BMW 330d M Sport: month 3

Arrived: September 2008
List price (including options): £38,870
Average economy: 42.1mpg

The BMW 330d M Sport saloon has been -

Particularly busy this past month. First up was the arrival of a baby boy in the O' Donoghue household. Needless to say it was a shock to the system for his new parents, but the BMW also had to deal with the presence of a little being in the rear of the car. If the little fella grows up to be as mad about cars as his old man is then he'll be happy to discover later in life that his very first car experience was in the back of a 330d M Sport. Following that shock, the BMW was pushed into service for the annual schlep around to country to visit friends and family over the Christmas and New Year period. It ran faultlessly and despite its sporting overtones remained comfortable for new parents and baby alike.

We're loving the -

Looks. On an assignment last week I was driving another car while a colleague drove the BMW and it really is a striking looking car, despite the ubiquitous nature of the 3 Series on our roads. That's thanks to the minor styling updates to this model, the more aggressive M Sport body kit and the lovely Bluewater paint colour. The effect is pronounced by distinctive new head- and rear light graphics, which utilise LEDs to give the car a unique appearance. Passers by seem to approve too.

But not so impressed by -

Practicality. Practised parents will nod knowingly when I point out that we found that the 330d saloon barely accommodated everything that my small family needed for a week away from home visiting. That's partially to do with a newborn baby needing a lot of kit, but it must be said that there are plenty more D-segment saloons on the market with much more boot space and rear legroom. Admittedly the BMW measures up to most of its 'executive' rivals and buyers seem to be happy to make the compromise, but I'd recommend potential parents to consider the Touring version instead.

We're looking forward to -

Normal life - or as normal as it can be with a new being in the house... In terms of the car, that means the omnipresence of an ISOFIX baby seat base in the rear of the car and a large pram base in the boot. Still, they don't detract from the ownership experience at all. If anything, they enhance it.

Shane O' Donoghue