Our Opinion - 2024 BMW 3-Series Review While the BMW 3-series has been the standard for a long time, it’s for good reason. The 3-series has a stylish, simple, and appealing exterior. Inside, it’s very luxurious, with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 14.9-inch touchscreen entertainment system that make the car look very modern. The 3-series also comes with three great engine choices. The base model 330i, with its turbocharged four-cylinder engine, gets great gas mileage and just the right amount of power. The plug-in hybrid 330e model is even more fuel-efficient and has an extra 23 miles of all-electric range. The M340i is a top-of-the-line model. It has a strong 382 horsepower turbocharged inline-six engine and a well-tuned chassis that make it easy and quick to handle everyday driving conditions. Other cars, like the Genesis G70, may be cheaper and have more features, but the BMW is still the best sports sedan and won the 2024 Editors’ Choice award for quality build and performance. What's New? The BMW 3-series got a facelift last year that gave it sharper looks and a new dashboard with a big screen at the center. It will come back in 2024 with no major changes. Pros and Cons Pros A wide range of strong engines. Manage with agility. A big tablet. Cons Only a few new safety devices. Not being able to steer. We need more buttons that are made of metal. Engine, Transmission, and Performance The 3-series has two gas engines that are both strong and fast. The 330i’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine makes 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, but it looks like it has more power. When paired with a 48-volt hybrid system, the M340i’s 3.0-liter inline-six turbocharged engine makes 382 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. The 330e plug-in hybrid has a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and an electric motor that work together to make 288 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. One of our favorite parts of the plug-in engine is the Xtraboost feature, which gives the car extra power that feels like a small dose of nitrous. It makes the gas and electric parts work well together. Each engine comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission that is easy to use and very smooth. Rear-wheel drive is standard. No matter how much money you have, you can’t buy a manual drive. All four wheels can be motorized for a fee. People who buy the three can pick from three different suspension setups: the standard setup, the sportier M Sport setting, or the Dynamic Handling option, which has dampers that can be adjusted. The four-cylinder Bimmer did better in a test than similar sports cars. We liked how it could go from looking sleek and calm to funny and lively. When put up against the beautiful Alfa Romeo Giulia, the 330i did better, proving that it is the best car in its class. Our long-term M340i, with its strong six-cylinder engine and great body control, showed that the brand was back to its old self. Safety BMW only offers simple technologies to help drivers, like automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning. There are, however, other aspects that can be used. One example is the parking help package, which will park your car for you. Please check the websites of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to learn more about the results of the 3-series crash tests. Some important safety factors are: Normal automatic stopping in an emergency. There is a lane departure indicator and a lane-keeping aid. You can get adaptive speed control that can center your car in its lane. Internal and External Cargo Capacity The inside of the 3 is modern and made with high-quality materials and artistry. The buttons on the 3-series are in the right place, and nothing about it looks like it might break. There are many ways to change the basic sports chairs; they are supportive and have good back support, and they make it easy to find a comfortable position. A full head-up display, changeable ambient interior lighting, heated front and rear seats, remote start, and wireless charging are all options for this car. The 3-series has a big trunk, and you can get a power-operated deck lid if you want. The gas-powered sedan has a 17-cubic-foot trunk that can hold six carry-on bags or 17 bags altogether when the back row is folded down. The Alfa Romeo Giulia, on the other hand, could fit between five and fifteen pieces of luggage, while the Mercedes-Benz C300 car could only fit one less in both tests. Due to the battery pack’s size, the 330e has 13 cubes less trunk room, but we still need to check to see how much a carry-on can fit. Fuel Economy and Actual MPG The EPA says that the four-cylinder 330i will get up to 25 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway. With 23 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway, the M340i, with its more powerful six-cylinder engine, gets the best gas economy. The plug-in hybrid with rear-wheel drive can go 23 miles on electricity alone and should get 28 mpg total. Both numbers are three less for the all-wheel-drive PHEV. In one of our many tests, we took a rear-drive 330i on our 75-mph highway fuel economy route and got 42 mpg. We also tried an M340i with all-wheel drive, and it got 33 mpg in the same way. Infotainment and Connectivity The 12.3-inch gauge display and the 14.9-inch touchscreen display are joined together to make a single screen that fits nicely on top of the dashboard of the 3-series. The high-resolution screens give you great viewing quality even when it’s very bright outside. With BMW’s iDrive 8, it’s quick and easy to use. A 5G Wi-Fi hotspot, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, in-dash mapping, and SiriusXM satellite radio are just a few of the features that come standard. If you choose the Premium package, you can also get a head-up display. A Harman/Kardon sound system and a charging point for wireless smartphones can be used. Price and How to Choose The four-cylinder, turbocharged 330i is our top pick. It’s surprisingly powerful and feels very quick. The M Sport package comes with extra features, unique style elements, and a specially tuned suspension, and we would add it to our car. The Premium package has a head-up display, hands-free passive entry, heated steering wheels, and other features that make it a good choice. We would also pick the Dynamic Handling option. It makes the car easier to drive by adding better brakes and adjustable dampers, making it more like the famous 3-series sedans from the past.
