4th place: BMW 335xi (76.9%)

It's not because we don't like the car, quite the contrary. The 335xi has many reasons to please us, starting by the way it drives and the way it handles. And the engine, which develops 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque, is a true marvel. The 335xi is the quickest of the group, a blink of an eye faster than the Infiniti. It also ended up being the most fuel-efficient.


The superb driving position in the BMW was also highlighted. The manual gearbox, the only one in this test, is precise and very easy to operate. The steering telegraphs just about every sensation of the road.

On slippery surfaces, the car answers well and seeks to get maximum capability without us having to brake too much. However, the rear wheels work more than the front ones, which is readily apparent when the car is sliding. During straight-line acceleration runs, with the traction control on duty, it's the BMW that ended up being the most nervous and the most difficult to maintain its trajectory.

The 335xi's styling is pleasing, with its svelte and muscular lines, but beside the three other contestants here, the BMW seems a little dull, inside and out. It's a question of taste, though. However, the cabin is very tight, and there is little space for rear-seat passengers, especially for their feet.


The BMW's 4th place is explained mostly by its high price and the intolerable firmness of its sport suspension. In addition, the car was shod with 17-inch wheels and 225/45R17 winter tires instead of the low-profile 18-inchers that are usually included with the sport package, which our test car was equipped with.

It might be ranked last, but the 335xi is no loser. We like it a lot, but in this group, it just couldn't do better.

"We don't have the impression of space in the BMW, but rather the impression of putting on a leather glove that was conceived for sporty driving." - Luc Gagné