Road Test Review – 2023 BMW 330i – Aging 3-Series Still Has Plenty of Tricks up Its Sleeve



The BMW 330i is a symbol of the old guard in some ways when one looks at BMW’s lineup. It’s still the benchmark others strive to beat in the luxury sport sedan segment and it’s also one of the few remaining that have not had their twin-kidney grilles enlarged to comical proportions. While the pressure of SUV and CUV demand has certainly cut into some of its sales, the four-door still has a strong following. But what if you don’t have the budget for a fire-breathing M3 and prefer something that’s more budget-oriented> BMW thinks it has the answer with the 2023 BMW 330i but how well does it stack up in the real world?

 

Aging 3-Series still has some tricks up its sleeve

The exterior styling of the 3-Series received a major makeover not too long ago so it comes as no surprise that BMW chose to focus its 2023 updates on the interior with the exterior only getting light tweaks. In the meantime, the exterior still looks very handsome with our 330i tester getting a nice coat of blue paint to go along with its sleek headlights and reworked front bumper. The rear of the 330i still feels a bit cluttered but that’s a minor complaint since the taillights arguably steal the show here in this regard.

The interior is where the bulk of the updates are and BMW engineers went to work giving the 3 a much-needed upgrade in tech. An all-digital dashboard is now standard with the instrument cluster and the infotainment system being united under one single pane of glass. While it’s very susceptible to sun glare and the touch controls require a trip to the owners manual to fully decipher, we’ll admit that it’s certainly an improvement from what we saw in past BMW models with the screen also seeing duty in the large BMW 7-Series as well as the IX EV.

The rest of the cabin has a modern design and high quality materials for the most part though we did notice some low quality plastics in the lower door panels. The front seats in our tester were nicely bolstered and offered good amounts of comfort though backseat room is typical for the segment with tall people being victims of the sloping roofline and the cramped amounts of knee room on hand. The 3 Series has a big trunk and when the mediocre backseats are not being used to haul people, they can be folded down to expand space. That proved handy during the 330i’s stay with us when we tasked it to lug our bags around when we went to a wedding in Cincinnati.

 

Don’t judge a book by its cover

It wasn’t too long ago that the 330i badge denoted the installation of BMW’s 3.0-liter inline-six. However, the badge is now window dressing with the 2023 version being powered by a smaller 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 255 hp and is paired with an eight-speed automatic. While that may seem like a downgrade at first glance, the smaller engine allows the BImmer to get good fuel economy with our tester getting 34 mpg on the freeway. That helped our tester be a good get around vehicle when we went to a friend’s wedding in Cincinnati

Our tester soaked up the miles with ease and the 330i’s suspension also helped it negate the bumps around downtown Cincinnati. The 2.0-liter is also no slouch with BMW saying it can make the sprint to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. However, fuel economy continues to be the star of the show and that was proven when the BMW managed to bench my brother’s fuel-thirsty Corvette with the Chevrolet being forced to sulk in the hotel parking lot while the BMW drew attention at the wedding.

Buyers looking for the beefier 3.0-liter inline-six will have to move up to the M340i which also pairs the engine with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. That also raises the price tag and we think that the 2.0-liter will be enough for most people especially those that want a balance of efficiency, performance, and style.

 

Value quotient

Pricing for the 2023 BMW 330i starts at $44,500 which will get you into a rear-wheel drive model. Our tester had the optional xDrive all-wheel drive system which causes the price to go up to $46,500. Our tester arrived with a laundry list of options and as is the case with other BMWs that helps raise the price with our tester having a final price of just over $55,000.

Careful selection of options will help reduce the sticker shock and when you peel back some of the extra layers of fluff, you’ll see that the 330i still has what it takes to take on rivals like the Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4 and the Alfa Romeo Giulia. The Genesis G70 on the other hand has emerged as a potent threat to BMW’s sales throne.

The Korean offering has an interior that manages to outshine the 330i’s in some key categories including material quality as well as having an infotainment system that has simpler software which in turn makes it easier to use for consumers. That said, we think that there’s still plenty to see here on the BMW 330i, and if you’re looking for attainable performance that doesn’t go overboard in its attempts to wow passersby we think this flavor of BMW will be the perfect match for you, and your budget.