Unfortunately besides the awesome radio, nav, and seats, the rest of the interior was somewhat lackluster. I'd like to see a bit more in a $55,000 car. The aluminum trim's finish is not uniform, the cupholders were not very user-friendly to passenger or driver, and the overhead map lights didn't have covers over the lenses; they look like they were hijacked from a GM truck. Plus, what looks like a huge police light hangs from the rearview mirror. I looked for the button to activate it so cars would get out of my way, but to no avail.
The next part of the journey consisted of canyons to test the 335d's suspension and handling. During these twisties, two hands were required at the wheel. The paddle shifters were at the ready for either hand to switch gears with the push or pull of the paddle. Also, the voice command control feature allowed me to operate many facets of the system and relinquish my hand from the iDrive knob. When it comes to attacking mountain roads, it's hard to beat a BMW. The 3 Series in particular seems bred for this kind of activity, the perfect blend of power and control. By accident I discovered an isolated button on the corner edge of the seat that controls the lateral seat bolsters. I cocooned myself within the BMW's leather-clad seat and enjoyed even faster cornering.
At the end of the first week, I found that there's a definite learning curve that comes with driving the BMW 335d. The cabin is arranged a bit differently than in most cars. Perhaps it's because I'm so used to Audi and Volkswagen products, reaching for certain buttons had the exact opposite effect of what I was trying to accomplish.
I've come to the conclusion that BMW spends most of its development on chassis and engine dynamics whereas Audi and VW spent a great deal of their R&D time on user interface/cabin design. Personally, I don't recall driving such a dynamically proficient car in a long time. Despite being a bit short in interior styling, I'd overlook it based on its driving characteristics.
Yeah, I'd sign on for the BMW 335d.