2020 BMW 3 Series Review

(35)

7.6/10 Expert Rating

2020 BMW 3 Series 330i Sedan Exterior. M Sport Package Shown.

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2020 BMW 3 Series Review

byDan Frio^{Reviews Editor
Dan spent many years covering the go-fast, look-good, get-loud corners of the automotive universe. First, he served as editor of enthusiast magazines AutoSound and Honda Tuning, then as executive editor at SEMA News, the publishing arm of the trade group that produces the annual SEMA Show (yes, that show). As a contributor to Edmunds, he now likes to keep the volume low and the speed limit legal, providing expert car-shopping advice to drivers looking for the perfect match.}

Pros

Balances sharp handling with a ride quality that won't beat you up
Strong and efficient four- and six-cylinder engines
Interior is upscale and spacious, with logical, easy-to-use controls

Cons

New iDrive system is more convoluted to use than before
Unrefined operation of some driver assist features
No longer offers a manual transmission

What's new

Six-cylinder engine returns with new M340i model
Part of the seventh 3 Series generation introduced for 2019

Overview

Fresh off a redesign last year, the BMW 3 Series continues to provide one of the best combinations of comfort, performance and prestige you'll find among small luxury sport sedans. This new seventh-generation model is 3 inches longer and 1.5 inches wider than before, but it remains as agile and steady in the fast curves as ever.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2020 BMW 3 Series 330i 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.93 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$161/mo

$170/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

Calculate my fuel costs

Keys to its charms are a larger, stiffer chassis, and retuned suspension and steering, which tighten up the 3 Series' already considerable handling performance. A turbocharged four-cylinder engine, carried over from the previous model, gains slightly more horsepower and increased low-end torque. And for 2020, a six-cylinder engine option returns in the form of the new M340i.

It's no ordinary six-cylinder either. The M340i pumps out a stout 382 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, which was M3 territory just a few years ago. We assume the forthcoming redesigned M3 will add another 100 hp to that total, but for now the M340i serves as an appealing substitute. The only downside is that you can't get a manual transmission anymore.

Even with its power and athleticism, the 3 Series is still a sensible sedan. The new model maintains the 3 Series' hallmarks of interior comfort and quality. You'll find sporty and form-fitting seats, impressive touchscreen displays and infotainment, and finer details such as ambient cabin lighting and oak, maple and aluminum accents. A large trunk, combined with 40/20/40-split folding rear seats and a hands-free opening trunklid, also offers excellent utility,

If there's any complaint about the 3 Series, it may be that its competence overwhelms exhilaration. Its Audi A4/S4 rival feels more modern with a tech-oriented flair, and its primary Mercedes competitor leans more into luxury than performance. Newer competitors, such as the Alfa Romeo Giulia and the Genesis G70, offer drivers something a little different, including the increasingly rare manual transmission.

Edmunds Expert Rating

average

7.6/10

Edmunds Rating

Our Verdict^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

The latest-generation BMW 3 Series is a solid luxury sport sedan. But some rivals offer more impressive design and technology. Unfortunately, "benchmark" is no longer one of the descriptors that come to mind for the 3 Series.

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

8.0/10

How does the 3 Series drive? We tested an all-wheel-drive 330i. Its turbocharged four-cylinder is strong and responsive; you don't need to rev it much before it delivers the goods. Our test car reached 60 mph in 5.6 seconds in our testing, which is a quick time for a small luxury sedan with a base engine. The transmission shifts quickly and complements the surprisingly flexible power of the engine.

The brakes in the 330i are solid all around and one of the highlights of this car. The pedal is smooth and easy to modulate in casual driving but strong, stable and confident in hard use. We also like the car's agility when going around turns. With the M Sport package, the 330i's body motions are well-controlled. Experienced drivers may find themselves wanting a little more playfulness, but nonetheless this luxury sedan is easy to drive quickly.

Comfort

7.0/10

How comfortable is the 3 Series? Our test 330i suffered from a surprisingly harsh ride. We suspect the cause to be our test car's optional sport suspension (as part of the M Sport package) and possibly the rough-riding tires as well. If you're worried about comfort, we'd suggest getting a 330i without the M Sport package.

