2022 BMW 3 Series

The 320i comes standard with the following features:

• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 10.25-inch touch screen infotainment system
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• DAB+ digital radio
• Satellite navigation
• Head-up display
• Automatic LED headlights with LED daytime running lights
• Automatic high-beam
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Keyless entry and start
• Front and rear parking sensors with a reversing camera
• Heated and folding exterior mirrors
• Wireless phone charging
• Vernasca leather upholstery (Luxury Line) or Alcantara/Sensatec upholstery (M Sport)
• Wood trim
• 10-speaker sound system
• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Intelligent Personal Assistant
• Connected Package Professional

The 320i Sport removes active cornering lights, automatic high-beam and the 10-speaker sound system and adds:

• Solid black paint
• Six-speaker sound system
• Sport seats
• Partial leather upholstery
• Ambient lighting
• Semi-autonomous parking assist

The 330e Sport adds:

• Head-up display

The 330i and 330e add:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• Semi-autonomous parking assist
• Vernasca leather upholstery
• Adaptive cruise control with stop/go*
• Surround-view camera
• Front cross-traffic alert
• Lane-keep assist
• BMW Digital Key
• Keyless entry

Stepping up to the M340i xDrive Pure adds on to the former:

• Unique 19-inch alloy wheels
• Electronically controlled limited-slip differential
• xDrive all-wheel drive system
• Alcantara/Sensatec upholstery

The top of the range M340i xDrive additionally includes:

• Laser headlights
• Vernasca leather upholstery
• Heated front seats
• Panoramic sunroof
• 16-speaker harman/kardon sound system
• Ambient interior lighting
• Leather upholstery
• Power boot lid

The BMW 3 Series is available in the following exterior paint colours:

• Alpine White
• Black
• Black Sapphire metallic
• Melbourne Red metallic
• Glacer Silver metallic (wagon only)
• Mineral White metallic
• Mineral Grey metallic
• Sunset Orange metallic (sedan only)
• Phytonic Blue metallic
• M Portimao Blue metallic
• Blue Ridge Mountain metallic (wagon only)
• Dravit Grey premium metallic (wagon only)
• Tanzanite Blue premium metallic (wagon only)
• Oxide Grey premium metallic (wagon only)
• Brilliant White special premium metallic (wagon only)
• Frozen Dark Grey special premium metallic (wagon only)

Metallic paint costs an additional $2000, premium metallic paints costs $3850, and special premium metallic paints cost $6500.

BMW offer two servicing packages of either three years/40,000km or five years/80,000km, priced at $1450 and $1750 respectively.

The 3 Series is expected to walk a tricky tightrope. Not only does it need to be well-mannered on the daily commute, it needs to handle with classic rear-wheel drive balance and poise

Although it can’t quite match the smaller, less practical Jaguar XE and Alfa Romeo Giulia for outright sporting talent, it strikes a near perfect balance between usability and handling.

There’s no real need to flick into Sport, because body control is excellent in the more relaxed drive mode. Regardless of mode the 3 Series has a keen front end and classic rear-wheel drive balance, and the more powerful engine in the 330i makes it feel a bit more lively than the 320i.

BMW has backed the balanced rear-drive chassis with a peach of an engine. It’s not a lusty inline six, but the turbo four-pot is buttery smooth and has peak torque on tap between 1550 and 4400rpm, so it pulls strongly in essentially any gear.

There’s fun to be had hanging onto gears as well, revving out happily to redline. It doesn’t really zing through the upper reaches of the rev counter, but it never runs out of puff either.

The eight-speed ZF automatic is unobtrusive at a cruise, shuffling smartly through the gears. Squeeze the accelerator hard and it kicks down quickly, thrusting the engine into its torque band, and you can take charge with the paddles if you’re in the mood.

It’s a shame BMW isn’t fitting its full suite of active driver assists as standard at the moment, though.

The Drivers Assistant Package available on the 320i adds:

• Front cross-traffic alert
• Lane-keeping assist
• Semi-autonomous parking assist
• Adaptive cruise control with stop & go
• Surround-view camera

The Visibility Package available across all 320i, 330i and 330e models adds:

• Sunroof
• Laser headlights
• Ambient lighting

The Comfort Package available on the 320i, 330i, 330e and M340i xDrive models adds:

• Heated steering wheel
• Keyless entry (320i only)
• BMW digital key (320i only)
• Powered tailgate (320i, 330i and 330e only)
• Driver lumbar adjustment (320i, 330i and 330e only)
• Heated front seats (320i, 330i and 330e only)
• Heated front and rear seats (M340i xDrive only)

The M Sport Plus Package available on the 320i, 330i, 330e and M340i xDrive adds:

• 19-inch M alloy wheels
• Black side mirror caps
• Tinted headlights
• High-gloss black exterior elements
• M seat belts
• M Sport brakes (320i only)
• Adaptive M suspension (320i only)
• M rear spoiler (320i, 330i and 330e only)
• M Sport differential (330i only)
• Upgraded drivetrain cooling and larger-diameter front brake disc (M340i xDrive only)

The Executive Package available on the 320i, 330i, 330e and M340i xDrive adds:

• Remote engine start (unavailable on 330e)
• Alarm system
• Acoustic glazing
• Sun protection glazing
• Harman Kardon sound system (320i, 330i and 330e)
• Tyre pressure monitor (330i, 330e and M340i xDrive only)
• Dash cam (330i, 330e and M340i xDrive only)

The BMW 3 Series range is covered by a three-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty with three years of roadside assist.

For the most part, stock of the BMW 3 Series seems to be okay according to BMW's stock locator.

BMW has been temporarily removing a number of different features from the 3 Series so it can produce and ship the cars quicker.

"We are working closely with our dealer partners to provide alternative solutions for our customers to minimise wait time," said a BMW Australia spokesperson.

"This process is supported by the high degree of customisation of our vehicles."

The BMW 3 Series competes in the medium luxury car segment and goes head-to-head with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4, Alfa Romeo Giulia, and Genesis G70.

It also competes with highly-specced Mazda 6 and Hyundai Sonata models.

In 2021, BMW sold a total of 3982 3 Series models.

As the top-selling model in its medium luxury car segment, it outsold the likes of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2832 sales), Audi A4 (781 sales), and the Alfa Romeo Giulia (323 sales).

BMW might not be defined by the 3 Series anymore, but it’s arguably the best car the brand makes in 2022.

Not only is the 3 Series still right up there as a class-leader, the 330i is the sweet spot in the range. It offers a brilliant blend of practicality, performance, and everyday comfort, wrapped in a design that hits all the right notes.

It’s not perfect, though. The chip crunch has hit BMW hard, and the fact the 330i doesn’t currently come with adaptive cruise control as standard (and that some owners have missed out on touchscreens) undermines its credentials as a premium sedan.

We’d recommend searching (or waiting) for a car with a full equipment list. Not only will it make the car better day-to-day, it should pay off come trade-in time.

The G20-generation BMW 3 Series has a new interpretation of the Hoffmeister Kink, which is a design cue that features a small cutout in the window near the C-pillar. It has historically signified BMW's rear-wheel drive models.