When it comes to fun to drive luxury sedans, the BMW 3 series has topped the list consistently over the years. Its smaller footprint compared to the 5 series and competent powertrains have made it the choice of enthusiasts. With the current G20 3 Series being in the market for a while, BMW has given it a midlife refresh. Thankfully, the 3 Series facelift has been spared from BMW’s latest grilles which are only growing day by day! Let’s take a look at what’s new in the 3 Series facelift:
Design
The front fascia of the 3 Series sees subtle changes giving it a cleaner look. The kink in the LED headlights is done away with and the LED DRLs are now in the shape of an inverted L. The kidney grille is wider now and like before, they open up when needed for additional cooling of the engine. The corner vents used for cooling the brakes are now L-shaped as well. The side remains more or less the same except for some new designs for the alloy wheels.
The rear gets a similar theme of L shapes. The taillights retain their overall shape but they are now slimmer. The reflectors are now vertically placed in L-shaped black housings which merge into the diffusor. As always, there will be an M-sport pack that will add aggressive bits such as blacked-out elements and a sportier design for the alloy wheels. Expect the 3 Series Gran Limousine to carry the same design changes as well.
Interior
The interiors see a major change in terms of technology and the overall layout of the dashboard. The dashboard now gets a huge glass panel that houses two massive curved displays. The driver gets a 12.3-inch for driving-related information whereas the 14.9-inch touchscreen in the middle is used for all the functions.
The A/C vents are now slimmer to accommodate the screen and some of the climate control buttons have been repositioned below the vents. One interesting change in the center console is that the traditional gear selector has been replaced by a toggle lever. The equipment list remains more or less the same, however, the iDrive now runs on the latest OS 8 enabling features like wireless smartphone mirroring, enhanced voice commands, and 5G connectivity.
Powertrain
The powertrain will be carried over from the pre-facelift 3 Series. These include the 330i with its 2-liter turbo-four petrol motor that dishes out 255hp. The diesel engine now comes paired to a 48V mild-hybrid system. There’s also the 369hp M340i with a four-wheel-drive drivetrain which was touted as the ‘fastest car made in India’ in the pre-facelift avatar.
