2025 BMW 3 Series

Seven generations of excellence have made the BMW 3 Series a shining example, the leader of its class. Its combination of poise, prestige, technology, power, efficiency, and quality has inspired many of our glowing owner reviews. This current generation launched for 2019, receiving various updates along the way. Even though we would call the large 7 Series a flagship model, there’s still a considerable amount of the BMW ethos in the 3 Series — pleasing a broad audience, yet with a certain added something to engage the driver.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of compact luxury cars, including the BMW 3 Series.

An update to the infotainment system means fewer actions to achieve the desired function. Heated front seats are now standard across the lineup. The 330i and M340i variants each have new steering wheels. There’s a greater choice of exterior colors. BMW has enhanced the suspension’s ride comfort. The top M3 with all-wheel drive gains another 20 horsepower. And the erstwhile 330e plug-in hybrid has been discontinued.

To compare, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class starts at a price similar to the 3 Series. The Audi A4, Acura TLX, Alfa Romeo Giulia, Lexus IS, and Genesis G70 all come in slightly under.

Before buying a new 3 Series luxury sedan, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. BMW 3 Series resale values are about average among the competition. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

The 330i xDrive is a popular choice among 3 Series buyers. With a more-than-respectable 255 horsepower simmering under its hood, it will sprint from a standstill to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, making it one of the quickest cars in its class. The rear-drive version (without the added launch traction of all-wheel drive) is only a couple of tenths behind.

We’ve also found that the 3 Series is as 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 variant. It’s where the suspension starts to impart the sensations of poise and nimbleness, where the engine’s responses to throttle inputs come into clearer focus.

For 2025, BMW has refined the suspension to provide greater comfort than before, while retaining all the composure and precision that are typical BMW traits. In Comfort mode, meanwhile, the steering is now lighter, requiring less effort.

The higher the horsepower, the greater the thrills. But we think even the 330i is enjoyable and engaging. At the other end of this tempting spectrum, the M3 has always been so much more than just a fast 3 Series. In our opinion, it’s one of the finest creations a car company has ever built. We’d encourage anyone who loves driving to experience an M3 at least once in their lives.

Fuel Economy

We’re impressed by the balance of power and efficiency in the 330i’s engine, which is one of the best in this class. With all-wheel drive, it achieves 27 mpg in combined city/highway driving, a figure matched by the Mercedes-Benz C 300 4Matic. The rear-drive 330i runs to 29 mpg combined. The more powerful M340i manages 26 mpg combined mpg. With xDrive in the picture, it’s only thirstier by a mile per gallon on the highway. The M3 gets 19 mpg combined, or 18 if it’s an M3 Competition xDrive model.

The quality of materials and how they’ve been put together is at the usual top-notch BMW level. The impressive Curved Display is a standard feature in every 2025 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 year, BMW puts a 2-spoke polygonal steering into the 330i and a 3-spoke flat-bottomed steering wheel into the M340i (also available in the 330i as part of the M Sport package). Both have controls for various functions as well as shifter paddles behind.

Although the 3 Series is a compact luxury sedan, each generation has been bigger than the one before, so it is relatively spacious. 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 16.9 cubic feet.

BMW has kept the 3 Series a little more conservative than the closely related 4 Series. We think that’s probably a good call. All the lines and proportions seem to work. White and black are the only no-extra-cost colors. New paint choices this year are Arctic Race Blue Metallic, Vegas Red Metallic, Frozen Pure Grey Metallic, and Frozen Portico Blue Metallic.

The standard wheels are 18-inch alloys, but BMW has also brought some new designs here for 2025. The M3 cars sit nice and low on their suspensions, wearing extra aerodynamic appendages. They also have carbon-fiber roofs that lower the center of gravity and save weight (the enemy of performance).

Engines
All the tech, ergonomics, suspension tuning, and quality materials wouldn’t mean as much if these elements weren’t backed up by excellent engines. BMW’s expertise in this area is considerable, culminating in the breathtaking 523-hp inline 6-cylinder engine that energizes the M3 Competition xDrive model. The base engine is also fuel-efficient.

Infotainment system
The 2025 3 Series comes with the latest iteration of BMW’s well-liked iDrive system. For example, the voice command feature can obey spoken requests to open (or close) the sunroof. BMW has refined the interface to reduce the number of actions needed to access and change a function. Augmented Reality also comes to the navigation feature, with superimposed direction arrows for help at things like confusing intersections.

All-wheel drive
All-wheel drive is a popular option with 3 Series buyers. It helps apply the power to the road and provides confidence in tricky conditions.

Driving Assistance packages
Some more affordable rivals have things like blind-spot monitoring as standard, so we’re obliged to recommend spending extra on the Driving Assistance package to acquire that, plus lane departure warning and parking sensors. The pricier Driving Assistance Professional package adds adaptive cruise control and a partial self-driving function in traffic.

Parking Assistant
As well as steering the 3 Series into and out of parking spaces, this optional bundle also includes automatic reverse emergency braking and a 360-degree camera system.

Harman Kardon audio
This optional surround-sound system makes the whole 3 Series experience even more luxurious. We think this is a good upgrade over the standard setup.

The 330i has a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine making 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. It’s enhanced by a 48-volt mild hybrid system to help produce peak power at a quicker rate and smooth out the fuel-saving stop/restart function.

One of BMW’s famed inline 6-cylinder engines is in the M340i. It’s a 3.0-liter unit turbocharged to produce 386 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque, a boost of four horses and 29 lb-ft over last year’s version. It also has a mild hybrid addition.

Both engines link to an 8-speed automatic transmission, with rear-wheel drive as the default configuration and all-wheel drive (xDrive) on the options list.

The M3 does without any electric assistance for its turbocharged 3.0-liter 6-cylinder engine, which produces 473 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. In the case of the M3 Competition, the output is 503 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. The 2025 M3 Competition xDrive further boosts the output to 523 hp. The regular M3 has a 6-speed manual transmission, while the competition variants come with an M-tuned 8-speed automatic.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

BMW’s new-vehicle and powertrain warranties last four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. This coverage is typical among European luxury car marques. Roadside assistance is included for that period, with unlimited mileage. Scheduled maintenance is free for three years or 36,000 miles, which is not so typical.

Safety Ratings

The 3 Series earned a maximum 5-Star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It hasn’t been tested fully by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), although it did take top scores in various impact scenarios. Standard driver aids are sparse, not much more than forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, and automatic high beams.