BMW3 Series

　　

2023 BMW 3 Series Review

byRonald MontoyaSenior Consumer Advice Editor & Content Strategy

　　Ronald Montoya has worked in the automotive industry since 2008. He has written over a thousand car related articles and bought and sold over 100 vehicles over the course of his career. Ronald is a senior consumer advice editor and content strategy at zzdcar and has also contributed to the Associated Press. He has also been featured on ABC, NBC and NPR on a number of car shopping topics. He got his start in the auto industry by taking a part-time job at a car dealership, where he worked in the service and accounting department.

　　, rating written byRonald MontoyaSenior Manager, Written Content

　　Brent Romans has worked in the automotive industry since 1996. He has written or edited thousands of expert car reviews and road-tested hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Brent is a senior manager of written content at zzdcar and previously contributed to publications such as Super Street and Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road. His personal car is a 2019 BMW M2 Competition, which he bought for its ideal combination of performance, style and practicality.

　　The seventh-generation BMW 3 Series has been on sale for a few years, which means it was time for BMW to give it a feature refresh to keep it competitive against the recently redesigned Mercedes-Benz C-Class. We knew a styling update would be in the picture for the 2023 BMW 3 Series and feared the beaver-toothed grille from the 4 Series and M3/M4 would transition to the mild-mannered luxury sedan, too. Thankfully, BMW hasn't fussed with the exterior too much — the grille is slightly wider than before, the headlight cluster no longer has the little notch in the middle, and the front and rear bumpers feature sharper angles, giving it a more modern look.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2023 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

　　$163/mo  for 3 Series 330i

　　3 Series 330i

　　330i 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) (Most Popular) - $43,800 MSRP330e 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo gas/electric plug-in hybrid 8A) - $44,900 MSRP330i xDrive 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $45,800 MSRP330e xDrive 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo gas/electric plug-in hybrid 8A) - $46,900 MSRPM340i 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl Turbo gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) - $56,400 MSRPM340i xDrive 4dr Sedan AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) - $58,400 MSRP

　　vs

　　$165/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　There are significant changes to the interior, however. For starters, the 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and central touchscreen now share a singular curved housing running BMW's latest iDrive 8 software. The new software makes the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant smarter, with improved natural language voice recognition and additional features, including the ability to open and close the windows or the sunroof through verbal commands. Finally, the central screen is upgraded to measure 14.9 inches — nearly double the size of the previously standard 8.8-inch screen — and once again offers touch functionality.

　　BMW has also streamlined the center stack control layout. There are almost zero dedicated physical controls for the climate system. Instead, these functions are moved to the touchscreen in a climate menu, though the driver and passenger temperatures are always displayed. We're not huge fans of making attention-sapping touchscreens even more convoluted, but at least you can use the car's voice recognition system to change the temperature. The useful set of eight preset buttons, which can be configured for anything from radio stations to navigation destinations and specific menus, also disappears. Lastly, the shift lever has been replaced by a toggle switch.

　　All these changes make for a compelling entrant into the compact luxury sedan segment, but the 3 Series will face stiff competition from the redesigned Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the stylish Audi A4 and the up-and-coming Genesis G70. Read on for our thoughts on how the updated 3 Series fares.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.8

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the 3 Series drive? We tested an all-wheel-drive 330i. Its turbocharged four-cylinder is strong and responsive; you don't need to rev it much before it delivers the goods. Our test car reached 60 mph in 5.6 seconds in our testing, which is a quick time for a small luxury sedan with a base engine. The transmission shifts quickly and complements the surprisingly flexible power of the engine.

　　The brakes in the 330i are solid all around and one of the highlights of this car. The pedal is smooth and easy to control in casual driving but strong, stable and confident in hard use. We also like the car's agility when going around turns. With the M Sport package, the 330i's body motions are well controlled. Experienced drivers might find themselves wanting a little more playfulness, but nonetheless this luxury sedan is easy to drive quickly.

　　

Comfort

7.0/10

　　How comfortable is the 3 Series? Our test 330i suffered from an overly firm ride. We suspect our test car's optional sport suspension (as part of the M Sport package) and possibly the rough-riding tires were the cause. If you're worried about comfort, we'd suggest getting a 3 Series without the M Sport package. We do like the 3 Series' quiet cabin at highway speeds. Plus, the front seats are supportive and have plenty of available adjustments.

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