TEST DRIVE: 2023 BMW M340i: The Best Just Got Better For the past few years, the 3 Series has remained among the last bastions of normalcy in BMW design, If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The proverb has been part of BMW's product life cycle philosophy for decades. Most of BMW's facelifted models received slight design upgrades, with occasional exceptions to the rule. One such exception is the 2023 BMW BMW M340i Facelift. The restyled M-lite 3 Series was introduced in May 2022 and is now in the hands of customers. But before the market launch, we flew to Germany to test drive the car and its glorious B58 engine.
Small but significant improvements to the exterior
For the past several years, the 3 Series has remained among the last bastions of normalcy in BMW design. While many of BMW's cars featured large grilles and complex shapes, the G20 BMW 3 Series remained a simple, sporty, and attractive car. But how do you improve an already beloved design? Keeping it simple, at least on the outside. The kidney-shaped grille remains the same size, but the outer edges are thicker, giving the car a shark nose. The headlights are slightly slimmer and retain their general shape but with new graphics that now resemble a 5 Series more than ever. The option for laser lights is gone, but the adaptive LEDs have blue or black stripes on the inside while retaining a bit of the unique look of the lasers.
Beneath the new grille and headlights, larger air intakes replace the older, smaller ones. This is probably the biggest area for improvement. The shapes are also simpler and cleaner, while the honeycomb air intake makes the M340i look sportier. Additionally, the gap between the kidney grille and the top edge of the front bumper has been reduced in size to emphasize the shark nose. At the rear, the M340i's taillights remain the same, but the rear bumper and diffuser are different. What's even more interesting is that most of the new M Performance models have quad tailpipes, but the new BMW M340i doesn't. Instead, he sticks with the standard trapezoidal exhaust, which is more traditional. The tailpipes inside are also larger than on the previous model, ranging from 90 to 100mm.
Now, if you add the M Sport Pro package, the 2023 BMW M340i gets black trim, black chrome exhaust tips, M Sport brakes with red calipers, a rear trunk spoiler, and even blue accents inside the adaptive headlamps. To bring the M-lite even closer to the M3, a carbon fiber roof is also offered.
Significant changes inside the cabin
While the exterior changes are slight, the cabin upgrades are not. Gone is the iDrive 7 and its smaller LCD screens, and now there's a big curved screen powered by iDrive 8. For the most part, the 3 Series Facelift has the same interior as the BMW i4. But unlike the i4, the 2023 3 Series ditches the beefy old stick shifter for the iX's toggle switch. A subtle update to the interior is one that does make a significant difference and it's the dash trim piece that is now taller, more sculpted, and more premium looking than on the pre-facelift.
So, in my opinion, BMW managed to strike a great balance between updating the interior to its latest standards and taking a rather conservative design approach to the exterior. It's a design facelift that should please many BMW customers, while there will still be pundits complaining about the lack of physical AC buttons or the overwhelmingly large screen.
With 16 million units sold since its debut in 1975 (1.1 million for the current generation), the 3 Series is arguably the brand's most important product. The main markets are China (more than 50% thanks to the long wheelbase), Germany (10%), and the United States (7%). Of course, the sedan takes the largest share of the world (80%), while Germany's preference for 3 Series passenger cars is overwhelming: 85%.
Impulse power
It's also no secret that the BMW M340i Sedan is one of the most popular 3 Series offerings. And certainly one of our favorite BMWs. We've praised the M340i in all of our previous reviews, citing the glorious B58 engine and M-badge-worthy driving experience. So can BMW improve an already great product? It turns out that even a small change in the motor is enough to move the needle.
The 2023 BMW M340i now features mild hybrid technology that provides a temporary 11-horsepower boost. The 3.0-liter inline-six unit still makes 374 horsepower (382 hp in the United States) and 500 Newton-meters (369 pound-feet) of torque. As for performance, the sedan accelerates from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.1 seconds while it has an electronic limit of 155 mph (250 km/h). But does the 48-volt mild hybrid have a real impact on the driving experience?
Today's driving route starts north of Munich and will take me through the Bavarian back roads before arriving at the birthplace of the X1 in Regensburg. Curvy roads will allow me to test the rear bias of the xDrive system, as well as suspension settings on different pavements. Unfortunately, the weather is not on my side so slippery surfaces are something to consider. As always, I started in the most comfortable driving mode to experience the daily driving scenarios.
Adaptive suspension M
Comfort is one of the drive modes available for the M340i with M adaptive suspension and electronically controlled dampers. The others are ECO, Sport Individual, Sport, Sport Plus and Adaptive. The latter uses data from the car's sensors and GPS data to predict steering and suspension settings in different driving situations. Sport modes can be further customized by adjusting throttle response, steering input, suspension settings, and shift characteristics.
