2023 BMW 3 Series Overview
The BMW 3 Series gets a hot refresh for the 2023 model year, adding the most current tech available in the BMW lineup. The 2023 BMW 3 Series boasts the G20 chassis designation and is the seventh generation of the benchmark luxury sedan. It offers familiar charms: agility, a minimalistic interior, and enthusiastic handling characteristics. While it isn’t quite engaging enough to be worthy of being a weekend warrior, it best fills the role of an overachieving daily driver, making even mundane trips a bit more exciting. A hybrid variant adds something for the fuel economy geeks.
BMW 3 Series Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The 2023 BMW 3 Series comes with three different engine choices. The turbo four comes with the 330i and 330i xDrive, producing 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Peak torque kicks in at just 1,500 rpm, so it’s pretty quick around town. The hybrid 330e and 330e xDrive get a fancy integrated electric motor and use the same four-cylinder engine, netting 288 horsepower and 310 pound-feet. It also offers up to 23 miles of electric driving on a single charge, perfect for city-dwellers and customers favoring short drives.
Enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies will want to spring for the M340i or M340i xDrive. The ubiquitous B58 turbocharged inline-six powers them. It makes 382 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, propelling xDrive-equipped cars from zero to 60 mph in a scant 4.1 seconds. FYI, that’s about as quick as the outgoing F80 M3 – and a lot easier to pull off consistently. Every 2023 BMW 3 Series gets a magical eight-speed automatic transmission capable of both expeditious downshifts and smooth upshifts when required.
Fuel Economy and MPG
All versions of the 2023 3 Series integrate mild hybrid (or, in the case of the 330e, PHEV) technology that makes the vehicle surprisingly efficient. The 330i boasts 25 city / 34 highway for an impressive 29 combined mpg. xDrive versions return 27 mpg combined due to the added weight of all-wheel drive. The six-cylinder M340i and M340i xDrive return slightly worse figures at 23 / 31 city/highway and 23 / 32 city/highway, respectively. Still, not bad for nearly 400 horsepower.
The 330e and 330e xDrive should return the best overall efficiency, but official MPG approximations are hard to find. BMW estimates between 68 and 73 MPGe for the 330e and 330e xDrive, respectively. Around 23 miles of electric range doesn’t hurt, making the PHEV the most economical and eco-friendly.
Interior and Cargo Space
2023 brings a new interior layout for the 3 Series, prominently displaying the new-for-2023 BMW Curved Display. Sensatec interior comes standard and is what we recommend because optional Vernasca leather adds $1,500 to the sticker price, ruining a bit of the value proposition that makes the 2023 BMW 3 Series so attractive in the first place. The $550 Convenience Package adds Comfort Access and lumbar support for the driver, and we’d confidently step up to the Premium Package ($1,900 for the 330i, $1,350 for the M340i) for added goodies like heated seats and a head-up display.
The 2023 BMW 3 Series offers 17 cubic feet of trunk capacity, besting the Audi A4 by five cubic feet and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class by 4.4 cubic feet. However, the 330e loses some of this space to the high-voltage battery under the trunk floor, reducing it to 13 cubic feet.
2023 BMW 3 Series Technology and Connectivity
The 2023 BMW 3 Series brings a curved display running BMW Operating System 8 to the cabin, offering Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The cockpit feels open and less cluttered than the previous model year, largely thanks to a smaller shifter and the removal of physical climate controls. As with all iDrive 8-powered vehicles, voice commands, navigation, and a configurable digital gauge cluster come standard.
Options are varied, and there are some great values here. A Harman Kardon surround sound system ($875) adds commensurate sound quality and clarity, and wireless device charging ($200) seems like a no-brainer. An Adaptive M Suspension is available on all trim levels (even the PHEV) of the 2023 BMW 3 Series. It is worthwhile for enthusiasts but rides a little bit too rough for us to recommend it to people just looking for a comfortable daily driver.
Safety and Driver Assistance Features
The 2023 BMW 3 Series offers many driver assistance features, ranging from simple parking sensors to automated steering input and radar-assisted cruise control. A $700 Driving Assistance Package offers drivers Active Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane Departure Warning, and Frontal Collision Mitigation. A 360-degree camera system comes in the $700 Parking Assistance Package, which also includes automated parking. We’d probably opt for both, but the $1,700 Driving Assistance Professional Package adds tons of value for those who sit in traffic for long periods of time.
BMW 3 Series Pricing
The 330i starts at $43,800, and you can add xDrive for just $2,000 more. This pricing slightly undercuts the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and puts it slightly above the Audi A4. However, the base 2023 BMW 3 Series offers more standard equipment than both. The 330e starts at $44,900.
The M340i starts at $56,400 with the same $2,000 delta for all-wheel drive models. Considering the performance (especially the rocket ship-like acceleration of the M340i xDrive), we think that’s a solid deal considering an all-wheel drive M3 is still $20,000 away.
2023 BMW 3 Series FAQ
You can order it now, but the 2024 is on the way. No substantial changes are expected.
The 2023 BMW 3 Series starts at $43,800.
Leasing works best for people who maintain their cars well and drive less than 12,000 miles annually. Considering the 3-year/36,000-mile maintenance included on all new BMW models, leasing a new 3 Series is not a bad move.
The BMW 3 Series features a revised design for the 2023 model year. Narrowed and modernized headlights, new front and rear bumper designs, a revised kidney grille, new wheel options, and new colors distinguish the 2023 BMW 3 Series from older models. Inside, a new curved display and digital gauge cluster set it apart. The next redesign for the BMW 3 Series will happen later in the decade and likely involve the Neue Klasse vehicles.