We do like the 330i's exceptionally quiet cabin at highway speeds. Plus, the front seats are supportive and have plenty of available adjustments. The 3 Series' climate system is capable but operating it can be puzzling at times. Some functions are odd — syncing zones must be done through the touchscreen, for instance. Also, the system won't really adjust fan speed when in auto mode, so you'll have to do that yourself.

Interior

7.5/10

How’s the interior? It's clear that BMW put a lot of thought into the front cabin comfort and design. There's ample doorway head clearance front and rear for getting in and out, and the door grabs and handles are well-placed and easy to use. The front seating is roomy, although the rear seat is best suited for two — the center tunnel eats up most of the foot space.

We're less fond of the 3 Series' iDrive infotainment system. It has plenty of functions, but they are often hard to locate in the convoluted maze of menus. Also, the layout of physical buttons and controls is generally comprehensible, but you'll have to take your eyes off the road to find the flat buttons on the console — you can't just feel them by touch. It'll take some time for owners to get accustomed to the 3 Series' control setup.

Technology

7.0/10

How’s the tech? You'd think that BMW would kill it here, but the reality is that some rival automakers are ahead of the game. For instance, the 3 Series' navigation system lacks the polished execution of Mercedes' new augmented-reality feature or Audi's Virtual Cockpit gauge-cluster display. Also, the 3 Series has many advanced driving safety aids, but their effectiveness is hit-or-miss.

BMW includes one year of wireless Apple CarPlay. But after that it's a fee-based subscription. To date, BMW is the only manufacturer with a subscription model. There's still no Android Auto support. Our test car had the optional Harman Kardon audio system — we found it delivers rich, clean sound up front but less so for the rear passengers.

Storage

8.0/10

How’s the storage? The trunk is sizable, and the lid hinges are shrouded so they won't crush cargo when the lid comes down. The rear seatbacks are split 40/20/40, and they fold and lay nearly flat when down. Storage space for small items in the cabin is decent.

For family taxi duty, the 3 Series does a respectable job. The Isofix anchors for securing child safety seats are clearly marked and easily accessible under flip-up lids. There's also enough space to fit a larger rear-facing car seat behind all but the tallest drivers.

Fuel Economy

8.0/10

How’s the fuel economy? With a rating of 28 mpg in combined city/highway driving, the 330i xDrive is surprisingly efficient for the performance it delivers. (The rear-drive 330i is slightly more efficient, and the M340 is slightly less.) We averaged a respectable 31.3 mpg on our 115-mile evaluation route, which is above expectations. Other traffic-heavy tanks were in the low 20-mpg range.

Value

7.5/10

Is the 3 Series a good value? The 3 Series isn't the priciest offering in the segment, but it's also far from the best value. You get a quality product for your dollar with solid performance to match and complimentary maintenance as a bonus. But if you're looking for maximum value, you're better off checking out some of the other segment offerings. Warranty coverage is typical for a luxury brand.

Wildcard

8.0/10

BMW can still make a capable small sedan. For most people, this 3 Series will meet expectations. But for people who love driving for fun, the 330i will likely disappoint a little. Certainly the M340i ups the excitement a little. As for design, the cabin has character, but there are some styling elements at the rear of the car that remind us of a Lexus. That's a first for a 3 Series and not necessarily a good thing.

Which 3 Series does Edmunds recommend?

The M340i is pure sweetness that comes nicely equipped from the factory, including 382 horsepower that'll make you forget about any options you left on the table. That said, it's hard to justify from a cost standpoint. As such, we say go with the more sensible 330i. Sure, the 330i only offers a four-cylinder engine, but it delivers strong power and fuel efficiency and doesn't want for handling and dynamic performance. You'll also have room in your budget to add some extra options. The Premium and Executive packages are worth getting (the former for its heated seats and head-up display, the latter for its extra safety features).

2020 BMW 3 Series models

The 2020 BMW 3 Series is a five-passenger compact luxury sport sedan available in two trim levels: the 330i and M340i.

The 330i comes standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (255 horsepower, 295 lb-ft of torque), an eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive (known as xDrive) is optional.

Standard features include 18-inch wheels, automatic wipers, a sunroof, simulated leather upholstery, tri-zone automatic climate control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, power-adjustable front seats, an 8.8-inch touchscreen display, a navigation system, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, two USB inputs and a 10-speaker audio system.

Forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and BMW Assist emergency communications are among the driver assistance features that come standard.

