In a world where crossovers are eating sedans for breakfast, staying relevant becomes a lot harder. But the BMW 3-Series has been fighting off the SUV threat by being a well-balanced sedan. This Bimmer manages to fuse comfort, luxury, sportiness, and accessibility into a handsome-looking package. This has also helped the 3-Series stay on top of the competition despite the going getting tougher.
The 2023 BMW 3-Series gets a fitting mid-cycle update or LCI (Life Cycle Impulse) as the Germans like to call it. BMW has managed to make their perfect compact luxury sedan even better. The 2023 BMW 3-Series gets a subtle yet impactful visual upgrade along with a "curvy" new dashboard layout. Technology gets a bump with the new 3-Series packing in the latest iDrive 8 interface and newer comfort features.
Its best bits like powertrains and driving dynamics remain unchanged to retain this Bimmer's fun driving experience. BMW has also ramped up the M fever for the 2023 3-Series with tweaks on existing packages along with new packages being added to the bucket. Also, with BMW M celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the refreshed 3-Series gets classic M badges as well. The 2023 BMW 3-Series continues to take the fight to the likes of the Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Lexus IS, and the bold Genesis G70.
The 2023 BMW 3-Series gets a sharper face and curvier screens to retain its "best-selling" streak. 2023 BMW
3-Series Exterior: A Slimmer Face And New Hues
The 2023 BMW 3-Series gets a proper mid-lifecycle makeover in terms of design. The front fascia gets most of the changes with a new grille, slimmer headlight design, and a cleaner-looking bumper. The grille is slightly smaller, and loses the outer chrome design.
The headlights lose on the small fang-like touches which were a nod to the iconic E46 3 Series design. The 2023 3-Series has a slimmer headlamp assembly design like that of the new 4-Series. The lower grille is now much larger than the previous model. The M-Sport model bumper has also been streamlined to look less messy than last year's design.
The rear gets a redesigned bumper that has fake diffusers. It isn't a bad thing and adds more aggression to the humble Bimmer. Another major change at the rear is for the M340i models. While all the other M badged models get quad-exhaust tips, the M340i retains a more traditional dual-exhaust layout. The 2023 M340i also gets new 18-inch M double-spoke wheels.
To mark BMW M's 50th anniversary, the 2023 BMW M340i will be flaunting the classic BMW Motorsports badges on the hood, trunk, and wheel center caps. BMW has also added in a new M Sport Pro package that offer more blacked-out accents including black chrome exhaust tips. It also gets M sport brakes with red calipers, a rear trunk spoiler, and M brand-colored stitching for the seatbelts. The 2023 3-Series also gets two new colors. Opting the M Sport package allows you to go for the new Skyscraper Gray and M Brooklyn Gray.
2023 BMW 3-Series Interior: All About Screens And Curves
The 2023 BMW 3-Series gets a fresh new dashboard design. It takes a lot of inspiration from the BMW iX, especially when it comes to the new curved screens. The 12.3-inch instrument cluster and the 14.8-inch infotainment screen are slabbed side-by-side onto a curved display panel that floats on the dashboard. This new screen layout has also repositioned and redesigned the center air vents.
BMW has also thrown away the old shifter level for a new toggle switch as seen in the iX. The dashboard design has a premium feel with a more sculpted layout. The materials used in the cabin have also been upgraded. The huge infotainment screen now runs on BMW's iDrive 8 software which opens up a whole new dimension of connected tech appeal.
Even the instrument cluster theme has been upgraded to the ones seen on BMW's all-electric fleet. All of this sure helps elevate the driving experience in BMW's affordable luxury sedan. The German automaker has also tossed in a few more comfort features like three-zone automatic climate control and a cloud-based navigation system. The new 3-Series also offers 5G connectivity that can support up to 10 devices at a time. Apart from these bits, the upholstery choices remain unchanged, and so does the interior dimensions.
2023 BMW 3-Series Use The Same Engines
While the Euro-spec 2023 3-Series models get a minor hybrid bump across the engine options, US-spec models are carried over unchanged. The base 330i trim continues with a turbocharged 2.0-liter Inline-4 motor churning out 258 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The 330e plug-in hybird churns out a combined 288 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, and does 22 miles on all-electric power.
The most-powerful of the 3-Series engine options is the mid-hybrid inline-6 motor from the M340i. It uses a 48V battery system coupled to the six-cylinder motor to churns out 382 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. All these engines are coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission and comes as standard with RWD with available xDrive AWD system across the table. The various drive modes and assist features also remain unchanged.
2023 BMW 3-Series: Pricing, Trims, And Availability
The 2023 3-Series pricing will be disclosed closer to its US launch date which is slated for July 2022. The 3-Series will continue to be offered in three trim levels - 330i, 330e, and M340i, and the prices are expected to see a noticeable increase. We expect the base 330i trim to start from around the $42,800 mark and top out at $56,000 for the M340i trim.
Sources: BMW USA