2017 BMW 3 Series review – Roadshow

Aug 2016

The Good With its plug-in hybrid drivetrain, the 2017 BMW 330e achieves far better fuel economy than a standard 3-series. The navigation system communicates with the drive system to improve efficiency. Balanced weight makes for good handling.

The Bad The 330e only goes 14 miles under electric power, less than other plug-in hybrids, and the air conditioning does not feel very effective.

The Bottom Line The 2017 BMW 330e gives a taste of electric driving, with its associated efficiency, in a competent sport sedan, but its multiple combinations of drive modes will really appeal to number nerds.

Range at 14 miles. That’s what the 2017 BMW 330e’s display says after I leave it on the charger overnight. Combine that zero emission driving with the 330e’s gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain, and you’ve got an EPA-rated 72 miles per gallon equivalent.

The 330e is a very economical BMW.

Then I switch the Driving Dynamics Control to Sport, and also pop the shifter into its Sport position, and suddenly the 330e feels like a BMW. The throttle becomes a sensitive instrument from which to dole out power and the car hangs its tail out in the turns.

It’s no M3, but the 330e holds up its sport sedan heritage.

While cruising down coastal Highway 1, approaching a hill, I feel the 330e’s eight-speed automatic transmission downshift, making a smooth transition on the grade. The navigation system told the transmission about the upcoming hill, so it could prepare with a lower gear.

This communication between navigation and transmission shows the 330e’s smarts.

The 330e only gets 14 miles of electric range, but that can take a chunk out of fuel use for the daily commute.

Wayne Cunningham/Roadshow

Consider the 330e a Jekyll-and-Hyde car, with a little Einstein thrown in. It looks like a typical BMW 3-series, a compact rear-wheel-drive sedan in a premium segment. But amid classic BMW design cues such as the kidney grille and Hofmeister kink, it sports a standard electric vehicle charging port on the left-front fender and e-Drive badges on the C-pillars.

An 87-horsepower electric motor complements a turbocharged two-liter engine, which by itself makes 180 horsepower and 215 pound-feet of torque. The total output from both sources comes to 248 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. A 7.6 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack stores electricity from the grid and regenerative braking, giving the 330e its modest amount of pure electric range.

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Like other plug-in hybrids I’ve driven, the 330e operates as a fully electric car while its battery level holds up. The electric motor may be low on horsepower, but its 184 pound-feet of torque makes it quick enough for cruising along with traffic. When I floor it, however, the engine kicks in to maximize acceleration. And if I were to get above 75 mph the engine would also fire up to assist the electric drive.

With the 330e’s Driving Dynamics Control, that rocker switch you see in all BMW models these days, set to Eco Pro, I enjoy the quiet of the ride and the easy drivability. However, the climate control struggles against external temperatures of 80 degrees, and the occasional pothole or bump in the road jars the suspension uncomfortably, probably exacerbated by the low-profile run-flat tires.

BMW’s tendency to complicate its driving modes shows up in the 330e with the addition of an eDrive button to the Driving Dynamics Control modes.

BMW’s tendency to complicate its driving modes shows up in the 330e with the addition of an eDrive button to the Driving Dynamics Control modes. eDrive lets me toggle through three modes, which range from saving electric range for later use to maximizing electric drive. I mostly just leave it in automatic, where it decides when best to use the motor and engine.

The most remarkable thing about the 330e is how the navigation system and transmission communicate. I previously saw this technology on the Rolls-Royce Wraith, where it increases ride comfort, but the 330e uses terrain information more extensively to get the most out of its plug-in hybrid drive system.