Executive car gets a nip and tuck, but is that enough to keep it at the head of the class? On sale Now Price from £37,805
Doug Revolta Doug.Revolta@haymarket.com
IN THE FOOTBALL world, the transfer window gives you a chance to buy new players to freshen up your playing squad. When an elite team has this opportunity but then makes zero new signings, it’s seen as hugely complacent.
So, are we about to read the motoring equivalent? Well, the current BMW 3 Series (codenamed G20) first went on sale in 2019, and this facelift offered a chance to keep it fresh against its rivals. But the changes are so slight that, on the outside at least, you’d need to be a real BMW fan boy to notice the new ‘double bar’ design on the front grille, the slimmer headlights and the new air vents on M Sport models.
Things are totally unchanged mechanically, too; the engines have all been carried over without alteration. So, on the face of it, BMW has missed an opening to give the 3 Series a shot in the arm. But then, as one of the very best cars you can buy right now, it didn’t really need it. As they say, if it ain’t broke…
Take the engine line-up, which offers something for everyone. There’s the frugal 187bhp 320d diesel, the 179bhp 320i and 254bhp 330i petrols, and the 288bhp plug-in hybrid 330e, with its tax-friendly low CO2 emissions.
Sporty folk, meanwhile, will love the six-cylinder M340d diesel (288bhp) and M340i petrol. It’s the latter we’re sampling here, and it’s particularly peachy. With 369bhp, it will crush 0-62mph in 4.4sec, and it generally delivers effortless, silky smooth performance with a sumptuous engine note and a lightning-quick eight-speed automatic gearbox.
And no matter which engine you go for, the 3 Series’ handling capabilities shine brightly, as they always have. The quick, responsive steering is accurate and feels involving, and the car resists lean remarkably well through corners.
Ride comfort is perhaps one area where the boffins at BMW could have taken a closer look for the facelift; it is certainly not an uncomfortable car, but it’s geared towards a firm, sporty feel to aid that fizzing dynamic ability. This results in a ride that is very well controlled but not quite as supple as an Audi A4’s. Still, the 3 Series offers the same enjoyable balance of ride and handling as it did before.
Is it the same story inside? Well, it’s here that the biggest changes are evident. Adopting the same arrangement as you’ll find in BMW’s fully electric i4, the 12.3in digi
