When you have a car like the BMW 3 Series – long the benchmark for luxury cars at the entry level – then you know that there’s no need to make sweeping changes. The BMW 3 Series is available as a sedan, coupe, wagon or hard-top convertible, and is known for its luxury, quality, and the kind of handling and ride that other car manufacturers have been trying to emulate for ages with no success.

This year there have been few changes to the 3 Series. The style of the sedan and wagon have been refined with a new front end that looks more like the coupe and convertible, and a rear that harkens back to the traditional BMW L-shaped tail lights.

Later in 2009, BMW will debut its first clean diesel engine in the 335d. With a fuel economy of a respectable 23 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway, this car will offer plenty of power through a six cylinder, twin turbocharged engine. In addition, it still meets emissions standards in all states.

The only real dramatic change has been to the iDrive electronic interface. Improvements include menus that are arranged in a more logical fashion and a rearrangement of the most frequently used options – like radio, navigation and telephone – which can all be accessed on the iDrive control through convenient buttons. You can also get real-time traffic information in the hard-drive based navigation system – a major plus for frequent business travelers.

As always, the luxury of the BMW 3 Series is elegant and restrained – the emphasis is on quality and comfort. The seats are comfortable and the analog gauges are clean and well laid out. In the convertible, you can opt for heat-reflective leather seats, designed to help keep you cool. For sublime comfort, opt for the power adjustable seats. Adults will have plenty of room in the back seat on shorter trips, although they may find the headroom lacking on longer trips. The trunk capacity is average – about 61 cubic feet – and, as you might expect, the trunk capacity of the convertible lessens when the top is down.

Of course, there are other cars in the same price range. The Infiniti G37, for example, is as powerful as the 335i, but only costs as much as the 328i. The Cadillac CTS also has a bigger interior. Still, none of these offerings will take this leader’s spot away from the 3 Series.

For one thing, all of the 3 Series models offer world-class suspension, and the brakes and steering will bring a real smile to any driver faced with a twisty, two lane road. For long distance rides, the 3 Series is equally wonderful, offering a quiet ride and supple handling. With these things in mind, the 3 Series is a wonderful blend of features for the driving enthusiast, with enough comfort and style to appeal to the masses.

In addition, standard safety features include stability control, run flat tires, anti-lock disk brakes, full length side curtain air bags, and front side air bags. There are no side curtain airbags on the convertible, but there is rollover protection and the front side airbags extend up to head level. The stability control system does a number of things automatically that improve braking performance. For example, when the windshield wipers are on, the system periodically wipes the brake rotors dry. When the driver suddenly lifts his foot off the accelerator, the pads are moved in closely to the rotors for quick stopping if it’s needed. These safety features truly demonstrate the commitment of BMW to its cars and its customers.