The 2023 BMW M340i Is a Hybrid Sport Sedan That Feels Like an M3 - Jalopnik

Like the sedan conception itself, athletics sedans are a dying breed. There’s conscionable a tiny fistful of due mid-size, rear-wheel thrust and fun-to-drive sedans near connected the U.S. market. Thankfully, BMW isn’t giving up connected the conception it beauteous overmuch invented. The segment person 3-Series has been updated for 2023 with styling and features that should support its faithful buyers from straying to the acheronian broadside of SUVs. I conscionable got backmost from BMW’s yearly Test Fest successful Southern California, wherever the marque gathers cars and journalists for a catch-up connected each the caller models. Here’s what you tin expect from the 2023 3-Series.

2023 BMW 3-Series: Classic, Efficient, oregon M3-lite

For 2023, the 3-Series lineup consists of 3 powertrain choices for the U.S. market. We commencement with what BMW calls its halfway model, the 330i. Power comes from a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four with 255 horsepower (because remember, BMW’s numeric exemplary names don’t mean thing anymore). That motor gets paired lone with an eight-speed automatic — you can’t get a stick-shift successful a basal 3-series today. The 330i is the classical prime for those that conscionable privation a no-frills 3-Series sedan.

For those who privation a spot of efficiency, you tin take the 330e plug-in hybrid. A 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four with 181 hp gets paired with a 107-hp electrical centrifugal for 288 full hp. There’s besides a 12-kWh artillery battalion that’ll let the 330e to thrust arsenic acold arsenic 22 miles connected electrical scope alone.

The apical of the 3 Series scope is what I deliberation of arsenic “the M3 lite,” the M340i. It a 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six with 382 hp. The large quality for 2023 is the summation of a 48-volt mild hybrid strategy connected the M340i, integrated straight into the eight-speed automatic transmission (again, the lone transmission available). While it offers immoderate ratio betterment and makes for a smoother motor stop/start system, BMW says the main intent of the hybrid strategy present is to boost passing powerfulness and off-the-line acceleration.

Another plus: xDrive all-wheel thrust is disposable with each powertrain successful the 3-Series.

2023 BMW M340i: No Seriously, It’s an M3 Lite

BMW tossed maine the keys to a 2023 M340i and told maine to person amusive for a fewer hours of driving successful and astir the San Bernardino National Forest. I wanted to spot however the summation of the mild hybrid strategy affects this show sedan’s handling.

The archetypal happening you announcement is however quiescent the 2023 M340i is nether mean driving. Pulling retired of the edifice and stopping astatine a fewer lights, the hybrid setup seamlessly engages the start/stop system. I usually person a cosmopolitan hatred for these types of systems arsenic they’re often annoying and unsmooth erstwhile they engage. But I person to say, the M340i had 1 of the smoothest stop-start systems I’ve ever encountered. I ne'er really tried to deactivate it, which is simply a archetypal for me.

Once I got to the upland pass, I pressed the athletics mode fastener to liven things up. I’m present to archer you, the M340i is excellent. Some recent BMW decisions whitethorn seem to indicate that the marque has forgotten what the Ultimate Driving Machine means, but the 2023 M340i dispels that fear. The chassis, and the mode the car responds to inputs, are genuinely excellent. I understood everything that was going connected from the feedback done the steering wheel. I was assured capable to instrumentality curves 15-20 mph faster than I would person and not wonderment if the beforehand extremity would lavation retired without warning.

The mild hybrid strategy acts astir similar a 2nd turbocharger that’s ever connected boost. Passing slow-moving vehicles connected two-lane roads is hilariously easy. And the exhaust enactment is glorious. BMW’s straight-six has ever had a large voice, but I wasn’t expecting it to popular and burble connected deceleration. That’s a amusive touch, particularly connected a hybrid, and it decidedly turns heads. The show level is truthful high, a fewer years agone this could person been an M3.

2023 BMW 3-Series: New Styling and Features

The 3-Series gets immoderate styling and tech updates for 2023. The 330i and 330e get sporty caller bumpers beforehand and rear, with glossy achromatic aerial intakes up of the beforehand wheels; the headlights and DRLs are slimmer with a much chiseled look.

The 2023 330i and 330e are disposable with the M Sport quality package. You get M-specific beforehand and rear aprons, 19-inch alloy wheels and a honeycomb signifier connected the beforehand grille. It’s not conscionable each show, either — the M Sport bundle brings adaptive suspension and athletics steering.

You’ll truly beryllium capable to archer the 2023 M340i isolated from the remainder of the lineup, acknowledgment to its much assertive styling each around, from a mesh plan connected the kidney grilles to M-specific exhaust outlets and 18-inch (or optional 19-inch) M split-spoke wheels.

The interior gets a redesign too. As with truthful galore caller vehicles, the 3-Series ditches its abstracted instrumentality clump and infotainment show and replaces them with 1 ample curved sheet lodging 2 screens. BMW has updated the 3-Series infotainment strategy with the latest iDrive 8 operating system, moving connected a 14.9-inch display, on with a 12.3-inch surface down the steering wheel. Slimmer aerial vents and a tiny, toggle-like cogwheel selector assistance to marque the interior sleeker and much minimalist.

The 2023 BMW 3-Series is connected merchantability now. The base-spec 330i starts astatine $43,295; the 330e adds $1,000. You person to wage to play erstwhile it comes to the M340i, which starts astatine $55,845. Tack connected $2,000 to adhd xDrive all-wheel thrust to immoderate trim. All the prices listed present see BMW’s $995 destination fee.

It’s large to spot BMW keeping the athletics sedan live with the 3-Series. With the coming EV revolution here’s hoping a aboriginal all-electric 3-Series tin proceed that effort. Until then, the 2023 3-Series does a large occupation of surviving up to the fable of the brand.