The 2022 BMW 3-Series comes unchanged from the outgoing model, apart from minor updates to the optional packages. The punchy inline-4 motor is retained in the 330i avatar and the fast-shifting transmission coupled with the superb suspension and chassis are on board, making it one of the most exciting 2022 luxury cars. Coming in 3 trim configurations, with a base MSRP of $41,250, the 2022 BMW 3-Series is in the same ballpark as the rivals of the segment in terms of price.
The unmatched ride quality is what made it a favorite amongst the rivals like the Lexus IS300, Audi A4, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Along with that, the interior is quite luxurious and feels very modern and sophisticated. The top-notch safety is retained too, with the inclusion of all the driver-assistance features coming in with the optional packages. The 330e trim offers excellent fuel efficiency, and the coveted M340i has explosive power under the hood as well. Here are 10 things you need to know before getting the 2022 BMW 3-Series.
10 The Base 2-Liter Engine Is Smooth And Powerful
The 2-liter DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder turbocharged motor of the outgoing 2021 model is carried forward to the 2022 BMW 3-Series. This is one of the most powerful motors of the segment and is capable of producing 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Apart from that, the M340i moniker gets the legendary 3-liter inline-6 motor and the 330e variant comes with a PHEV motor.
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The base 2-liter motor that comes with the 330i is more than enough for an enjoyable driving experience. The motor feels very punchy throughout the rev range and the turbo lag is well masked. Even though the motor doesn't pull the driver to the seat with its firepower, it does make the car effortless to drive, both in the cities and the highways.
9 Fast Shifting Automatic Transmission
All the three engines come mated to the 8-speed Sport Automatic transmission. This is a torque converter automatic transmission and gets multiple driving modes and sequential shift control with a paddle shifter. The transmission is what makes 3-Series a perfect package for driving enthusiasts and is a notch above the Genesis G70.
When the car is dialed to the Sport Mode, the 2022 BMW 3-Series has lighting fast shifts. Press the gas pedal hard at any speed and the transmission shifts effortlessly and smoothly. None of those head bogging is present in the 3-Series, which is quite common in the Alfa Romeo Giulias' 8-speed automatic transmission.
8 Superb Handling
Being a moniker from BMW, the superb handling is to be expected, and the 2022 BMW 3-Series doesn't manage to disappoint. With no mechanical changes to this 2022 iteration, the same fast turn-ins and the excellent line holding character that the 3-series has been known for come unchanged to this moniker.
The 2022 3-Series gets strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension with coil springs on all four corners. Front and rear anti-roll bars are on board too. As a result, the car has very minimal understeer. The oversteer at the limits could also be easily controlled with the help of counter steering. If you opt for the AWD version, it is more focused and grippy too.
7 One Of The Best Driving Sedans In The Segment
The ride quality of the BMW 3-Series is excellent. Coming with an independent front and rear suspension which is a bit on the firmer side, the 2022 BMW 3-Series glides over the broken roads with ease, irrespective of the speed. On the highways, the car has no vertical movement to report, and the ride remains composed, making it a great cruiser.
Even though the suspension is a bit firm, it doesn't affect the ride quality at slow city speeds. The car could easily handle minor patches and undulations on the road without throwing any tantrums. Even the bigger potholes are filtered perfectly and only rarely pose problems to the passengers at slow speeds.
6 Spacious Interior
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In comparison to the rivals of the segment, the 2022 BMW 3-Series turned out to be quite spacious. Being a 5-seater compact luxury sedan, the 2022 3-Series has reasonably good headroom and shoulder room for the front passengers, surpassing the 2022 Lexus IS300 and the 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The seats are wide and offer excellent support too.
When it comes to the rear seat, the leather upholstery does feel very plush and upmarket, and that makes the traveling experience even better. In terms of space, similar to the front seats, the rear seat comes out with superb space for the segment. It had best-in-class headroom and shoulder room, making it a preferred choice for the ones who care about the rear seat experience.
5 Great Road Presence
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The seventh generation of the BMW 3-Series came out in 2018 and the design has only seen minor updates. Even then, this is one of the most elegant and classy-looking compact luxury sedans your money could buy. The Satin aluminum line exterior trim, 18" V-spoke bi-color orbit gray alloy wheels, and the eight exterior colors add to the beauty of this sedan.
The front end looks very imposing due to the LED headlights with LED DRLs, cool-looking kidney grilles with the optional glow surround lights and the best-in-class width of 71.9". The chrome window lines, sharp character lines, and the blacked-out B and C-pillars look cool too. All of these make the 2022 BMW 3-Series stand out from the rivals quite well.
4 Interior Comes With All The Necessary Features
The 2022 BMW 3-Series is not the newest offering of the lot, since it came to the United States in 2018. Even then, BMW has managed to shove in all the important features and tech to the cabin, making it a superb option for those who are out on the road munching miles. The interior features like heated and powered seats, ambient lighting, leather upholstery, sport seats, and many more are standard.
Many more convenient features such as electronic tilt and telescopic steering column, leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control system, BMW Teleservices, front and rear armrests, etc. are standard too. Ten different interior color and trim options are offered as well, all of which look stunning on the 3-Series.
3 Infotainment Is Very Intuitive
The 8.8" touchscreen iDrive infotainment system that is found in the 2022 BMW X1 is offered with the 2022 BMW 3-Series. Even though it doesn't look or feel as impressive as the Genesis G70 or the Audi A4, it is pretty decent. The interface is intuitive and can also be controlled with the help of the knobs and voice commands, instead of solely relying on the touchscreen.
The screen is bright and the viewing angles are spot on too. All the features like navigation, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM radio, Bluetooth, and many more come standard too. However, Android Auto is missed out. If you want an even better infotainment system, we would recommend you to opt for the Live Cockpit Pro Package, and this offers a massive 10.3" touchscreen infotainment system.
2 Comes With Many Safety Features
Safety hasn't been skimped on by BMW, and that makes this compact luxury sedan a compelling option in 2022. All the regular features like ABS with EBD, traction control, stability control, airbags, side-impact beams, backup camera, etc come as standard. The car is built very well and feels quite heavy and safe when on the road.
Apart from that, the driver-assistance features like forward-collision warning, automated emergency braking, etc are retained. If you want more driver-assistance features, BMW offers all of them through the optional packages. This helped the 2022 BMW 3-Series to come out with an overall crash safety rating of 5-stars in the NHTSA crash test.
1 Braking Performance Is Stellar
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The 2022 BMW 3-Series gets 12.3" front rotors and 11.8" rear rotors, both of which are slightly lower than the rivals like the Lexus IS300 and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. However, even with a lower rotor size, the 2022 3-Series posted the best in class 60-0 mph braking distance of 103 feet.
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This sedan comes with all the relevant braking features like ABS with EBD, brake assist, hill hold control, automated emergency braking, and electronic parking brakes. When it comes to the braking performance, we found the 3-Series to have a sharp initial bite and an excellent progression. With the inclusion of ventilated rotors, the brake fade is minimal, too.