2019 BMW 3 Series Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byDan FrioReviews Editor

　　Dan spent many years covering the go-fast, look-good, get-loud corners of the automotive universe. First, he served as editor of enthusiast magazines AutoSound and Honda Tuning, then as executive editor at SEMA News, the publishing arm of the trade group that produces the annual SEMA Show (yes, that show). As a contributor to zzdcar, he now likes to keep the volume low and the speed limit legal, providing expert car-shopping advice to drivers looking for the perfect match.

　　

What's new

The 3 Series sedan has been redesigned for 2019Part of the seventh 3 Series generation introduced for 2019

　　Few cars own their segment quite like the BMW 3 Series. Arguably the first "compact" luxury sport sedan, the 3 Series continues to be one of the best choices for drivers who expect a car to seamlessly blend comfort, performance and prestige.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2019 BMW 3 Series 330i 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$155/mo  for 3 Series 330i

　　3 Series 330i

　　330i 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) (Most Popular) - $40,250 MSRP330i xDrive 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $42,250 MSRP330i xDrive 4dr Wagon AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $45,000 MSRP

　　vs

　　$164/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　The 2019 BMW 3 Series kicks off the model's seventh generation with mild design and structural changes. More important are the improvements in power, handling and technology. The turbocharged four-cylinder engine carries over from the last generation, but it gains slightly more horsepower and noticeably more low-end torque. The chassis is wider and stiffer, which, along with a retuned suspension, promises refinements to the 3 Series' already lauded handling performance. BMW also revised the steering for more road feel.

　　The new 3 Series is slightly longer, which helps increase trunk space. Combined with the standard 40/20/40-split folding rear seats and a hands-free opening/closing trunklid, the BMW also offers excellent sedan utility. The new model maintains the 3 Series hallmark of interior comfort and quality with sporty, form-fitting seats, impressive touchscreen displays and infotainment, and finer details such as ambient cabin lighting and oak, maple and aluminum accents.

　　If there's any complaint about the 3 Series, it may just be that its competence overwhelms exhilaration. Its Audi A4 rival has a more modern and tech-oriented flair, and its primary Mercedes competitor leans into luxury more than performance (at least in its non-AMG trims). Plus, newer competitors such as the Genesis G70 and the Alfa Romeo Giulia are worth a look for drivers seeking something a little different.

　　Notably, we picked the 2019 BMW 3 Series as one of zzdcar' Best All-Wheel-Drive Sedans for this year.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating

7.6 / 10

　　

Trim tested

　　Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the BMW 330i xDrive w/ M Sport Package (turbo 2.0L inline-4 | 8-speed automatic | AWD).

　　

Scorecard

Overall	7.6 / 10
Driving	8.0
Comfort	7.0
Interior	7.5
Utility	8.0
Technology	7.0

　　

Driving

8.0

　　The new generation 3 Series proves it's on form with solid dynamics across the board and sufficient power even with the base engine under the hood. The experience still may not be as authentic as BMWs of yore, but it's still more engaging than many other players in this segment.

　　

Acceleration

8.0

　　Thrust from the 3 Series' base engine is perfectly sufficient. The turbo four-cylinder makes good torque down low and doesn't need much wind-up time before it delivers. The engine is responsive, especially in Sport mode, and works seamlessly with the eight-speed automatic transmission. It reached 60 mph in 5.6 seconds in our testing, keeping pace with segment front-runners.

　　

Braking

8.5

　　The brakes in the 330i are solid all around and one of the highlights of this car. The pedal is smooth and easy to modulate in casual driving but strong, stable and confident in hard use. And quiet, too! In zzdcar 60-0 mph panic stop test, our 330i stopped in an admirable 108 feet, which is among the top in class against rivals also equipped with summer performance tires.

　　

Steering

8.0

　　In Comfort mode, the steering is light and easy to wield but lacks a sense of connection. This changes in Sport where the steering builds effort progressively and naturally off-center and better communicates things happening with the front tires. Effort in Sport is spot-on, and the thick-rimmed steering wheel feels really nice in hand, too.

　　

Handling

8.0

　　The all-wheel-drive 330i behaves a lot like a buttoned-down rear-wheel-drive car. It's agile and inspires plenty of driver confidence. With the M Sport package, the 330i's body motions are well-controlled. Experienced drivers may find themselves wanting a little more playfulness, but nonetheless this is a luxury sedan that's easy to drive quickly.

　　

Drivability

8.5

　　The engine stop-start system is occasionally slow to restart, but otherwise drivability is very refined. The transmission shifts quickly and complements the surprisingly flexible power of the four-cylinder turbo engine. It's very smooth-shifting when crawling along in traffic and picks the best gear to give you ample thrust when you really need to move.

