Used 2023 BMW 3 Series

The 2023 3 Series remains a desirable entry-level luxury car and the one to which all rivals, historically, need to measure up to. This year sees some subtle styling revisions, along with a not-so-subtle dual-screen unit taking up most of the dashboard as standard. Other tech features are also updated.

Models range from the perfectly fine 330i to the beautifully fast M3. The 330e plug-in hybrid and a sporty M340i sit in between. Although BMW makes many great SUVs and superb coupes and convertibles (such as the closely related 4 Series), the 2023 3 Series sedan still offers a lot.

Not that the other seats aren’t comfortable (well, except for that little middle spot in the back, as ever), but the driver’s seat is most definitely the place to be in any 2023 3 Series.

This is where the otherwise smooth suspension starts to impart the sensations of poise and nimbleness, where the engine’s responses to even minor throttle inputs come into clearer focus. The higher the horsepower, the greater the thrills. But even the 255-horsepower 330i is enjoyable and engaging.

The M3 has always been so much more than just a fast 3 Series. It’s one of the finest creations a car company has ever built. Anyone who loves driving needs to own one at least once in their life.

Let’s start this section with the new BMW Curved Display, a standard feature in every 2023 3 Series. It’s a frameless glass-covered unit housing a 12.3-inch driver information screen and an expansive 14.9-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system, each with high-resolution graphics.

This tech-rich addition has resulted in slimmer air vents below. BMW also installed a new gear selector in the center console. As always, the quality of materials and the build are of the usual top-notch BMW level.

Although the 3 Series falls into the category of compact luxury sedan, each generation has been bigger than the one before. So the 2023 3 Series is relatively roomy, especially for those who won’t be driving around many passengers most of the time.

Rear legroom is 35.2 inches, pretty much as good as anything in this class. Behind the 40/20/40 split/folding rear seats, trunk space measures a generous 17 cubic feet. The 330e has 13.2 cubic feet of trunk area because of the hybrid battery.

The previously optional Shadowline package — adding a black grille and black air intakes — becomes standard on the 2023 3 Series. The headlights, now full LED, are smaller. Overall, it’s nothing too crazy.

The M cars sit nice and low on their suspensions, wearing extra aerodynamic appendages. The M3 and M3 Competition come with staggered wheel sizes. The “plain” M3 has 18-inch alloys up front with 19-inch counterparts at the back. The Competition version plumps for a 19/20-inch arrangement. These cars also have carbon fiber roofs that lower the center of gravity and keep weight (the enemy of performance) at a minimum.

Skyscraper Grey Metallic exterior paintwork is offered across the 2023 3 Series lineup.

ENGINES
All that tech, ergonomics, suspension tuning, and quality materials wouldn’t mean much if the engines didn’t excite. BMW’s expertise in this area is considerable, culminating in the breathtaking 503-horsepower inline-6 that powers the M3 Competition model.

INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM
This year’s 3 Series comes with the latest iteration of BMW’s well-liked system, known to geeks as iDrive 8 and arriving as a complement to the new curved display. The standard navigation system now includes BMW Maps, and the voice command feature is better at recognizing natural speech (it can also obey requests, like: “open the sunroof”). Drivers can transfer their profiles to other contemporary BMWs because all the relevant information is stored remotely — “in the cloud,” so to speak.

As well as the new curved display and 5G tech making it into the 2023 3 Series as standard, the 330i comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, full LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, heated side mirrors (self-dimming on the driver’s side), simulated leather upholstery, leather-wrapped steering wheel, selectable driving modes, 3-zone automatic climate control, power-adjustable front seats, self-dimming rearview mirror, powered moonroof, and multi-colored ambient cabin lighting.

Driver aids are a little sparse, not much more than forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and automatic high beams.

The infotainment setup includes Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, satellite radio, two USB ports, Bluetooth, navigation, voice control, and a 10-speaker/205-watt audio system.

The 330e has virtually the same features while replacing the drivetrain with a plug-in hybrid arrangement.

Packed with 382 horsepower, the 2023 M340i has its suspension and brakes upgraded for enthusiastic driving, while receiving an M Sport differential and a variable-ratio sport steering system. It also comes with keyless entry/ignition.

