2025 BMW 3 Series Review

Since its debut in 1975, the BMW 3 Series has been the gold standard when it comes to small, upscale sedans.

Granted, in recent years BMW has pushed the needle more toward the luxury side of the equation as the 3 Series has evolved to favour technology and plush digs over pure driver involvement. Enthusiasts whined, claiming BMW had turned its back on the very stuff that made the 3 Series a benchmark of the genre.

The refreshed 2025 BMW 3 Series gets the sort of upgrades you’d expect; some styling tweaks and updated tech. But there’s also a suspension retune that’s aimed at sharpening this sedan’s handling.

Styling: 7/10

If you want a sport sedan that flies under the radar, the conservatively styled 3 Series fills the bill. Yes, it’s handsome; and yes, the optional M Sport package adds a tad more zing. But when finished in the new-for-2025 Arctic Race Blue Metallic paint and riding on 19-inch Frozen Midnight Grey alloy wheels, my tester essentially blended unnoticed into the dreary grey landscape.

BMW could have slapped its contentious buck-tooth kidney grille on this car, but it’s probably good it didn’t, because while the 3 Series would certainly be more noticeable, it wouldn’t play to the more reserved sedan buyers among us. But I will go on record as saying I kinda like that oversize grille on the M3 and 4 Series. [We’re worried about you, Peter. Seriously.–Ed.]

Hop inside, and it’s a different story. This tester’s cabin, trimmed in Cognac-coloured perforated faux-leather with optional Ash Grey Blue open-pored wood trim, grabs the eye and lures you in with posh ambience. It’s bright, airy, and built to a high standard. Meanwhile, among the interior tweaks for 2025 is a new steering wheel design.

Power: 9/10

The automotive world is rife with turbocharged 2.0L engines, and this particular four-cylinder is one of the best. Smooth, linear, and blessed with a sonorous soundtrack (some of which is piped in through the audio system), the 2.0L feels like it’s packing more than the advertised 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque in base 330i trim. It’s got punch and personality, and BMW claims this all-wheel-drive example shoots to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds.

A 48-volt mild-hybrid system uses an integrated starter-generator unit that adds “torque fill” for smoothing out shifts and a slight boost when accelerating off the line. BMW has managed to make this engine feel and sound premium. Its robust midrange gives the 330i a relaxed gait on the highway, too. Torque is routed through the excellent ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission.

Fuel Economy: 9/10

Here’s the icing on the cake: BMW’s sweet and punchy turbo four-cylinder is remarkably fuel efficient. My wintry week of tooling around the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) came in at an indicated average of 7.7 L/100 km, slightly less than its official combined rating of 8.0. On an extended highway run, and with eco mode activated, fuel consumption dipped to 6.7 L/100 km. Premium fuel is required.

Driving Feel: 8/10

From behind the wheel, the 2025 330i feels every inch the BMW sport sedan, with the extra spice in this tester coming from the optional M Sport package that adds variable sport steering and sport suspension, along with some aesthetic tweaks. Calling up the sport+ drive mode sharpens the transmission mapping, throttle response, and steering feel, and on a winding back road the 3 Series gets quite playful, showing quick reflexes and an appetite for the apexes.

For 2025, BMW made some tweaks to the chassis for improved handling. I would wish for more steering feel, and response to paddle shifter inputs could be quicker, but overall this base trim is a highly satisfying and surprisingly potent sport sedan. 

Comfort: 7/10

This tester’s agility comes at a bit of a cost, as the firm sport suspension never really settles down, especially when traversing the beat up roads of the GTA. It’s a refined firmness, however, and it’s one devoid of noise or jarring impacts. For the average buyer who isn’t interested in B-road antics, the standard suspension setup will be more civilized. There’s also a further upgraded adaptive suspension that gives a wider bandwidth between comfort and sport.  

However, the M sport seats with their adjustable side bolsters are superb, providing a magical blend of long-distance comfort and sporty support. The thick-rimmed steering wheel feels good in the hands, and the three-level seat heat is nicely calibrated with the low setting giving a warm glow. Heat for the steering wheel is standard, but rear-seat heat (and ventilation up front) is optional.

Practicality: 7/10

Back-seat legroom is a bit tight if the occupants up front are tall and don’t scoot their seats forward. However, the rear seats are nicely contoured for two people, and there’s ample headroom. The 3 Series has a capacious 480-L trunk that betters the Mercedes-Benz C-Class by 25 L. The big opening is accessed by a powered lid, and inside there’s netting to keep small items from rolling around. The folding 40/20/40 split rear bench serves up several loading configurations, too.

Up front, there’s a large covered cubby between the seats and a decently sized glove box. During my time with this sedan, I couldn’t help but think how fabulous a wagon version would be, blending the 330i’s luxury and performance with ultimate practicality. Move to Europe and you can get one.

User-Friendliness: 8/10

BMW is one of the few automakers to still recognize the benefits of tactile, analogue controls. Granted, all climate controls have migrated to the infotainment screen, but the centre console has buttons for drive modes and camera views, and the twist/press/nudge iDrive controller is surrounded by shortcut buttons to call up media, navigation, phone functionality, and more.

There’s a learning curve that comes with it, but one that can have the driver accessing most functions without stabbing away at the touchscreen while on the move. Additionally, the voice control functionality is on the ball, responding quickly and accurately to most requests. Redundant controls on the steering wheel also provide access to most functions.

A personal user account enables drivers to have stored profiles (via key and PIN). Hence all settings — seat, air conditioning, entertainment, etc. — are called up with the profile.

Features: 8/10

The 12.3-inch digital instrument display and 14.9-inch central display are housed within a sweeping panel that sits atop the dashboard. BMW’s unusual tachometer and speedometer displays aren’t particularly easy to read at a quick glance; it would be nice if there was a traditional round dial that could be called up.

Even so, the graphics for the updated iDrive 8.5 infotainment interface are crisp, while integrated navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and satellite radio and a Wi-Fi hotspot, both of which require paid subscriptions, are included. This tester was also fitted with a Premium package that added extras like surround-view cameras, a self-parking system, head-up display with augmented reality navigation, and a premium stereo, among others.

Safety: 8/10

Standard safety kit for the 2025 330i includes forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, rear collision prevention, lane departure warning, front and rear parking sensors, and traffic sign recognition. The Advanced Driver Assistance package adds adaptive cruise control and steering assist that offers a degree of semi-autonomous function in stop-and-go traffic.

Value: 7/10

With a starting price of $56,900, the 2025 BMW 330i isn’t cheap. But spend any time with this accomplished sedan and you’ll soon realize that it looks and drives expensive. With a few packages and options this tester’s ask swelled to $64,550, yet it felt worth every penny. It’s also worth noting this four-cylinder delivers a level of performance that won’t have you slapping your forehead with regret over skipping the six-cylinder-powered M340i.

The Verdict

When it comes to small premium sedans, the BMW 3 Series has consistently been at the head of the class. And while it might not lord over its competitors like it once did, this tidy sedan still retains that intrinsic front engine/rear-drive bias that’s oh-so BMW-specific. Yes, much of the 3 Series’s directness has been muted over recent years, yet get this 2025 330i on your favourite back road, call up sport+, and this sedan leaps to attention in a way that few of its rivals can.