Which one is better? BMW 3 series Touring F31 vs. G21 | Shift Up

Welkom bij een nieuwe video van Shift Up waarin ik je dit keer de belangrijkste verschillen laat zien tussen de BMW 3 serie Touring uit 2015 en die van 2020, oftewel de generatie F31 vs G21. Qua technologie zal de laatste versie wel weer wat verder zijn en er ook wat anders uit zien, maar of die ook beter rijdt, dat laat ik je graag zien in deze video!

From the front

From the front, in my opinion, the F31 still looks modern. When the model entered the market in 2012, many people had to get used to the grille that continued into the car's headlights. Besides still looking modern, you can see many graceful lines in the nose with this generation. When we look at the G21 generation introduced in 2019, it is different. There we see some more angular shapes that are meant to emphasize the sportiness and dynamic nature of the car.

I Also, on the F31 the grille is still relatively small and on the G21 it is a lot larger. Furthermore, we see that on the G21 the logo is placed on the hood and the kidney grille separates the front bumper from the hood, while on the F31 the logo is on the front bumper and this separation is different.

The G21 further has distinctive nods at the bottom of the headlights which are standard LED. In the F31 that was standard halogen, followed by xenon and later LED. In the G21, it is even possible to order headlights with laser lights that shine as far as 530 meters.

Side

Compared to the previous model 3 series touring, the silhouette has remained pretty much the same, only enthusiasts will immediately notice that the famous hofmeister kink is no longer what it was.

Backside

Like the front, the rear of the F31 also looks very friendly to me when compared to the G21. Both have the L-shaped taillights we see on many BMWs, yet those of the F31 are a bit more graceful and those of the G21 a bit tougher.

In both generations, you can have both the trunk lid electrically opened and the rear glass window opened separately. The trunk has gone from 495 liters to 500 liters of luggage space in the G21. In both generations there is another small compartment under the cargo floor to store some goodies. For comparison, we show a bag in the trunk to indicate the size.

In the back seat

You can get into the back of the G21 just a little easier than in the F31. In the F31, legroom is not excessive due to the center tunnel, among other things, but you can sit there just fine with 1.83. In the G21, all seats have a bit more headroom than in the F31 and the rear passengers have a bit more legroom.

Both generations have rear armrests with cup holders, and in the G21 there are 2 USB-C connections. Where the car looks a bit more elegant on the outside than its predecessor, it does the same on the inside, for example, details such as the handles in the G21 include sleek lines rather than graceful lines in the F31.

Behind the wheel

When we get behind the wheel in the F31, we see analog counters with a small oblong display underneath. In that display you can get navigation directions and scroll through and select radio stations and phone contacts. In the middle we see the navigation screen. The car in this video has a navigation business screen, there is also a larger option, which is navigation professional. Even though the technology is already 8 years old, it still works nice and smooth and user-friendly. In later models in 2018 it was also possible to get the screen with touchscreen.

Below the screen we see a rather large climate control button panel. The armrest below it is adjustable.

When we step into the G21, just like in the F31, we see a dashboard focused on you, the driver. In front of you no more analog counters but a screen, the BMW live cockpit. In here we can see the map, but we can also configure it so that you only see the speed and RPM. You can also see your radio stations in it, phone contacts and even torque and G-forces.

In the door of the G21 we also see many clean lines with corners just like we see in the design of the exterior. In the door pockets there is more storage space and also room for a bottle. Furthermore, the light strip when you open the door will flash red to warn cyclists in the dark of the open door.

In the center of the dashboard we see a large display screen that can be operated both with the familiar iDrive controller and with touchscreen. The system works nice and fast and the layout has also been optimized compared to the previous model. Below the screen the climate control buttons that take up less space than on the F31 and below them a hatch with cup holders and a wireless phone charger. Furthermore, the hand brake lever has been replaced by a button and there is also an autohold function.

Under the hood

Both 320i's have a 2 liter 4 cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine. The engine in the F31 is the so-called N20 engine and in the G21 is the B48 engine. Both have 184 HP, do a sprint from 0 to 100 in 7.5 seconds and have a top speed of around 230 km/h. The B48 engine in the G21 is just a bit quieter, gives, in my opinion, a bit less vibration and reacts a bit smoother.

Drive

The bodywork of the new 3 Series has become 25 percent stiffer than that of the F31, the center of gravity has come down a bit and the weight distribution has become 50 / 50. Furthermore, it has better sound insulation, better aerodynamics and has even become 10 kg lighter than its predecessor. As a result, the new BMW 320I Touring steers a bit sharper, is just a bit more agile and has slightly better roadholding.

Furthermore, the new generation 3 series has received some nice gadgets such as standard speed limit information, a lane departure warning with steering intervention and a collision warning with braking function. Also included in the new BMW 3 series is the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. This assistant can help you with all sorts of things in the car and is controlled by voice control. For example, you can say, "Hey BMW, set the temperature to 20 degrees."

Another nice gadget is the reverse driving assistant that helps you when you turn in somewhere forward but don't know how to get out. In fact, with the push of a button, you can have the car take the same path backwards with only the need to accelerate and brake. Handy huh!

Want to see more of Shift Up? Then be sure to check it out here!