BMW's 2019 3 series: What people are saying

One of the major debuts at the 2018 Paris auto show was the redesigned 2019 BMW 3 series. The seventh-generation luxury compact sport sedan is longer, wider and taller than the current model. Inside, there are tech features such as smartphone entry and an in-car assistant that learns drivers' routines. The 330i will use an updated version of the company's 2-liter turbocharged four, which makes 255 hp, a 7-hp increase, and 295 pound-feet of torque. The 3 series will go on sale in Europe and the U.S. in March. Here's some initial 3-series reaction from the automotive media.

"BMW says the 2019 3 Series reflects a new design language, but the car remains instantly familiar. Not as bland as the most recent 5 series and 7 series, the new 3 series has a bolder and more dynamic appearance than its larger siblings. If there's reason for a complaint, it's rooted in the huge kidney grilles, which scream 'I'm a BMW!'"

-- Christian Wardlaw, New York Daily News

"Horses will remain unstartled by the exterior design of the new 3 series, which draws liberally from its larger siblings. The grille is wider and taller, and the headlights are bigger than before. LED lighting is standard, and adapted-for-the-U.S. laser high-beams are available. The side profile is nicely proportioned, and the front overhang is trimmer than the new Z4's."

-- Mike Duff, Car and Driver

"Right off the bat we get a more aggressive front bumper and these staggered headlamps that give it a sharper overall appearance than the old car, as well as the bigger 5 and 7. Also the famed Hofmeister kink on the C-pillar is more angular than it's been in a while, a nice change. Beyond that, it's very clearly a 3 series, more a design evolution than revolution. I like it. Don't mess with what's not broken, and all that. The taillights are totally different, too. I also like how those shaped up."

-- Patrick George, Jalopnik

"With plenty of cues from the recent 5-series and 7-series redesigns, it's clear the 3 series is an evolution, not some left-field overhaul, on the current sedan's themes. The headlights come in three available configurations, all LED. Their frames still flow into BMW's signature dual-kidney grille, though they're less pinched at the junctures than before. The grille appears larger, with prominent T-shaped bumper dimples below it flanking a wide, single lower opening. The dimples repeat themselves in back. A sportier bumper setup shown in press photos features a more aggressive, if traditional, three-portal opening. Both versions have dual tailpipes.

The G20 retains the iconic profile that's characterized the 3 series sedan for decades: a long hood, short trunk and wheels slung forward to minimize front overhang."

-- Kelsey Mays, Cars.com

"This is the core of the BMW brand, and the seventh generation seeks to regain the driving dynamics that made it a benchmark for sport sedans. The look hasn't changed much, but attention went into responsive steering, balance and a suspension with intelligent dampers and a limited-slip differential."

-- Alisa Priddle, Motor Trend

"The increased size isn't immediately obvious when viewing the sedan. This four-door is still immediately identifiable as a 3 series but with some tweaks. The standard full-LED headlights are more angular and attach to a sharper take on the firm's kidney grille. The silhouette is the view that changes the least, but the hood appears a little more bulbous. New taillights stretch farther across the tail."

-- Chris Bruce, Motor1.com