Yet, some of the same familiar tradeoffs of sport sedans return here in the new 3-Series. While it might be almost midsize, at 182 inches long, it still doesn’t feel nearly as roomy as you might expect in the back seat, especially if you’re moving over from a front-drive sedan. And over coarse surfaces, we also felt plenty of road noise at times.

The 3-Series interior includes a wide range of new technology features. (Photo: BMW)

Finally, mind those interior combinations; with the new 3-Series offered in base, Luxury, Modern and Sport configurations, each with their own trims and options, there are some that bring out a cluttered, busy look. We ended up preferring the blacked-out look and cleaner themes of the Sport line.

The 2012 BMW 328i starts at $35,795 – just $300 more than last year – but with a lot more standard equipment. Bluetooth and a USB port are now standard on all models, but an iPhone holder is $250. Also, you’re going to need an iPhone in order to take advantage of BMW Apps, and its Pandora and MOG streaming-music integration.

While it’s cool to see the head-up display, a host of active-safety features, and an enhanced 8.8-inch display and better nav system trickle down into the 3-Series from the 5er, we can see some of the options, such as Parking Assistant, sending some BMW fans into twitchy shrugs. Those will be the sport-sedan traditionalists, but based on our first sample here, we believe that the 3-Series will win some new friends.

And yes, surprisingly, we can actually see some die-hard, repeat BMW owners going for the four-cylinder 328i. It’s a joy to drive.

This story originally appeared at Motor Authority.