In-depth reviews

BMW 3 Series owner reviews

"Brilliant BMW 3 Series is the pacesetter for executive saloon handling and performance"

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3 Jul 2024

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Carbuyer Rating

4.4 out of 5

Owners Rating

3.4 out of 5

Reviews

Owner Reviews

5 out of 5
4 out of 5
3 out of 5
2 out of 5
1 out of 5

80%of people would recommend this car to a friend

Common Problems

Other (2 cases)
Electrics, Other (1 case)
Electrics, Engine (1 case)

Review 1 of 5

Tell us what you think about your car?

As the G20 330e is new I’ve only had mine (a company car, given tax benefits) for 2 weeks. In summary, this is an AWESOME package. Over 1200 miles I’ve averaged 88 MPG, around 1/3rd has been on electric power. This is based on a mix short local journeys (<30 miles) and several 200+ mile motorway journeys per week with the ability to charge frequently (at home/hotel/office/customer site). I don’t follow the stereotypical BMW driver and just potter along in the inside lane and generally have the car in Eco Pro mode. However I’ve had plenty of fast cars and every now and then like a bit of fun. Mine is a 330e M Sport (with Plus pack) in Sunset Orange and Mocha leather. It also has the Driver Assistant Pro (great on motorway journeys, very relaxing), Harman Kardon audio (well worth having if you like your music, once run in a bit it sounds fantastic, although I don’t rate the surround sound mode much), extended storage and oak open pour wood trim. The car is quite happy keeping up with traffic and will stay in electric mode unless you have a heavy foot, even up to 60 mph. As an example on a 170 mile journey from Wiltshire to Manchester I got 47 miles in electric mode with an average of 68MPG. This was 95% motorway just doing 60-65 and a couple of XtraBoost moments to overtake diggers on an A road section. On my normal 92 mile (return trip) commute I averaged 176MPG (fully charged at home and at the office). In contrast my 2016 Mondeo diesel 210BHP would have done about 55 under the same conditions, maybe 60 at a real push. This route being 75% motorway, 20% 60MPH A-roads and 5% 30 mph local roads. Realistically if you’re just doing an electric only journey you’ll get <30 miles out of it but over a longer journey regen braking and coasting all add up. Driving-wise I’ve only tried a 320d M Sport (which I found far too firm) but mine handles really well, it’s very very refined, quiet and with the adaptive suspension the ride is very good, even on 19” wheels with run flat tyres. Sport mode stiffens things up a bit but its still not uncomfortable. If you want some performance then put it into XtraBoost Sport mode (or just floor it hard) and the car absolutely flies. It is seriously quick. 0-60 is under 6 seconds but it’s probably more noticeable for things like 30-70 acceleration because the power kicks in instantly. The fact that on one hand it can do 80+ MPG and yet on the other hand leave your average hot hatch in the dust, is quite an achievement. Assuming you like the rest of the 3-series package (which is very contemporary and well thought out. Easy to use but lots of great connected tech) the only compromise you have to live with is the small boot. We’ve had to get a roof box for family trips away. So what I like about it the best is that it dispels the media myth that PHEV’s are only beneficial for short local journeys. You do need to be able to charge it frequently to get the high MPG but I reckon it still does 45-50MPG on the motorway in petrol only mode at 60 MPH which is something unheard of a few years back from a petrol engine. If you can get this car on a company scheme the BIK tax is only 12% from 2020, for me that’s about £170/month vs. £3-400 for an equivalent diesel/petrol. And all local journeys can be made without polluting your town. And driving quietly in electric does just feel very cool! Definitely recommended, I love mine. Well done BMW engineers, well done.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

