This is the new and improved BMW 3 Series - and there’s good news if you’re a company car driver.
The facelift applies to both 3 Series Saloon and 3 Series Touring estate models, with subtle tweaks having been made to the exterior and interior.
The headline news is that diesel engines are going the way of the dodo and will be jettisoned when production begins in July this year. If you want a diesel-powered 3 Series, you’d be wise to act now and lease one while you still can.
Instead BMW is focusing on petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains, with the ‘330e’ PHEV variants being handed a bigger battery which boosts the electric-only range to 63 miles. That’s up significantly from the outgoing car’s 38-mile max and that extended range should help to lower benefit in kind (BIK) tax costs for company car lease customers.
Besides the plug-in hybrids, you’ll also find 48V mild hybrid tech on certain models which ‘sharpens power delivery and enhances efficiency’, says BMW.
Meanwhile the range-topping, all-wheel drive ‘M340i xDrive’ variants continue to offer potent performance, coming with power of 374 hp and the ability to accelerate from 0-62 mph in just 4.4 seconds (with the Saloon).
When it comes to how the facelifted BMW 3 Series looks, the changes are minor. You’re looking at new exterior paint finishes and alloy wheel choices, as well as updated steering wheels and instrument panels in the cabin. There are also sporty new seat coverings, depending on which trim level you choose or which option box you tick.
Standard equipment across the BMW 3 Series Saloon and BMW 3 Series Touring includes 17-inch alloys, parking sensors at the front and rear, three-zone climate control, and BMW’s ‘Live Cockpit Plus’ digital display integrated into the BMW Curved Display.
The Touring model gets an automatic tailgate as standard, as well as a 40:20:40 split for the rear seats to aid luggage loading.
Power outputs begin at 184 hp for the ‘320i’ petrol engine, which is enough to propel the Saloon from 0-62 mph in 7.4 seconds.
The plug-in hybrid - complete with its new 19.5 kWh battery - is no slouch either, coming with power of 292 hp and 420 Nm of torque and which will see it reaching 62 mph from a standstill in 6.0 seconds flat.
A new charging unit for the PHEV supports three-phase AC charges at up to 11 kW - a BMW plug-in hybrid first - and which means you can replenish the battery in 2 hours and 15 minutes.
BMW says the new 3 Series should handle better than ever, too. Changes involve a stiffer mounting connecting the rear dampers to the body, with a ‘notable increase in comfort across all driving situations regardless of the road surface conditions and the selected driving mode’ and ‘without any loss of the customary 3 Series dynamic prowess’, BMW tells us.
The M Sport suspension is included as standard on M Sport models, with the Adaptive M suspension with electronically controlled dampers and variable sport steering available as an option.
There’s a full suite of safety tech fitted as standard, including front collision warning with brake intervention and intelligent speed assist. Plump for a 3 Series with the ‘Technology’ package and you’ll also be treated to active cruise control, automatic speed limit assist, traffic light recognition, an evasion assistant, and crossroads warning with city braking function.
The standard Parking Assistant also features automated manoeuvring into and out of parking spaces. Punch a button, take your hands off the wheel, and let the Beemer’s brains do the rest.
With the BMW M340i xDrive Saloon and BMW M340i xDrive Touring, M Sport suspension with variable sport steering, an M Sport differential and M Sport brakes are all included as standard ‘to deliver the blend of dynamic longitudinal and lateral performance, precision and exhilaration at the wheel for which M models are renowned’, says BMW.
Prices begin at £39,045 for the 3 Series Saloon and £40,845 for the 3 Series Touring, with UK customer deliveries beginning later this summer.
As ever, the BMW 3 Series will lock horns with longstanding foe the Audi A4, as well as rivals like the Skoda Superb, Jaguar XE and Alfa Romeo Giulia.
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