When it came to totaling up sales, BMW's 3 Series was once the company's bread and butter. The sedan has long been replaced in that role by two SUVs, the X3 and X5, but it's still the brand's best-selling car and it’s one still highly prized by luxury and performance enthusiasts.
The current edition has existed largely unchanged for a few years, and so BMW is giving it a little fresh look for 2023 with changes that touch on the styling, both inside and out.
The changes are subtle but accentuate the sharpness of the styling. The grille has ends that are more defined, less rounded. The LED headlights have new visual signatures and the lower grille has a more squared-off look. At the rear, the rear bumper takes on angular lines similar to what was done at the front.
The standard 18-inch wheels get a new design and a new shade of grey (Skyscraper) is available across the lineup; other small colour adjustments are on the menu as well. Note that BMW is showing us here the European model. Our version and offering should be pretty much the same, but small variances are always possible. The same goes for the M Sport packages and their features, as well as their availability on certain versions.
Browse cars for sale available near you
Still keeping in mind the possible differences with our versions, we note that the M340i version gets some distinct styling traits with, for example, new 18-inch wheels (19-inch optional) and trapezoidal-shaped exhaust pipes, as well as a spoiler matching the body colour. The 2023 M340i will also be offered with the BMW Motorsport logo, as a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the M division.
On board, a new curved screen that combines the digital gauges of the instrument cluster (12.3 inches) and a 14.9-inch multimedia screen dominate the front-row space. According to BMW, the number of buttons and switches has been reduced thanks to the addition of touch and voice commands. The air vents and some accents have also been redesigned while the gear selector has been replaced by a smaller one.
Mechanically, no changes have been announced. The 330i will still be powered by a 255-hp, 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, while the 330e plug-in hybrid adds an electric motor for 288 hp and a range of about 35 km. The M340i, meanwhile, is again powered by a 3.0L turbocharged inline-6 with the addition of a 48-volt mild hybrid system, with output unchanged at 382 hp. The 8-speed automatic transmission and xDrive system are still in place.
The 2023 3-Series is expected to arrive in mid-summer. Pricing and details on our Canadian versions will come before or by then.
