The BMW 3 Series, for all intents and purposes, lies at the core of the BMW brand - at least in terms of passenger cars. And it has done so for almost half a century already. As such, are we surprised they love it so much that it gets two facelifts instead of one?
The seventh generation of the BMW 3 Series range was introduced at the 2018 Paris Motor Show, is based on the Cluster Architecture (CLAR) platform and has been in production since the fall of that year, starting with the 2019 model year with a range consisting of the G20 sedan, G21 station wagon, G28 long-wheelbase sedan, and the G28 BEV or i3 for China.
The classic BMW LCI – Life Cycle Impulse is what the Bavarians call a mid-cycle refresh – has already occurred in 2022 when the model got updated front and rear bumpers, fresh headlights, a slightly modified grille, and an interior dominated by the new dual curved display packing iDrive with BMW Operating System 8, while the eight-speed auto became standard across the range with a new gear selector.
Those could be considered important upgrades, of course, but it seems BMW deemed them insufficient. Luckily, the new facelift is subtle and doesn't fall into any design trap like bringing the 3 Series in the split-headlight or big-grille club. Instead, there are new styling details for both the exterior and interior, two new (regular) colors, Arctic Race Blue metallic and Vegas Red metallic, plus two new BMW Individual shades: Frozen Pure Grey metallic and Frozen Portimao Blue metallic.
Models with the M Sport package (optional on 330i models, standard on M340i) get new 9-inch M alloy wheels, and the latest BMW Individual 19-inch alloy wheels in Y-spoke design (Style 1038i) with a dual-tone design are optional across the board. Inside, the BMW Curved Display now features the latest iDrive 8.5 with QuickSelect, and the engineers have worked out some further chassis tuning to improve the balance of comfort and capability.
The global launch for the updated 3 Series is set for later during the summer season in July, and production for the US-specification models will start in August at the BMW Group Plant in San Luis Potosi in Mexico. Speaking of America, the range consists of the 2025 BMW 330i and M340i, with or without xDrive, and pricing kicks off at $45,500 or $47,500 and $59,600 or $61,600, respectively.
Most importantly, both engines now feature 48V mild hybrid technology. The 2025 BMW 330i comes with the 2.0-liter B48 inline-four featuring revisions and enhancements – it produces 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, which is enough to sprint to 60 mph (96 kph) in 5.6 or 5.4 seconds (RWD or xDrive).
Meanwhile, the M340i gets the new B58B30M2 three-liter inline-six with the 48V starter generator, adding an extra 11 hp of boost for a maximum system output of 386 hp and 398 lb-ft. Top speed is limited to 155 mph (250 kph), but the sprint to 60 mph is more exhilarating with the M Sport exhaust system and lasts just 4.4 or 4.1 seconds with AWD.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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