The most affordable new M3 sports sedan has more than 450 horses in its stable, with plenty of other components strengthened, re-calibrated, or built especially for the particularly thrilling driving experience this car delivers. The same goes for the 503-horsepower M3 Competition.

These M cars also gain front/rear parking sensors, heated front seats, blind-spot monitoring, satellite radio, and a 464-watt/16-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound system. All 2023 3 Series variants have BMW’s connected services, bringing features like stolen vehicle recovery, remote lock/unlock, and on-street parking information.

An M Sport package for the 330i includes 19-inch alloy wheels, chrome highlights on the grille, sportier suspension, and variable-ratio steering. Or the 330i and M340i can be ordered with an adaptive M suspension.

The 330i, 330e, and M340i offer a Premium package bringing heated front/rear seats, heated steering wheel, gesture control for the infotainment system, and keyless entry/ignition.

Also available: the Parking Assistance package with a self-parking function and a 360-degree camera system. The Driving Assistance package has Active Blind Spot Detection, lane-departure warning, and Active Driving Assistant. The Driving Assistance Professional package has active lane-keeping, evasive steering assistance, adaptive cruise control, Extended Traffic Jam Assist, and front cross-traffic alert.

Other extras for these first three models include wireless phone charging, larger alloy wheels, and the Harman Kardon surround-sound system. The M340i is also eligible for M Sport brakes with red-painted calipers.

The M3 and its Competition sibling are eligible for carbon-ceramic brakes, heated/ventilated front seats, carbon-fiber front bucket seats, and the Parking Assistance package. The Competition also qualifies for the Driving Assistance Professional package.

Kicking off the array of powertrains in the 2023 3 Series is a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder unit propelling the rear-wheel-drive (RWD) 330i and its all-wheel-drive (AWD) counterpart, the 330i xDrive. Output is 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, which goes through an 8-speed automatic transmission.

The 2023 330e is a plug-in hybrid with either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive (the xDrive version). It also uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and an 8-speed automatic transmission, but adds an electric motor energized by a lithium-ion battery. Total output is 288 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque.

The 330e can run for up to 23 miles on battery power alone. The Environmental Protection Agency uses miles-per-gallon equivalent (MPGe) figures for plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles, showing a mix of city and highway driving. In the fuel economy figures below, there’s one set with the electric-only range factored in and another where the 330e is operating like a regular hybrid.

One of BMW’s famed inline-6 engines is in the M340i, displacing three liters and turbocharged to produce 382 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. A 48-volt mild-hybrid system helps the engine produce its peak power quicker and smooth out the fuel-saving stop-restart function.

Again, there’s an 8-speed automatic transmission on board, with rear-wheel drive as standard and all-wheel drive available as an option.

Same displacement, same number of cylinders in the same configuration, but the M3 does without any electric assistance. Instead, it increases output to 473 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. Or, in the case of the M3 Competition: 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque.

Transmission-wise, the regular M3 comes with a 6-speed manual and is rear-wheel drive exclusively. The Competition has the automatic and is the only M3 to offer an xDrive all-wheel-drive system — M-tuned, of course.

Every engine in the 2023 3 Series range requires premium gasoline. These EPA fuel economy estimates are from 2022, but there shouldn’t be any changes for 2023.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (330i, 330i xDrive)
255 horsepower @ 5,000-6,500 rpm
295 lb-ft of torque @ 1,550-4,400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 26/36 mpg (RWD), 25/34 mpg (AWD)

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4/permanent magnet electric motor (330e/330e xDrive)
288 total horsepower
310 lb-ft of total torque
EPA combined fuel economy: 28 mpg/75 MPGe (RWD) 25 mpg/67 MPGe (AWD)
Electric only range: 23 miles (RWD), 20 miles (AWD)

3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 (M340i)
382 horsepower @ 5,000-6,500 rpm
369 lb-ft @ 1,600-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/32 mpg (RWD & AWD)

3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 (M3)
473 horsepower @ 6,250 rpm
406 lb-ft of torque @ 2,650-6,130 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 16/23 mpg

3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 (M3 Competition)
503 horsepower @ 6,250 rpm
479 lb-ft of torque @ 2,750-5,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 16/23 mpg (RWD), 16/22 mpg (AWD)