2022 BMW 3 Series Sedan

The BMW 3 Series feels like coming home to loved ones after a long day of interacting with a group of strangers at a badly organized networking event. It's familiar, comforting, and just makes sense, which is saying a lot in a BMW lineup that has become increasingly foreign and at odds with the German brand's time-honored strengths of simplistic style and driver-focused dynamics. There's the oddball 2 Series Gran Coupe that sends power to the front wheels, the latest 4 Series with its Bugs Bunny face, and a sea of M-badged models that are mind-blowingly fast but have lost their sense of connection to the driver. The 3 Series is far less polarizing. It looks good, handles as well as anything else in this segment, sends power to the right axle, is beautifully built, and comes equipped with three refined powertrains, topped by the 382-horsepower turbocharged inline-six in the M340i. Even with talented rivals like the Audi A4 and the Genesis G70, the 3 Series' spread of talents is hard to match. In some cases, familiarity leads to monotony, but there's nothing boring or unwelcome about the sustained excellence of the BMW 3 Series.

BMW knows that this isn't the model to take any stylistic risks with, so the latest version retains a classic 3 Series silhouette that is both elegant and subtly aggressive. The grille is a lot larger than before but stops short of being offensive. The standard LED headlights feature a lower notch that harks back to the E46 3 Series, and automatic high beams are now standard. Along the side, there are neat 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in run-flat tires, while the M340i has 18-inch M double-spoke bi-color wheels. 19-inch alloys are on offer, but these can further firm up the ride, which is already quite harsh in standard form. Further setting apart the M340i are features like an aerodynamic kit, an M rear spoiler, and darker Shadowline exterior trim. All versions have dual exhaust outlets, although these are larger on the M340i. A two-way power glass moonroof is standard across the lineup.

Marginally longer and wider in its dimensions than the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the latest 3 Series is a far cry from the more petite E30 and E36. Of course, this also means it's far less cramped inside than it once was. The length works out to 185.7 inches and the width is 81.4 inches, mirrors included, but the height varies between 56.4 and 57 inches depending on the model. All versions have a 112.2-inch wheelbase. The curb weight ranges from 3,560 pounds for the 330i RWD to 4,138 lbs for the 330e xDrive.

For 2022, BMW has removed the Blue Ridge Mountain and Glacier Silver metallics from the color palette, but the Aventurin Red and Oxide Grey metallics have been added. On the 330i, Alpine White and Jet Black are standard, with metallics including Black Sapphire, Melbourne Red, Mineral White, Mineral Grey, Sunset Orange, Portimao Blue, and Phytonic Blue. All metallics will add an extra $550 to the bill. The more expensive BMW Individual metallics are available on all models and go for $1,500 each; they are Dravit Gey, Tanzanite Blue II, Oxide Grey, and Aventurin Red. On the M340i's abbreviated color palette, Jet Black, Melbourne Red, and Phytonic Blue fall away. With the latter's Shadowline trim, Alpine White paint works particularly well, but Phytonic Blue is another attractive and unusual hue that works well on the 330i.

Two gas engines do duty in the BMW 3 Series and a quick test drive reveals that both provide brisk, flexible performance. The base 330i RWD delivers 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque from its 2.0-liter turbo-four, which is enough to see this model reach 60 mph in 5.6 seconds. With xDrive AWD, the 330i will complete the 0 to 60 run in 5.3 seconds. The M340i benefits from BMW's brilliant 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six that generates 382 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque. Coupled with xDrive, 0-60 comes up in a mere 4.1 seconds, shaving three-tenths off the RWD's time. Every 3 Series has a top speed limited to 155 mph when equipped with performance tires. In general, the four-cylinder 3 Series is quicker than its primary competitors, with equivalent versions of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4/S4 being a few tenths off the pace of the 3 Series in most cases. Unlike Audi, BMW offers the choice of RWD or AWD for both the 330i and M340i. Another solid option is the 330e plug-in hybrid which produces a combined 288 hp and 310 lb-ft. In RWD form, it will hit 60 mph in 5.6 seconds and has a top speed of 142 mph with performance tires. The 330e xDrive has a 140-mph top speed and takes a tenth of a second longer to reach 60.

Regardless of the engine choice, as standard, every 3 Series is equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission with sport and manual shift modes, launch control, and paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel. This brilliant gearbox may not offer the tactility of a manual, but it doesn't miss a beat otherwise, with unobtrusive shifts around town and lightning-quick gear changes when called upon to do so.

On the 330i models, a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine produces 255 hp and 294 lb-ft of torque. It may not sound as good as BMW sixes of old, but it's certainly not lacking grunt. The four-pot revs freely, but thanks to the strong torque at lower revs, there's no need to wring its neck to make smooth, effortless progress. Passing power is excellent and helped along by that eight-speeder, which always seems to choose the right gear.