More power is available with the M340i, which comes standard with a six-cylinder engine (382 hp, 369 lb-ft), an eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional.

Standard features for the M340i are similar to the 330i's but also include sport-tuned brakes and suspension, a 10.25-inch touchscreen display, and a digital gauge cluster display (called Live Cockpit Professional). BMW's Connected Package Professional, which combines remote and concierge services with real-time traffic information, is also included.

Both trim levels offer several stand-alone options and a handful of option packages, the most notable being the Premium and Executive packages. The Premium package adds heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and a head-up display. The Executive package adds upgraded adaptive LED headlights, surround and bird's-eye parking camera views, parking sensors, an automated self-parking system, and gesture control functions for the infotainment system.

Additional safety can be had by way of the Driving Assistance and Driving Assistance Professional packages. The former adds blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert to the standard set of driver aids, while the latter equips adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, active front cross-traffic alert, and Traffic Jam Assist, a semi-automated steering system. For enhanced performance, BMW offers a package that bundles high-performance tires and improved engine cooling.

Some of the above features are available as stand-alone options. Other individual items include 19-inch wheels, an adaptive suspension, leather upholstery, hands-free trunk opening, ambient cabin lighting, wireless device charging, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a premium Harman Kardon audio system.

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2020 BMW 3 Series.

5 (77%)

4 (14%)

3 (6%)

2 (0%)

1 (3%)

4.6

35 reviews

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Most helpful consumer reviews

Addictive acceleration and grip

George Lakkas, 05/27/2019

2020 BMW 3 Series M340i 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 8A)

This is my first review on Edmund’s. I owned a 2011 F10 BMW 550i M sport and decided to downsize once I saw the 2020 M340i. The car is amazing. Plenty of power almost instantly on tap and the grip is incredible. The steering is very sharp and precise. This car demands respect. I love the Sport Plus mode where the exhaust backfires. Sounds like a Porsche. I use the Sport Individual mode …

Very Good but not Great

Mugman, 07/29/2020

2020 BMW 3 Series 330i xDrive 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

Purchased my 2020 330i X drive sedan in late February. Less driving than usual due to COVID 19, but I have 3000 miles on it now, mostly back roads and some highway. Traded a '13 Audi A4 which I was very happy with but it was getting up there in miles. First the positives: Powerful engine, excellent gas mileage (averaging 32 MPG overall, again mostly side roads driving 35-50 mph, but … got 34 on the highway running at 80mph average), sporty and secure handling, strong brakes, comfortable seats, very good fit and finish of the interior, plenty of tech with the ability to disable some aggravating "safety" features like lane departure warning with assist (I keep it turned off); sport mode ramps up engine/throttle response quite well for a fun drive. Negatives: transmission, when in comfort mode, likes to grab 8th gear around 48-50 mph, so on back roads it is constantly shifting between 7th and 8th which is annoying (my Audi wouldn't grab 8th until 58mph and this worked much better--I'd rather give up 1 mpg to avoid the gear hunting); run flats lead to a jittery ride--the suspension absorbs bumps quite well, but it's the small impacts that wouldn't be felt with normal tires with slightly softer side walls that cause the problem; engine note is artificially piped in through the speakers which is fine in comfort mode, but when in sport mode, it is just piped in at a louder volume which is unnecessary and annoying; auto stop/start feature, though better than in past BMW's, is too aggressive in that it kills the engine immediately on stopping, so if you stop to parallel park and shift into reverse, the engine stops and starts constantly--I just inactivate it with every start up with the easy to reach button on the console; too much orange peel on my paint which is mediterranean blue--significantly worse than the audi; trunk is small for the size of the car; finally, when shutting the car off and getting out of it, the IP and infotainment display screens all stay on as does the radio, and they will all stay on, along with the radio, for up to 30 min unless you lock the car--my Audi inactivated everything once the driver opened the door, but I cannot find any way to do this in the BMW, so I have to lock it every time I leave it in my garage which is also annoying. Bottom line: sporty and fun to drive with a nice look, classy interior and very good fit and finish to the interior, but let down by poor ride on the run flats, subpar paint quality for a luxury vehicle, and gear hunting in Comfort mode. Overall I'm still satisfied, especially since I got 9K off the MSRP by buying in the winter (nobody wants a sedan in the winter). Update after 19,000 miles of driving and nearly 2 years of ownership: as I mentioned, the Pirelli runflat tires were horrible. They wore out at 18,000 miles. I replaced them with a brand new set of Pirelli P7AS3 all season, non-run flats, and the change in ride is dramatic. These tires are very quiet, they handle quite well, and smooth out the ride significantly compared to the run flats. They maintain all the handling grip as the run flats, so I would definitely recommend swapping them out. My car also had an issue with jerky starts when trying to accelerate from 2-3 mph, such as when rolling through a stop sign. It took two trips to the dealer, but they ultimately reprogrammed the transmission and the engine control module, and now the car drives as it should. With the drivetrain re-programming, and a new set of non-runflat tires, the car is now perfect in my opinion. Still very happy with the power from the engine and the quality of the interior

