The BMW 3 Series is the poster boy of the compact executive sedan segment. Now in its seventh generation, the car is bigger, has a more premium-looking interior and is loaded with technology.

The 3 Series has grown, and the stretched proportions mean that rear passengers now get 11mm more headroom. Legroom, as well as shoulder room have been increased all around as well.

There is more practicality added to the mix, with enough space for massive smartphones, tablets and enough USB ports.

The 3 Series also sports a much cleaner and fresher dashboard layout. Improvements here include a new fully-digital 12.3-inch instrument cluster and 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen display. With it comes BMW's Intelligent Personal Assistant – a voice activated assistant that operates and explains various functions of the car.

While the 3 Series has grown up, it hasn't lost its appeal behind the wheel, either. Body control is excellent, and it handles with a keenness that brings to life that all-familiar BMW dynamism.

There is enthusiasm and confidence about the way it moves that is rarely displayed by its equivalent rivals. Behind the wheel, you consistently feel excited yet thoroughly confident about the car's road-holding capabilities.

The linearity in which the 330i variant delivers its 254bhp and 400Nm of torque, and the flawlessness of its transmission shifts, also set standards in its class.

With it, BMW has certainly ensured that the 3 Series continues the legacy of its predecessors, and that it remains to be the poster boy of the compact executive sedan segment.