Both 330e models add an electric motor to the 2.0-liter turbo-four for combined outputs of 288 hp and 310 lb-ft.

Both the M340i and M340i xDrive make use of a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine, enhanced this year by the addition of a 48-volt mild hybrid system. The benefits of this system include supplying energy to the vehicle's various electrical functions while also providing extra drive power. The engine's outputs remain unchanged, though, with a meaty 382 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque, it offers almost M4-like acceleration but wrapped in the refined and practical package of the 3 Series sedan. The inline-six makes a sweet and civilized sound as it winds its way up to over 6,500 rpm, and doing so will see you reach alarmingly high speeds without much effort at all.

BMW did its homework with this latest G20 3 Series, which once again resides in the upper echelon of the segment for fun driving dynamics, an area in which the previous-gen model fell behind rivals from Alfa Romeo and Jaguar. The 3 Series' steering rack is sharper and more precise than you'd expect of a sedan in this segment, once again setting the BMW apart from its peers. Coupled with fantastic body control, it's a joy to thread the 3 through a few fast sweeps. On the downside, the steering is more affected by bumps in the road than the likes of the C-Class, which does a better job of cushioning imperfections. That brings us on to the 3 Series' ride, which is firmer than some would like. Although the 3 Series has never been as soft as a Mercedes or even the Audi A4, it seems that BMW has gone too far in the other direction in pursuit of a sporty drive, with both small and large imperfections being felt in the otherwise serene cabin. Even in Comfort mode, many would argue that a practical family sedan should better cushion occupants. In our BMW 3 Series review, we found that on smooth surfaces, the sedan impresses with excellent noise suppression and rock-solid stability, while the powertrains are hushed most of the time, too. Optionally available is an adaptive M suspension.

Good performance doesn't come at the expense of fuel efficiency in the BMW 3 Series. The base 330i RWD is the thriftiest model in the range, returning EPA-rated figures of 26/36/30 mpg city/highway/combined, with the 330i xDrive managing 25/34/28 mpg. With its 48-volt mild-hybrid system, both the M340i and M340i xDrive boast economy figures of 23/32/26 mpg. With a 15.6-gallon gas tank, the 330i has a cruising range of about 468 miles, but that drops to 405 miles for the M340i models. At the time of writing EPA figures for the 2022 330e were not available, but the 2021 330e's figures of 28 mpg on gas and 75 MPGe should still apply. The 330e xDrive will manage 25 mpg combined or 67 MPGe combined.

Although it can appear rather clinical and cold in its design, the BMW 3 Series interior is a great place to sit for the driver and occupants. From the dashboard to the seats and door panels, everything looks suitably upscale and the 3 is on par with the Audi A4 in terms of quality. The digital dials aren't the clearest, but everything else is logically presented and easy to fathom. The base model comes equipped with luxuries like 14-way power-adjustable front seats, a power moonroof, three-zone automatic climate control, and a driver's seat memory system. All versions ship with frontal collision warning, a rearview camera, automatic high beams, and dynamic cruise control. An array of options include a head-up display, heated front seats, gesture control, and adaptive cruise control.

Seating five passengers in total, the current BMW 3 Series is the most accommodating yet. The legroom and headroom are adequate for people up to six-feet tall both front and rear, although the middle rear-seat passenger has limited foot space due to the central hump in the floor. That said, it's better for three in the back than the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The driver's seat drops down nice and low for a sporty seating position, and the tilt/telescoping steering wheel helps to get comfy, too. Ingress and egress pose no problems, although visibility isn't perfect, with fairly broad front pillars.

The stark cabin can be dressed up in a few colors to brighten up the atmosphere. On the 330i, SensaTec imitation leather upholstery used to be standard in either Black or Canberra Beige but this year, Cognac (a tan hue) and Tacora Red are available too. The upholstery is now also perforated. For an extra $1,450, buyers can upgrade to Vernasca leather in colors like plain Black, Tacora Red, Black with Blue contrast stitching, or Oyster. Last year's Canberra Beige leather is no longer offered. However, the leather upgrade also requires another $2,595 worth of extras to be fitted, including the Driving Assistance Package and Premium Package. There are plenty of attractive trim inlays to choose from such as open-pore fine wood oak grain, aluminum tetragon, high-gloss fine wood ash Grey/Brown, and aluminum mesh effect. The M340i's SensaTec can be had in the same four colors as the 330i's; on this model, several features of the Premium Package are already standard, so adding the $1,450 Vernasca leather upgrade attracts a lower $2,125 premium for the accompanying compulsory features.