A UPSCALE DRIVING EXPERIENCE BUT NEVER PERFECT

iflymaui, 09/17/2020

2020 BMW 3 Series 330i 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

I'm an avid BMW fan. This new 2020 330i is my 8th BMW to date. BMW was once a luxury car combined with a performance machine. Precision fit out of Germany and near perfection in performance. This 2020 330i comes out of San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Coming in at around a MSRP of $40,000; you'll need to add another $10,000 to equip it as it should be. Or better yet, simply upgrade to the … fantastic M340i if you can afford to. The standard engine is a 4-cylinder, 2 liter sometimes noisy or struggling powertrain. Sadly, BMW has decided to place 18" rims/wheels with smaller road grip and just fair-to-good handling. It really needs more rubber and width at 55-70mph speeds. Also, BMW is using run-flat tires that provide a often harsh ride coupled with road noise (upgrading to Michelin run-flats will greatly improve the ride). The interior fit is amazing in quality. BMW has gone with 'Sport Seats' as standard now and while these are not leather (they use a vinyl called Sensa-Tec), they are still a very comfortable seat for long or short trips. So easy to adjust 12 ways. As is typical for BMW, switches and controls are laid-out exactly where they should be. You'll feel as if you have total control over the vehicles operation with ease. i-Drive version 7 is still there and it's just a mush of settings and sub-folders of rubbish. Use i-Drive only when not driving and in PARK as its a distraction aspect. No longer standard are fog lights and XM Sirius Radio. There is no CD player included as well. Any onboard entertainment will have to be accomplished via your included basic AM-FM radio or Smartphone connecting to what is called BMW Connect via iDrive. Navigation is now standard but not needed if you have a iPhone. The 330i feels as though it runs on a rail (typical of 3-series). It knows a straight line better than most vehicles and yet turns with assurance. Steering return is excellent. Safety is compromised with headlights as you'll have to pay for that safety if you want LED Cornering headlights or Laser headlights. Standard LED lighting is weak until you engage the BRIGHT LIGHTS. I expect sub-par lighting on a rental car and not on a BMW. It's the entry-line of the three series so I expect and accept the minimal equipment onboard in its base unit. Again, look into a highly upgraded M340i version instead of the 330i; even pre-owned. I still love BMW but I really miss the days when a BMW was about luxury and performance and so was everything from the service department to the sales staff at a dealership. BMW has eliminated those aspects in 2020. Any BMW is better than no BMW at all and this car still exceeds entry-level Audi's or Mercedes.

I own a BMW 3 Series!!

Tyrone, 02/01/2020

2020 BMW 3 Series 330i xDrive 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

I traded in my Infiniti Q 50 for the new BMW 330i xdrive Love the handling gas mileage much better than the Q 50 and just as fast 5.3 seconds 0 to 60. Only one gripe that lane keep assist is very aggressive maybe that is the way it should be put on the expressway if you have it on it is very hard to keep straight. But the looks that I get when I am in this car! Remember when you are …

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2020 3 Series Highlights

Type:

Sedan

Trim:

330i

Base MSRP	$40,750
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	30 MPG
Cost to Drive	$161/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	16.9 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the 3 Series models:

Driving Assistance Professional Package: Enhances the 3 Series' standard safety features with upgrades such as lane keeping assist.
Active Blind-Spot Detection: Alerts you with in-mirror lights when a vehicle is in a blind spot, followed by steering wheel vibration if you attempt to change lanes.
Side and Top View Camera: Offers a top-down, 360-degree view of the car and surroundings to monitor approaching traffic and aid in maneuvering tight spaces.

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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