline with an exciting howl - a perfect blend of induction and exhaust sounds.

The automatic transmission in the IS300 is excellent. It’s the only car of the bunch with controls on the steering wheel for changing gears manually, but the transmission in “drive” mode times the shifts well enough so that no manual control is necessary except in the hardest and most spirited driving. On the same thirty-mile stretch of road in upper Westchester, I found myself driving the Lexus more aggressively than the other two.

Visually, the Lexus isn’t anything to write home about. Its body styling is nicely proportioned with a sporty stance, but it doesn’t quite measure up to the other two and subjectively lacks distinction. The interior, like in the other two, is tight space-wise. The rear seat is very supportive and has lateral bolsters in the right places, but is lacking in shoulder room, headroom, and more importantly, legroom. The chromed cue ball sized transmission shifter is a nice touch and fits appropriately with the chronograph watch styling on the gauges and the brushed metal accelerator and brake pedals. The front seats are a little too firm but very well designed for containing the lateral movements created by fast, hard cornering.

The Lexus has much to offer, but my favorite is still the BMW. I really did try to resist ranking the BMW above the others, and I subjected it to the strictest scrutiny during the test drive. But, despite being 110HP short of the Volvo and 30HP short of the Lexus, and despite the test model being a convertible which typically has less structural rigidity than a hardtop, the BMW still managed to win me over by presenting the best, most impressive package. Through the switchbacks, the BMW proved to be just as competent as the Lexus (the boy-racer of the trio) while also being a competent family sedan. Steering weighting and brake pedal feel and feedback are just perfect in this car and I felt instantly “at home” behind the wheel. Directional transitions are smooth and effortless and the chassis always feels well tied down to the road; mid-bump turns required absolutely no steering adjustment. The steering is just sensitive enough to be responsive and accurate, but not so sensitive that every rut and bump is transmitted through the wheel.

A well-composed chassis is nothing without an equally refined engine. The BMW has one. My test car wasn’t as fast as the Volvo or the Lexus because of its small engine, but it felt smoother and revved with comfortable ease all the way up to the redline, never feeling or sounding strained or unwilling. The BMW engine captures a feeling of refinement that the other engines in this lineup were lacking, and I can only believe that the larger BMW engine offered in this model series (a 3.0 liter inline-6) is better. There’s very good automatic transmission that keeps the engine revs where torque is most abundant. There are frequent shifts, but they are very smooth and don’t intrude on the driving experience - a testament to the excellent engineering in this car.

On the inside, the BMW designers stuck to their no frills philosophy. This worked for me. While the 3-Series may have fewer gadgets than the competition, its equipment (climate control, stereo, interior lighting, etc.) work very well and seem thoroughly thought-out. The interior layout is superb with controls nicely within reach of the driver. The quality of material, inside and out, is extremely rich to the touch and inspires confidence that this car with age well.

After three test drives, I remain convinced that cars have become so refined, so reliable, and so well designed that a buying choice comes down to personal preference. The Volvo provides the fewest driving thrills, but is a fast and friendly family sedan requiring little effort from the driver. It had the best exterior styling of the trio but lacks the excitement of the Lexus and the refinement of the BMW. The Lexus is arguably the sportiest of the group. Its reflexes are among the best and it always begs the driver to push it harder and harder. Interior space in the Lexus is limited, however, and I didn’t care much for its styling.

Once again, the BMW tops the competition. It defines automotive balance, and provides a thrilling experience in both hard driving and relaxed cruising. The mechanical design is simple, yet very effective, and the interior materials are of the highest quality. The exterior styling of the BMW 325 is a bit bland, but its pleasing shape and BMW heritage promise to help make this iteration of the BMW 3-Series an eventual classic.