Top 5 tech extras
Advanced engine controls
Keyless entry and starting
Optional iDrive control system
Windshield sensors detect rain
Three-zone climate control

Over-the-top tech feature:
A diesel-exhaust-sensing automatic recirculation control keeps outside air from seeping in when it detects fumes from a semi.


The BMW 3 Series cars have been perennial sports sedan favorites, but they haven't offered too many high-tech features, short of their recent iPod adapter addition. The all-new 325 and 330 models for 2006 change all that by offering 7 Series technology. High-tech touches begin under the hood of the $36,795 BMW 325i, with a magnesium-and-aluminum composite engine block and a Valvetronic variable valve lift, which--according to BMW--eliminates a conventional throttle to improve power and fuel efficiency. An electronic water pump also helps with fuel efficiency and keeps the car's interior warm after the engine is shut off. All three transmission choices are six-speed units, and BMW's active steering system, with its widely variable steering ratio to enhance agility, is available, too.

Keyless remote entry and starting let you enter the locked car and get underway without using a key or touching a remote control. High-intensity, xenon adaptive headlights look around corners, and radar-based dynamic cruise control keeps the Bimmer at a safe distance from other cars, even in heavy traffic. A Bluetooth interface keeps cell phone use hands-free, and service requirements or mechanical problems can be transmitted to BMW through the car's telemetrics system. Gadget lovers can order BMW's iDrive user interface with voice command when they order GPS navigation. For non-iDrivers, most of the 3 Series' high-tech features are available as standalone options. Windshield sensors detect both rain and mist, and the three-zone climate-control system automatically reduces blower speeds when the car stops to cut down on noise.