At 17 cubic feet, the 3 Series has one of the bigger trunks in its segment, further adding to its practicality score. By comparison, the Genesis G70 has under 11 cubes of space. The BMW's wide opening and relatively low load-lip are welcome, and a couple of large suitcases can easily be swallowed up. A hands-free trunk lid opening/closing feature is convenient, as are the 40/20/40-split-folding rear seats which can be easily flipped to accommodate longer items.

Interior storage space is another upshot of 3 Series ownership. Although the glovebox isn't large, there are good-sized door bins in all four doors, two cupholders in front, a center console storage compartment, and a fold-down rear-seat armrest that houses another two cupholders.

The BMW 3 Series is equipped to quite a good standard, with features such as power-adjustable front seats with lumbar support, three-zone automatic climate control, a power moonroof, a rearview camera, an auto-dimming interior rearview and driver-side exterior mirror, rain-sensing windshield wipers, push-button ignition, power-folding side mirrors, and the Live Cockpit Plus digital instrument cluster. Moving up to the M340i upgrades the instrument cluster to the Live Cockpit Professional, while also adding multi-color ambient lighting in the cabin. All BMW 3 Series models come with safety gear like frontal collision warning, automatic high beams, a fatigue/focus alert function, and LED headlights with a cornering feature. Options include a head-up display, heated front/rear seats, and a heated steering wheel.

On the 330i, the Live Cockpit Plus digital instrument cluster measures 5.1 inches and is supplemented by a central infotainment touchscreen of 8.8 inches. The iDrive 7.0 system is operable by means of voice, a physical rotary controller, or available gesture control. The system has quick processing speeds and the screen clarity is excellent, although it has become a bit more complicated to use than older iterations of iDrive. Included features comprise Bluetooth connectivity, two USB ports, navigation, SiriusXM with 360L and a one-year all-access subscription, and both Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. A 205-watt Hi-Fi system with ten speakers is standard, but a 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system is optionally available on the M340i. The M340i also brings with it the larger 12.3-inch Live Cockpit Professional digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch central touchscreen.

The BMW 3 Series hasn't excelled in terms of reliability. J.D. Power's consumer verified rating for the BMW 3 Series stands at 77 out of a possible 100, which is below competition like the Lexus IS and Genesis G70. Although the 2022 3 Series has not yet been recalled for any problems, the 2021 model was subject to a disappointing five. The problems were varied and included malfunctioning seat belts and buckles, failure from the rearview camera to display images, and issues with the hybrid model's battery (we review the hybrid separately). We can only hope that these issues have been ironed out for the 2022 model.

BMW's limited warranty runs for four years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first, and includes four years of roadside assistance. There is also a 12-year rust perforation warranty regardless of mileage covered, plus a competitive three-year/36,000-mile maintenance plan.

The NHTSA evaluated the 2022 3 Series and gave it its maximum five-star overall rating for safety. Over at the IIHS, the 2022 3 Series returned Good scores in every crashworthiness category and the 2021 model was rated a Top Safety Pick. However, the 2022 model's regular LED reflector headlights were rated as Poor, whereas the available Icon Adaptive LED headlights managed a much better Good score.

The BMW's suite of airbags amounts to eight, and these include dual-stage front airbags, front side airbags, front knee airbags, and front/rear head airbags. Every version has ABS brakes, a rearview camera, adaptive brake lights, tire pressure monitoring, dynamic stability control, and dynamic traction control. The list of standard driver aids comprises automatic high beams, an accident-detection system that can prepare the car for an imminent crash, fatigue/focus alert, frontal collision warning, and automatic city collision mitigation and braking. Options include park distance control (available separately), extended traffic jam assistant, steering and lane control assistant (the latter two only as part of a package on the M340i), lane departure warning, active blind-spot detection, active cruise control, and a surround-view camera system with 3D view. None of these safety features are available separately anymore except park-distance control and now form part of packages and some are model-dependent.

Despite the weight of expectation that stems from decades of 3 Series generations dominating the segment, the latest G20 effortlessly extends the legacy of one of BMW's core models. It's back to being one of the most enjoyable cars in the segment to drive thanks to sharp handling, a well-tuned chassis, and two exceptional powertrains. Inside, it's both beautifully built and spacious for all occupants, and it comes with just enough equipment to justify the price. Weaknesses include a ride that is too harsh, the absence of a manual gearbox, and an interior that isn't particularly exciting to look at. There are also numerous excellent alternatives in this segment, such as the Audi A4 and Genesis G70, not to mention the sporty Alfa Romeo Giulia. But for the most part, BMW's sedan ticks all the boxes expected of a 3 Series, and if that's not high praise, nothing is.