In Comfort, the 2023 BMW M340i offers slightly dynamic driving on straight roads, such as the German autobahn. Steering input is also on the soft side, while throttle mapping is toned down. As with most modern BMWs, Comfort mode accommodates a normal daily driving routine. On the other hand, once I switched to the Adaptive setting, the M340i is much more level on the road and maintains a smooth ride.
Naturally, the Adaptive mode will adjust the car's handling characteristics in corners, but it won't be a 1-on-1 match to the more aggressive sport modes. In the end, Adaptive mode is one of those things that you just have to set and forget it.
But I didn't fly all the way to Germany to walk down the street. My goal is to find out if the 2023 M340i is still one of the funniest BMWs around today. A quick switch to Sport Plus mode and the M340i Facelift is showing its true colors: a stiffer suspension, tighter steering, aggressive throttle, and a more aggressive transmission. Variable steering is now sharper in the center, with fewer dead spots and higher precision. In the BMW M340i, the tooth spacing on the steering rack changes more gradually. As I turn the wheel and pinion turns on the rack, the spacing of the teeth changes as I turn past a certain point. Therefore, the steering ratio becomes faster.
When it comes to cornering, I immediately sense a sharper response from the car compared to Comfort mode. The suspension is also firmer and, in combination with the rear limited-slip differential and xDrive system, allows for easy corner entry and exit. Body roll is almost non-existent and the M340i stays poised on its feet. As soon as I turned the DSC off, the rear end became even more perky, but not recommended on slippery surfaces.
While still in Sport mode, it's hard not to notice the precise gear changes, thanks to the ZF 8-speed transmission. Steering is direct and connected to the asphalt, and the M340i xDrive feels quite grippy, thanks to Michelin PS4S tires. Of course, these tires work even better on dry surfaces.
The 11 additional horsepower from the second-generation 48-volt mild hybrid system may not be immediately noticeable, but in tough passing situations, it makes all the difference. It also helps reduce fuel consumption and that much-hated turbo latency. On top of that, the 48V generator allows the car to shut down the engine more quietly and start it faster than before, further improving start-stop functionality. When the vehicle is slowing down smoothly, the combustion engine can be switched off so that it can be replaced by the electric generator itself.
M Sprint function and M sports exhaust
There is also an M Sprint function that combines several settings in one. If you overtake and need full power quickly, you pull back on the left gear stick for a second, then the car drops to the lowest possible gear and the sprint function kicks in.
The M Sport exhaust with flap control is also standard on the BMW M340i models, but unfortunately, the European variants still have the Otto Particulate Filter (OPF). So the sound lacks the excitement of the US B58-powered models. Of course, you get the active sound inside the car so the ads are accentuated and provide decent sound for most customers.
The M Sport steering wheel is the same as always: beefy and covered in high-quality leather. The M Sport seats are also magnificent, thanks to their lateral support, which hugs your body during energetic journeys. The iDrive 8 and the curved screen are hit or miss. While I absolutely enjoy the more premium look of the large LCD screens, powered by a highly customizable infotainment system, I miss the physical buttons on the dash. Accessing basic functions, such as adjusting the air conditioning system, is cumbersome and requires extra concentration on the part of the driver. I can see why some customers are not sold on the idea of removing the physical buttons from the layout. There's a trade-off: a quick swipe from the top of the screen will reveal a series of digital buttons.
The new gear stick gives the center console a cleaner look, but that comes at a cost: the inability to "manually" shift your own gears. And that's why all BMW 3 Series models come standard with paddle shifters behind the wheel. For now, I'm happy that the iDrive controller stayed in place.
As always, BMW does a great job with its braking system. The front brake discs measure 348 mm / 13.7 inches with four-piston fixed calipers, while the rear brake discs measure 345 mm / 13.6 inches in diameter with single-piston floating calipers. In all driving situations, the M braking system provided great performance and an intuitive feel.
Should I buy one?
These minor shortcomings aside, the 2023 BMW M340i remains one of the best products the Bavarians have to offer today. It's such a perfect recipe that it remains to be seen if BMW can improve on it again with a new generation. And to my satisfaction, it is one of the few products in the segment that offers a rear-wheel drive variant. If you get your hands on the rear-wheel drive or xDrive M340i, you won't be disappointed. It is a premium car with sporty genes and a good design.
The 2023 BMW M340i has an MSRP of $56,850 plus destination and handling.
2023 BMW M340i xDrive
Well
- B58 six-cylinder engine
- Good design
- indoor premium
Bad
- No physical AC buttons
- Non-manual transmission
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