　　

Comfort

7.0

　　Our test 330i suffered from a surprisingly harsh ride quality. We suspect the cause to be our test car's optional sport suspension and possibly the rough-riding tires as well. Otherwise, the 3 Series boasts supportive and comfortable seats and a cabin that does an excellent job of keeping unwanted sounds out.

　　

Seat comfort

8.0

　　The front seats are supportive and have firm yet comfortable cushions. There's lots of front seat adjustments, including those for lateral, lumbar and thigh support. The rear seat cushions are decent and all armrests are well-padded. But the non-perforated leather upholstery doesn't breathe very well.

　　

Ride comfort

5.5

　　Our test car had a curiously stiff-legged and busy ride. The optional M Sport suspension and low-profile run-flat tires may have handling benefits, but living with this tire and suspension setup would be a challenge on most days. The ride is busy on rough pavement and downright harsh on large impacts. We'd suggest getting a 330i without the M Sport package.

　　

Noise & vibration

8.5

　　The 330i has an exceptionally quiet cabin. The low rumble of road noise that comes through is pretty mild, and wind noise is muted. The four-cylinder engine can be heard to some degree. Its sound isn't offensive, but it isn't inspiring either.

　　

Climate control

7.5

　　The climate system is capable but also operationally puzzling at times. The controls are straightforward, but some functions are odd — "max cool" has a button, for instance, but syncing zones must be done through the touchscreen. Also, the system won't really adjust fan speed when in auto mode, so you'll have to do that yourself. On a more positive note, the cabin preconditioning and automatic heated seats are useful features. The seats heat up quickly, too.

　　

Interior

7.5

　　BMW's modern iDrive interface looks pretty but seems to have taken a step back in usability with the new menu structure. It's clear that BMW put a lot of thought into the front cabin comfort and design. The rear seat, however, isn't any more comfortable than those in other small luxury sedans.

　　

Ease of use

6.5

　　The iDrive infotainment menu flow and logic leave something to be desired. Functions are extensive but are hard to locate in the convoluted maze of screens. The layout of physical buttons and controls is generally comprehensible, but the flat buttons on the console require regularly looking down. Owners will eventually become accustomed to the 3 Series' control setup, but it will take some time.

　　

Getting in/getting out

8.0

　　There's ample doorway head clearance front and rear, although your foot might get caught up on the slightly bulging door pocket on the way in or out. Otherwise, most people shouldn't have any issues. The door grabs and handles are well-placed and easy to use.

　　

Driving position

8.5

　　The driving position is excellent thanks to plenty of adjustment. The steering wheel tilts and telescopes to a wide degree, and most people won't have any issue finding a comfortable position. The cupholders are forward of the gearshift and away from controls, but they block the wireless charger when drinks are in them.

　　

Roominess

7.5

　　The 3 Series is spacious as small sedans go. The front cabin is roomy, although backseat legroom and headroom is more typical. The rear seat is best suited for two — the center tunnel eats up most the foot space. There's a lot of rear toe room under the front seats, at least.

　　

Visibility

7.5

　　The front roof pillars are not especially thin, and they have tweeter speakers mounted in the door corners. They aren't obstructive, but the overall view out the front isn't great either. The rear headrests are generally out of the way, and blind spots when looking over your shoulder are minimal. A plethora of cameras, although optional, give plenty of viewing angle options.

　　

Quality

8.5

　　Expectations for a BMW are high, and this one delivers. This is the best 3 Series interior to date — all materials look and feel of quality even if they still don't have the flair of an Audi or a Mercedes-Benz. Fit is solid and there's a luxury heft to the controls. We wish the electronics performed as well as they looked.

　　

Utility

8.0

　　This 3 Series generation is larger than the outgoing model, which pays dividends in cargo space. By the numbers there's just a smidge more rear legroom, which may help with car-seat loading. Trunk space is above average.

　　

Small-item storage

7.5

　　The center armrest bin will hold a solid amount of stuff and has a high-amp USB-C port inside. A wireless charger sits ahead of the shifter and doubles as storage. The door pockets are large and will fit a standard water bottle along with a few other things.

　　

Cargo space

8.5

　　The trunk is sizable, and the lid hinges are shrouded so they won't crush cargo when the lid comes down. The rear seatbacks are split 40/20/40, and they fold and lay nearly flat when down.

　　

Child safety seat accommodation

8.0

　　A solid showing among compact sedans. Isofix anchors are clearly marked and easily accessible under flip-up lids. The anchor points are also not very deep, easing access. There's enough space to fit a larger rear-facing car seat behind all but the tallest drivers.