At an MSRP of $41,450 for the base 330i RWD, the 3 Series starts at $200 more than it did in the USA last year. The 330i xDrive goes for $43,450, rounding out the four-cylinder models. For the M340i, expect to pay $54,700, while the M340i xDrive tops the range at $56,700 - these are the same as last year. All prices exclude taxes, licensing, registration, and a destination charge of $995. The Audi A4 starts at a more wallet-friendly $39,100, although this base version isn't as powerful as the 330i. Likewise, the Audi S4 comes in at a starting price of $50,500, undercutting the M340i with which it competes. With all the options ticked, the price of the BMW 3 Series will nudge $70,000 - that applies to the M340i xDrive.

The 2022 BMW 3 Series sedan comprises four trims for the US market, just like last year: 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, and M340i xDrive. All of them use an eight-speed automatic transmission. The 330i models share a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine with 255 hp and the M340i models both use a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with 382 hp. Rear-wheel drive is standard, except on the xDrive models, which use all-wheel drive.

The base 330i runs on 18-inch alloy wheels and has as standard LED headlights with high-beam assist and a cornering function, adaptive brake lights, and a power moonroof. Inside, it has power front seats with adjustable lumbar support, SensaTec leatherette upholstery, three-zone climate control, and push-button start. The driver faces a digital driver-info display and the infotainment system has an 8.8-inch touchscreen display and incorporates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Safety features include a backup camera, forward-collision warning, and a focus/fatigue alert feature.

The 330i xDrive has all the same features with the only exception being that it has all-wheel drive, which enables it to reach 60 mph a few tenths faster than the RWD 330i.

The M340i adds to the equipment of the 330i a more powerful engine, a different style of 18-inch alloy wheel, an M Sport aerodynamic kit, blacked-out Shadowline exterior trim, a M rear spoiler, and M performance suspension. Inside, it adds a larger digital gauge cluster and infotainment screen, and ambient lighting.

The M340i xDrive has all the same features, except for its all-wheel-drive system, which makes it the fastest model in the lineup from 0 to 60 mph.

A range of upgrades are offered for the 2022 BMW 3 Series. On 330i variants, the Convenience Package includes features like comfort access keyless entry and four-way power lumbar support for the driver's seat for a cost of $650, but you can only spec this in conjunction with park distance control ($200). The $2,250 Premium Package includes a head-up display, heated steering wheel, gesture control, and more, but requires the $700 Driving Assistance Package, which adds lane departure warning, active blind-spot detection, and park distance control. On the 330i and 330i xDrive, the Shadowline exterior package costs $400 and adaptive M suspension, $700. The price of the Dynamic Handling Package varies, depending on which features you take, including different wheel choices, M Sport brakes, and an M Sport differential.

Unique to the M340i is the $2,400 Cooling and High Performance Tire Package with superior cooling for the drivetrain and braking system, high-performance tires, a mobility kit, and the entire M Technology Package included. Both six-cylinder models have their own Premium Package, but it costs less than on the 330i models due to the differences in standard features.

All new models can be optioned with Icon LED headlights with Laserlight technology ($1,000), adaptive M suspension ($700), and remote engine start ($300). The Harman Kardon sound system ($875) can only be optioned on the M340i.

The M340i is undeniably the more appealing option in the range as it comes with that wonderful six-cylinder engine. However, it's well over $10,000 more than the equivalent 330i and doesn't offer all that much more standard equipment. If you can stretch for it, go for it, otherwise a base model 330i is a wonderful compact luxury sedan. We'd equip ours with the Driving Assistance Package and the Premium Package, adding welcome features like a head-up display and active blind-spot detection.

Our reviews demonstrate that like the BMW, the Audi A4 is an exceptional all-rounder in this segment. Although the A4 has a lower base price, this version of the Audi makes do with a less powerful 201-horsepower engine, so it isn't quite as fast as the base 330i. However, the A4's more powerful optional 261-hp 2.0-liter engine makes this version a good match for the 330i. With quattro all-wheel drive, the A4 provides sure-footed handling but isn't as entertaining to drive fast as the 3 Series. However, the Audi has a smoother and more cushioning ride. Both cars have sturdy and logical interiors with a similar amount of space for passengers, although the BMW wins on headroom. Pushed for a decision, we'd side with the BMW for its spirited powertrains and brilliant handling.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class ushers in a new generation of Merc's popular luxury sedan. Inside and out, it's never looked more like a mini S-Class than it does now. It comes with a stunning 11.9-inch touchscreen display as standard, providing access to the brand's latest MBUX infotainment system. A new 48-volt on-board electrical system promises greater efficiency, and the 2.0-liter turbo-four's 255 hp and 295 lb-ft are identical to the 330i's outputs. Other impressive technologies in the new C-Class include biometric authentication, improved driver-assistance systems, and a new steering wheel with capacitive touch controls. When we drive the new C-Class, we expect these two cars to once again be very closely matched. The Mercedes should have the edge as it's the newer vehicle, but we wouldn't count out the BMW just yet.