BMW 335d boasts award-winning, twin-turbo diesel engine, excellent mileage

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By Justin Pritchard
Pace News Staff

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To the surprise of the general public and the delight of BMW officials, Canada's 'best new luxury car' this year is powered by diesel.

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The BMW 335d beat entries from Mercedes and Cadillac for the title of Canada’s Best New Luxury Car.

Earlier this fall, the BMW 335d beat out the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon and Mercedes E-Class sedan for the win during annual Automobile Journalist Association of Canada (AJAC) testing. The 335d was the only diesel-powered model in its class.

The achievement is hugely important to help BMW convince North American premium car shoppers that diesel is no longer a noisy, clattering and dirty means of propulsion.

Though popular in some circles, diesel vehicles still amount to a miniscule percentage of new vehicle sales overall.

BMW started selling their award-winning twin-turbo diesel engine to Canadians earlier this year. Available powering the 3-Series sedan or X5 sport utility vehicle, the celebrated 3-litre straight-six engine puts 265 horsepower and a lung-squishing 425 lb.-ft of torque at the drivers disposal. Creating that amount of torque with a gas engine would require a heftily-sized V8 and a lot more fuel.

Unlike diesel engines of the past, BMW's mill does its job with the noise levels, refinement and overall performance shoppers expect of the brand. The engine fires up in near silence, cruises smoothly and never emits even a whiff of soot or smoke. There's no unwelcomed smell or clatter to mention, nor is there any real compromise compared to a comparable gas-powered model.

Thanks to the twin turbochargers, the 335d belts out instant, responsive and very satisfying performance. Heads can be pinned to seats on command, and passengers often comment colorfully on the potent thrust with words like 'woah' or phrases that begin with 'holy'. Obscenities and disbelief typically ensue once said passengers are informed about the diesel engine under the hood.

Despite the abundant power, the BMW 335d boasts about 30 per cent better mileage than a comparable gas-powered model. This figure depends on driving habits and locale -- although a recent test-drive saw this writer achieve average real-world mileage of just 6.8L/100km. That figure is characteristic of a smaller and much less powerful vehicle. End of the day, premium car shoppers after big power and reduced fuel consumption should find the 335d a win-win proposition.

Handling dynamics and steering are rewarding -- as are assembly quality, noise levels and materials selection throughout the cabin. Complaints are limited mainly to interior space. Rear seat headroom and legroom are tight for full-grown adults, and the pop-out cupholders up front may interfere with the front passenger's personal space.

Additionally, the simple and concise instrument cluster and audio controls are starting to look dated.

In all though, the 335d adds up to a nicely balanced package by adding an environmentally-responsible engine to the model's premium sport sedan promise. The BMW 335d starts under $50,000 and is ready for test drives now.