Is the power difference between BMW 320 and 325 significant?
3 Answers
The power difference is significant. The 325 comes with an active safety system, which the 320 lacks and cannot be optionally installed. Below is the relevant introduction: BMW 3 Series: The BMW 3 Series is the latest generation of sedan products from BMW Group, with a body weight of 1,465 kg, an inline 4-cylinder gasoline engine, and dimensions of 4.734 meters, 1.811 meters, and 1.455 meters. The BMW 3 Series once again sets new standards for its class in terms of aesthetic design, engineering design, high-tech features, as well as luxury comfort and safety. Model Highlights: The new BMW 3 Series will be the first BMW car in China to introduce the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. The new BMW 3 Series long-wheelbase version features the longest wheelbase in its class at 2,961 mm and offers China-exclusive front and rear comfort seats. Equipped with the latest 7.0 system, the traditional handbrake has been replaced by an electronic handbrake. The new 12.3-inch programmable full LCD instrument panel, 10.25-inch touch-sensitive central control display, and full-color head-up display system can operate in a three-screen linkage. The body rigidity has been improved by 25% overall due to material optimization, with specific areas of the passenger compartment and chassis improving by up to 50%.
As a frequent BMW enthusiast, the power difference between the 320 and 325 is quite noticeable. Although both are equipped with 2.0T engines, the 320 delivers 184 horsepower and 300 Nm of torque, while the 325 offers 215 horsepower and 310 Nm. The most intuitive difference in daily driving is the acceleration gap. The 320 takes over 8 seconds for 0-100 km/h, while the 325 can achieve it in under 7 seconds. At traffic lights or during highway overtaking, the 325's throttle response is noticeably quicker. The transmissions are equally smooth, but the different ECU tuning makes the 325's revs climb more aggressively, with noticeably better power reserves in the high RPM range. However, the 320 is perfectly adequate for daily commuting and offers about 0.5 liters lower fuel consumption. If the budget allows, I’d recommend going for the 325—the addictive push-back feeling whenever you step on the gas is truly hard to resist.
As a long-term owner of the F35 model for five years, let me share my experience. The initial acceleration difference between the 320 and 325 isn't significant, but you can feel the gap once the speed exceeds 60 km/h. My colleague's 325 feels more effortless when accelerating on the highway, with almost no lag when flooring the throttle for overtaking, whereas my 320 needs to downshift one more gear to achieve similar power. There are also subtle differences in transmission logic—the 325 tends to hold lower gears more willingly in Comfort mode. However, for city commuting, the difference isn't that noticeable. In fact, the 320 excels in fuel efficiency, with a combined fuel consumption about 5% lower than the 325. If you frequently drive on highways or enjoy spirited driving, the 325 is recommended. But if your main use is urban commuting, the 320 is more than sufficient and can save you over 20,000 yuan in price difference.