We purchased this car new in Melbourne Australia. After a month or so the front left tyre triggered a low pressure. We changed the tyre although the dealer could not locate any puncture. This low pressure warning has persisted and a follow up check with our service mechanic identified a porosity cavity in the alloy wheel which was allowing the air to escape slowly. We contacted BMW Australia describing the problem which in our view was faulty manufacture. BMW Australia replied as the car was out of warranty it was no longer their problem even though the issue was clearly a problem with the casting of the alloy rim. Such a response from BMW Australia does not provide much confidence in lining up to buy another when we do decide to change the car. It has only travelled just over 90K kms and is fine as a second car run about.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Bought this car after a fantastic F30 ownership experience. The car has the tech pack and comfort pack. The good points: the engine and gearbox are simply silky smooth and super responsive. It’s much sharper and quicker than the F30 yet also more efficient. 430 miles per tank vs 500 miles per tank. Steering is pin sharp and not too heavy. The feeling of quality is vastly improved over the previous model. Everything feels more damped and robust. The car is super smart. When it works, the connected drive offers some very useful features and pre-preps for the car. Transferring a destination remotely, being able to track and remotely lock the car is also much more useful than I expected. The HK audio offers an improvement over the base system and the boot space is impressive. The park assist is actually pretty decent. Bad points The steering is devoid of feeling. Reminds me of the VW Golf GTD mk7. The only mechanical dynamic that I find disappointing. It’s too technical. You can tell the software is overburdened trying to manage all those safety features and online options. There are too many adjustable settings of ways to access a particular menu. Some of the safety features are intrusive. The in car ventilation is really, really weak. On its maximum settings it is hardly blowing any air out - going for a warranty check for this. The drivers side folding mirror failed after 48 hours then the self dimming film warped and burst the chemical solution inside - another thing to be sorted under warranty. The live cockpit instrument panel is busier that a bishops hat. It’s a shame because there is an awesome mechanical car underneath spoilt by the overly complicated software managing all the systems.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

After 2 years, my F30 has become my pride and joy. However, its not without its issues. The car is very satisfying to drive, its fast and it looks great, it handles well too! The problems ive experienced are mostly electrical, and engine related. In 2 years of ownership, ive spent over £3000 keeping the car on the road. Not good for a 7 year old car. First the ECU had to be replaced, as the old one literally melted itself. Then all 4 coil packs had to be replaced, then both the headlights, and then the dashboard computer had to be reprogrammed. This was after it broke down inexplicably on the way to work one morning. So much for german reliability... The running costs are high too, maintenance bills, parts & labour, tax & insurance, its all so much more expensive with this BMW than any other car i've ever owned. All-in-all its a good car, just like any other 3 Series really but a little more powerful. If you are prepared for high maintenance and high running costs. I will keep it until i'm done paying for it, but I wont be buying another one, that's for sure.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Have had my car for 7 weeks now and 2,500 miles, averaging 80MPG. It is properly brilliant, I love it. I've had a home charge point fitted and can charge at my office (92 mile round trip) and get 180-200 MPG on my commute, driven pretty gently. I usually get 30-35 miles of electric before it's flat. On longer drives I've still got better economy than I'd have got from my previous car (2016 Ford Mondeo 210 BHP diesel hatch) On a 170 mile trip to Manchester I got 67 MPG with 47 miles on electric power, my Mondeo would probably have got 55 driven in a similar manner (gently!) It provides a wonderful blend of economy but is SERIOUSLY quick if you want it to be (292BHP in XtraBoost mode). Unless you drive like an idiot you won't hit the grip limits. Apart from the reduced boot space (which will still take two very large suitcases and small suitcase) I've seen no downsides, aside from a few gremlins in the iDrive system. Mine is a 330e M Sport (with M Sport Plus pack) so has the larger 19" wheels and blacked out trim along with the adaptive suspension. It looks great but still quite subtle (even though I've gone for Sunset Orange). Ride quality is great and the car is quiet at speed. The Driver Assistant Pro works very very well, makes long journeys much more relaxing and the Harmon Kardon stereo is a great upgrade, it sounds super. The rest of the car has all the benefits of a normal 3 series although there are a few additional capabilities like the ability to pre-heat/pre-cool the car which is nice in the morning and will be good for the winter. If you're a company car drive the BIK tax is only 12% from April 2020 so tax liability is well under half of a 320d/320i/330i. If you can manage with the small boot it's a no brainer. We ended up getting roof bars and a box for holidays/weekends away.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up