　　

Technology

7.0

　　BMW's new Live Cockpit and iDrive 7 are advances that follow in Audi's and Mercedes' footsteps but are far less effective. The menus are convoluted, the cloud-based voice recognition isn't well-sorted, and certain driver aids aren't aids at all. There's no lack of features here, just a surprising lack of refinement.

　　

Audio & navigation

7.5

　　BMW's native navigation works well and the touchscreen supports pinch and swipe gestures. The secondary map in the gauge cluster lacks street names, making it rather useless. The navigation system falls short of Mercedes' new augmented reality or Audi's Virtual Cockpit execution. The optional Harman Kardon audio system delivers rich, clean sound up front, but our rear passengers were less impressed.

　　

Smartphone integration

6.0

　　BMW includes one year of wireless Apple CarPlay (logical with the wireless charging), and after that it's a fee-based subscription. To date, BMW is the only manufacturer with a subscription model. There's still no Android Auto. CarPlay was difficult to set up initially but worked well for all other phone connections after that. Some of our test team encountered iPhone issues while connected to CarPlay as well.

　　

Driver aids

7.0

　　The 3 Series has many driving aids, but their effectiveness is hit or miss. The adaptive cruise is quite effective in stop-and-go traffic and at speed, but the lane keeping assist can ping-pong within the lane and doesn't handle curves well. It'll also follow and track the car in front without lane guidance, but we didn't find this feature to be particularly effective either. Additionally, the high-tech exterior 3D parking camera system offers a lot of angles to play around with, but manipulating the image requires using BMW's clunky gesture control interface.

　　

Voice control

7.0

　　The voice controls support natural language better than run-of-the-mill systems but Mercedes' new MBUX system is still superior. You can now activate voice controls by saying "BMW" or another wake word of your choosing, followed by a command. In theory it'll control things such as climate and navigation, but we were often misunderstood. And to top it off, it won't tell you a joke, unlike MBUX.

　　

Which 3 Series does zzdcar recommend?

　　For the 2019 model year, you can have any 3 Series sedan you like, as long as it's the 330i. Should you wait for the more performance-oriented M340i? That depends on how much you love horsepower. But if you decide on a 330i, we say get either the Premium or the Executive package. The Driving Assistance or Driving Assistance Plus packages are also worthy additions.

　　

2019 BMW 3 Series models

　　The 2019 BMW 3 Series is available in sedan and wagon body styles. Only the sedan is new for 2019; the wagon carries over unchanged. (The 3 Series Gran Turismo hatchback is reviewed separately, as are coupe and convertible models collectively known as the BMW 4 Series.)

　　For the 2019 model year, the 3 Series sedan is only available in the 330i trim level. A higher-performance M340i variant goes on sale later in 2019 (but for the 2020 model year).

　　The 330i comes standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (255 horsepower, 295 lb-ft of torque), an eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive (known as xDrive) is optional.

　　Standard features include 18-inch wheels, automatic wipers, a sunroof, simulated leather upholstery, tri-zone automatic climate control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, power-adjustable front seats, an 8.8-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth, a USB input and a 10-speaker audio system.

　　Forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and BMW Assist emergency communications are among the driver assistance features that come standard.

　　The 330i offers several option packages and stand-alone features. Chief among them are the Convenience, Premium and Executive packages.

　　Opting for the Convenience package gets you keyless entry, LED headlights, satellite radio and active blind-spot monitoring. The Premium package adds heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a head-up display, a navigation system, a 10.25-inch display screen, Apple CarPlay (subscription-based), and BMW's Connected Package Professional, which combines remote and concierge services with real-time traffic information.

　　The Executive package adds upgraded adaptive LED headlights with automatic high-beam control, side- and top-view parking cameras, a self-parking system, and gesture control functions for the infotainment system.

　　Sport-minded drivers can add the Track Handling package, which includes an electronically locking rear differential, upgraded brakes and a sport-tuned suspension. There's also an M Sport package with 19-inch wheels, performance tires, sport-tuned suspension and steering, special exterior and interior trim details, and the features from the Convenience package.

　　Additional safety can be had by way of the Driving Assistance Professional package, which bundles adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist and active front cross-traffic alert.

　　Some of the above features are available as stand-alone options. Other notable options include leather upholstery, heated rear seats, wireless device charging, a Wi-Fi hotspot, a full digital gauge cluster display, and an upgraded 16-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound system.

　　Jump to:Related 2019 3 Series articles

　　

2019 3 Series Highlights

Type: SedanWagonSedan

　　Trim: 330i330i xDrive330i

　　

Base MSRP	$40,250
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	30 MPG
Cost to Drive	$155/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	16.9 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles