2022 BMW 3-Series

The front end of the latest 3-Series is distinctive, for sure; it gets downright divisive in the M3. Behind that face, the 3-Series is the picture of the classic sport sedan, with its long nose and abbreviated tail. It’s subdued in its details, and drives a lot of its visual impact with a rising shoulder line. There’s more emphasis on the speedy, glitzy pieces on the M340i and M3: they get chunky body kits, showy wheels, carbon-fiber trim, and even more exaggerated air intakes and diffusers.

Inside, the dash of the 3-Series sits low, and it’s capped by digital displays that sit in front of the driver and top the stack of controls at the center of the dash. A slim splint of real wood trim or aluminum dresses the base 3er interior and gives it the impression of greater width. We’re no fans of the trapezoidal bent of the digital gauges, but similar shapes unite all the central controls and give the 3-Series cabin a focus and an appeal that’s low-key upscale—and that’s before you select the sizzling orange or blue leather and carbon fiber of the showiest versions.

BMW’s known for rear-drive dynamics, but most 3-Series now are sold with all-wheel drive.  

How fast is the BMW 3-Series?

It’s quick, even in base 330i spec, which spools up a 255-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4 and connects it to the rear or to all four wheels through a sublime 8-speed automatic. In this combination, 0-60 mph runs of 5.6 seconds put the 330i in the range of what M3s offered just a couple of generations ago. 

The 330i succeeds as sport-sedan standard thanks to steering and suspension tuning that offer crisp feedback, particularly in rear-drive M Sport form with grippy 19-inch wheels and tires and a stiffer sport suspension. As it’s grown larger the BMW has lost the tossable feel that gave the brand its luster, but the 330i has regained some of that zest for high-speed cornering and it’s become even surer in its highway-speed stability.

BMW 330e

The 330e pairs the same 2.0-liter turbo-4 with a 111-hp electric motor for a net 288 hp. With plug-in capacity it can deliver up to 23 miles of electric driving, then rely on its gas-hybrid output to deliver up to 28 mpg.

It’s a step in the right direction of progress, but the 330e feels misguided at times. It can accelerate as quickly as the 330i, but doesn’t feel like it since its hybrid system has seamlessly integrated at low speeds for smooth driving. At full throttle, it loses that sure-headed feel, and thinks too long before it sorts out the right gear and the right amount of electric motor input. 

Still, we’ve been able to drive one for nearly 27 miles on electric power alone and have enjoyed its well-composed feel despite light steering—and despite a 4,039-lb curb weight that feels even heavier. 

BMW M340i

Back to non-hybrid 3ers, the M340i slips a 3.0-liter turbo-6 under the hood. It’s the gem in the BMW lineup, an inline-6 that’s boosted to 382 hp and 360 lb-ft of torque, which it ushers to the rear or all four wheels through the same 8-speed automatic. The M340i’s a master class in low-end grunt, good for 0-60 mph times in just over four seconds with all-wheel drive. 

It’s also a master class in composure, thanks to a double-jointed set of front struts and a five-link rear suspension. With the optional M Sport tuning and adaptive dampers, it rides low, with less wheel travel and a much firmer ride quality—which gets better when BMW’s standard run-flat tires are swapped out at no cost for conventional treads. Those tires, even with the firmer spring rates and resolutely taut damping in Sport mode, generate less body lean without turning the car into a flinty, intolerable road menace. 

BMW M3

That’s pretty much the job of the M3, especially in Competition spec, where its 473-hp turbo-6 gets pressed to 503 hp. The former drops power through a 6-speed manual, while the latter makes an 8-speed automatic mandatory. 

With the manual and rear-wheel drive it’s slower by two-tenths, at 4.1 seconds to 60 mph; with the automatic and all-wheel drive it’s good for a rocket ride to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. A top speed of 155 mph can be lifted to 180 mph with an M Driver’s Package, which also includes a day at a BMW Performance Center driving school. 

In any spec, the M3 seems to cruise naturally at 85 mph and higher, but the steering clarity of past cars isn’t quite there, due as much to all-wheel drive as to the car’s long wheelbase. The M3 Competition leans a bit into a corner, takes a line of attack, then zippers its way through the deepest of bends with almost no sense of normal limits thanks to staggered Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. It hauls down from speed just as quickly as it hauls, thanks to big 6-piston front brakes, too.

The 3er’s front seats offer a magnificent driving position thanks to power adjustment of its synthetic leather seats. They’re bolstered well and can give taller or shorter drivers the head room they need. It could use more space in the footwells, though.

The second row demonstrates some concessions to style and to side-impact crash tests. BMW tailors its seat cushion with deeply pocketed spaces for two passengers well inside of the door panels, which leaves just a slim space for a third passenger. Head room suffices for 6-footers and so does leg room, and the seat back folds down to expand trunk space from its already sizable 17 cubic feet.

The 3-Series cabin can be austere with its basic-black garb, but dressed in lighter tones, with real leather, quality rises to meet its high sticker prices.

The IIHS calls the 3-Series a Top Safety Pick, but that designation extends to 3-Series sedans with adaptive LED headlights. Base unit headlights are considered “Marginal.”

The NHTSA gives the 3er five stars overall.

BMW offers active lane control and adaptive cruise control which permits limited hands-free driving under ideal conditions, but it’s walled off in an option package that can cost thousands of dollars. 

The $42,445 330i makes sense for many BMW buyers. It comes with synthetic leather upholstery, 10-speaker audio, an 8.8-inch infotainment display that’s run by a knob controller (last year’s touchscreen has been downgraded, due to the global chip shortage), Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, power fronts seats, and a power sunroof. Keyless start, heated front seats, and additional lumbar support cost extra. So does the Driving Assistance Professional Package, which gains adaptive cruise control and active lane control, but can press the price to nearly $50,000. All-wheel drive adds another $2,000.

The $43,945 330e comes similarly equipped.

The $55,695 M340i doesn’t seem much more expensive in base price, but it climbs quickly once it’s fitted with performance options such as the M Sport trim package or the adaptive suspension.

How much is a fully loaded BMW 3-Series?

The M3 costs at least $71,095, and it’s another $3,000 for the buttoned-down suspension and 30 hp extra found in the Competition. If you want a 6-speed manual, you’ll have to stick with the M3 as the Competition only comes with an automatic. With upgrades like carbon-fiber seats and matte paint the M3 Competition can vault past $100,000.

Upgrade to the M340i and the EPA frowns, to the tune of 23/32/26 mpg with rear- or all-wheel drive; it’s downright irritable with the M3, which posts ratings of 16/23/19 mpg. 

The picture brightens back up with the plug-in 330e, which garners a 75 MPGe rating and can travel about 23 miles on battery power before it reverts to gas-hybrid mode, where it earns 28 mpg combined. In EV-only mode, we’ve seen more than 26 miles of range, and largely met the EPA’s combined rating after that.