BMW Hybrid

BMW has a proud history of building some of the world's most engaging and exciting luxury cars. Not fuel-sipping hybrids. So it must have been a tail-between-the-legs moment when the Munich-based manufacturer decided it couldn't ignore the hybrid movement any longer. Having spent years downplaying the benefits of teaming a petrol engine with an electric motor, BMW has embraced the technology wholeheartedly and even plasters its ActiveHybrid brand name proudly inside and outside the otherwise familiar 3-Series sedan. While BMW has produced hybrids for some years, the ActiveHybrid versions of the 3-Series and 5-Series are the first to arrive here. 

What do you get?

Discounting the M performance heroes, the ActiveHybrid 3, as it's called, is the flagship of the 3-Series line-up. Equipment levels, then, are generous and closely mimic those of the 335i, with which it shares its basic engine (minus the electric motor). So, as well as the hybrid

system, the additional $6300 - the ActiveHybrid 3 sells from $97,700, plus on-road and dealer costs - also brings unique trims and finishes for those with a keen eye.

There's also a wondrous display of electronic fruit, as well as front and rear parking sensors, xenon headlights, satellite-navigation, leather trim, internet connectivity and an excellent Harman Kardon sound system.

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No spare tyre is included, with a repair kit in its place, and items such as a reversing camera, seat heating, TV and sunroof are left to the long list of options. Many of the latest driver-assistance functions - such as lane-departure warning and self-parking - are also optional.

What's inside?

Unlike some futuristic-looking hybrid machines, the ActiveHybrid 3 borrows its basics from the regular 3-Series. A centre console subtly tilted towards the driver and chunky, tactile steering wheel make for a driver-focused feel, complemented by supportive seats and a low-slung, easily adjustable position. Storage is light on up front, though, even with the sizeable door compartments. The trip computer has been tweaked for hybrid running, displaying when the battery is charging, but otherwise there's the same two main instruments flanked by a pair of smaller ones and a digital display for various functions.

Rear seat space is not as generous, although a couple of adults can cram in and use rear air vents and a folding armrest. A split-fold rear seat allows access to the modest boot; with a higher floor it's 90 litres smaller than the load space on the regular 3-Series.

Under the bonnet

Engines are a BMW thing, so making a fuel-saving hybrid live up to the expectations of the performance-focused brand was always going to be a challenge. Fuel saving isn't the ActiveHybrid 3's main game. It's more about going quicker.

The familiar 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder has been boosted by the addition of a 40kW electric motor that elevates overall combined power by 25kW to 250kW. Torque, too, takes a leap in the right direction, from 400Nm to 450Nm. Claimed acceleration to 100km/h is a sprightly 5.3 seconds - enough to make it the world's fastest hybrid, BMW says - and it feels like it lives up to the claim easily.

Impressively, the engine retains the characteristic BMW high-revving nature. Stomp on the throttle and it happily streaks beyond 7000rpm in a flurry of clean-revving activity. The slick eight-speed automatic helps the equation. In reality, though, low-rev torque defines the ActiveHybrid mill. A pair of turbos and the extra assistance from the electric motor team up to make for a flexibility no BMW has had before.

The full 450Nm of torque is on tap from just 1200rpm, so much of the everyday darting in and out of traffic - and hill climbing - can be done at less than 3000rpm, and the drivetrain is impressively useful below 2000rpm. The drivetrain is also top of the class for refinement and the way the two forms of propulsion meld together. There's minimal drag when coasting, a crispness to the response and all the fun expected.

It's not perfect when slowing down, and when the engine kicks in and out a muted clunk takes the edge off the sophistication. The engine can also send a mild rumble through the body on low-speed shutdowns. But that is nit-picking for what is one of the more impressive hybrid applications.

Of course, fuel saving defines hybrids, and for that the ActiveHybrid is less than stellar. On paper, the 5.9 litres per 100 kilometres is impressive for a car of this performance, but it doesn't leave a big-enough gap to the bigger-capacity diesel engines (including in some BMWs) that also punch above their weight in performance. In everyday motoring you can expect to use closer to 10.0L/100km, which is more than we would expect.

Use the performance and it'll chew through even more, although the hybrid's fuel-saving smarts at lower speeds and in traffic provide the biggest benefits.

On the road

Agile and alert sum up the behaviour of the hybrid 3-Series. Light but progressive electric steering blends nicely with the athletic frame to make for an accomplished twisty-road performer. Electronics lend a hand when required, but the inherent ability of the rear-wheel-drive set-up makes for a very friendly vehicle.

I probably expected more cornering grip from the optional 19-inch Pirelli PZero run-flat tyres; they're good but not brilliant.

Comfort levels are also a mixed bag. There's a softness to the suspension's bump absorption, so much so, the body doesn't feel quite as tied down as we've come to expect in BMWs.

Even on quick direction changes there's noticeable leaning from one side to the other, owing partly to the extra 145 kilograms of weight. That said, it's well controlled and keeps the driver informed.

But sharper bumps are dealt with less elegantly.

Verdict

The ActiveHybrid 3 is a fine effort - the first for BMW in Australia - for a manufacturer not known for petrol-electric motoring. Brisk performance that maintains the character expected of a BMW makes for an engaging drive. But the hybrid is clearly more about performance, and fails to bring the fuel-sipping benefits we've come to expect from such drivetrains.