2025 BMW 330i First Test: More Fun, Less Thirst

Several of the enhancements to the 2025 BMW 3 Series lineup are clearly intended to throw a bone to enthusiasts yearning for the days when even the entry-level versions of BMW’s compact luxury sport sedan were considered driver’s cars. Among them: updates to the M Sport package, mild chassis adjustments across every variant, and the addition of a 48-volt mild hybrid system for both engine choices. The 2025 3 Series has also been freshened up exterior and interior wise, new wheel and paint choices have been added, and the latest iDrive 8.5 infotainment software loaded up.

For now, the 3 Series presently sits fourth in the compact luxury sedan category of our MotorTrend Ultimate Car Rankings. Will the changes for 2025 improve the 3’s rankings? To help us find out, we recently tested an entry-level, 2025 330i sedan.

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Decent Giddy-Up, No M Needed

When it came to putting the spurs to the 330i, our quickest starts came with Sport mode engaged and stability control turned off. We got our snappiest times with pedal overlap until between 2,200 and 2,500 rpm. The rear 255/35R19 Bridgestone Turanza T005s broke traction for a moment before the car gripped and took off.

It’s mostly a five-second club in this sliver of the segment (that is, luxury compact sedan base models). At 5.3 seconds to 60 mph and 13.9 seconds through the quarter mile, this 330i is swifter than a 2019 M Sport–equipped model we tested shortly after the present-generation G20 3 Series rolled out, but only just, with the older model taking 0.1 second longer to hit both 60 mph and the quarter. 

That’s not especially surprising given the two cars were powered by the same turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four with 255 horsepower and weighed virtually the same (the older 330i registered a single pound more on our scales). By comparison, one of its competitive set, a slightly heavier (by roughly 100 pounds) 2024 Genesis G70 RWD with a larger, more powerful 2.5-liter turbo four making 300 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque, took 5.7 seconds to reach 60 mph in our testing.  

This is no M car, so its launches are a lot more composed and less urgent. Power delivery is buttery-smooth, regardless of drive mode, though at least one team member thought its overall output wasn’t enough for any 3 Series, base or no. That said, most owners will likely be satisfied by the 330i’s chops, thanks in part to its well-tuned eight-speed automatic transmission that can deliver the type of snappy shifts and gear holding you’d expect from a sport-tuned sedan. There was rarely a time when we felt like we needed more power, but there were times when we wanted more. 

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Point and Scoot

Relative to its predecessor, the newer 330i’s minimal straight-line speed advantage disappeared in our handling tests. The 2019 sedan posted a 0.95g average in the lateral acceleration department, besting the 2025 model by 0.03 g, with the story roughly the same through our figure eight (25.2 seconds at 0.73 g (avg) versus 25.8 at 0.71 g). The older car even needed 5 fewer feet to come to a full stop from 60 mph, at 103 feet versus 108. (We’re largely chalking these differences up to the fact that the 2019 car was equipped with an optional Track Handling package.)

As for the Genesis, the 2024 G70 RWD managed a 0.90 g on the skidpad and 26.0 seconds at 0.70 g through the figure eight, so relatively close to the 2025 330i, although the G70 needed a full 13 more feet to stop from 60 mph.

If you’re in the market for a 330i, we’d recommend springing for the $2,550 M Sport package, which seems to make a difference. At any speed, the package’s variable sport steering dials up directness, and we were delighted by how precisely it aided overall cornering. As one of our editors put it:The input matches the output without feeling artificial.

The package also includes an M Sport suspension setup, and BMW says it made the rear damper mounts stiffer for 2025. Additionally, rear-drive 330 is also come with a staggered tire setup, with 225/40R19 Bridgestone Turanzas at the front to go with beefier 255-width rears.

All these elements conspire to deliver a sporty but balanced handling experience, with a neutral and communicative chassis. Even in Comfort mode, there's still some noticeable stiffness to the suspension, but it doesn’t feel as harsh as we’ve experienced previously. You feel this most when going over speed bumps and similar imperfections, where it better absorbs blows instead of smashing into them, with more controlled body motions. 

We had some gripes about the car’s brake pedal feeling somewhat mushy, which was surprising for a sport sedan. Despite that, the calipers clamped down hard on firm application, with good bite from the tires, and we quickly got used to the pedal’s action.

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More Efficient in the City

Like several other modern BMWs, the 330i’s turbo-four has been fitted with a 48-volt mild hybrid system for 2025. It would’ve been nice if the integration amounted to more grunt or better performance, but we’ll take the improved efficiency. 

The 2019 car we tested returned better highway fuel economy but worse city mileage, at 26/36 mpg city/highway. However, that’s only part of the story. By the time the 2024 330i came out, its EPA ratings had dipped to 25/34 mpg. This year’s 28/35/31 city/highway/combined numbers are effectively a rebound from last year’s 29 mpg combined after the generation started with 30 mpg combined. Not surprisingly, the mild hybrid system does its best work in the city, where it can more effectively get the car going under electric power in stop-and-go situations.

What Else Is Good

We’re fans of the 2025 330i’s space and packaging. The 3 Series boasts one of the biggest trunks in the class, and the rear seats fold, as well, making for some impressive cargo room (we moved a 64-inch-tall bookshelf this way). There’s even a passthrough for longer, skinnier cargo like skis. The sedan’s rear doors open wide, and the front seatbacks are molded to allow more room for the knees of rear passengers. 

Despite being a base model, the 330i still feels in many ways like a luxury car. The standard front sport seats are equipped with thigh support extenders, and the ambient lighting stretches to the rear doors. The back-seat area is decently equipped, with two USB-C ports, climate controls and vents, cupholders in the foldout center armrest, and rear bottle holders in doors. BMW also let us sample the 330i’s 16-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio ($875) in the car it sent over, as well as the Premium package ($2,450), which adds ahead-up display, heated steering wheel, power trunklid, and remote start.

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The Less Good 

You don’t get a lot of standard driver assist features with this 330i. Adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and automatic high beams are included. For an extra $700, our sedan was optioned with parking sensors, self-parking, and a 360-degree view camera, and for another $1,700, you can get BMW’s Active Driving Assistant Pro semi-autonomous driving system and traffic jam assist. All of it seemed to work as advertised.  

The interior styling is on the plain side, and despite the optional $1,500 black leather with blue stitching package, the cabin felt somewhat gloomy. The tiny sunroof adds to the bleakness—rear-seat passengers will be jealous of those in front. And as well-built as everything is, there’s a bit more textured plastic interior paneling than we’re used to seeing in a BMW, but most people will look past it. 

Skip the Base Model?

We think the 2025 330i is more than well-rounded enough for anyone looking to get into a quality, entry-level luxury sport sedan. For conquering the everyday, it delivers comfortable seating, a huge trunk, premium touches, and improved fuel economy. The base model’s performance isn't an embarrassment, either, and it’s pretty dang fun to drive.

That said, we wonder if the driving experience would be as exciting without the optional M Sport goods, and some interior materials and the lack of standard driver aids also remind us of its status at the bottom rung of the 3 Series ladder. Indeed, the features-per-dollar value might be the 2025 330i’s biggest hurdle to overcome. But in some ways, you’re paying for the brand and what it stands for, and for now at least, BMW continues to show it still knows how to build a quality 3 Series—regardless of where it stands in the overall pecking order.