• Petrol engines only now
• Wider range previously available
• Strong performance whatever you choose

Petrol engines

The BMW 3 Series is currently only available with two petrol engines in the 320i and M340i. Both are turbocharged and come with an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The 320i is rear-wheel-drive and the M340i has xDrive all-wheel-drive.

Let’s look at the detail a bit more closely. The 320i has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine and a horsepower rating of 184hp, with 300Nm of torque. That translates to a 0-62mph time of 7.4 seconds and a top speed of 146mph.

The M340i has a 3.0-litre, six-cylinder engine that develops 374hp and 500Nm of torque, enough for a 0-62mph time of 4.4 seconds and a 155mph top speed. The current version has a mild-hybrid system that boosts efficiency but not power. The M340i can be brilliant fun and it’s a fabulous cruiser, but we think the 320i is the more realistic proposition in the real world. Not least because it’s significantly cheaper.

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There have been other versions of the 2.0-litre engine available in this generation of 3 Series: the 155hp 318i and 258hp 330i. They’re worth keeping an eye for if you’re shopping for a used 3 Series, particularly the latter which is pretty quick and rather amusing to drive. Note also that the 320i was once available with xDrive. You can find the full details in our specs pages.

Diesel engines

You can no longer get a diesel engine in a brand-new 3 Series so, if you want one, you’ll have to buy used. And there are a lot of them to choose from, with either a 2.0-litre four-cylinder, or 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine.

There are two versions of the 2.0-litre engine. The 318d produces 150hp and 320Nm of torque, and gets from 0-62mph in around eight seconds. The 190hp, 400Nm 320d is arguably the sweet spot in the whole 3 Series range, delivering a great balance between performance (0-62mph in seven seconds) and efficiency.

The 3.0-litre engine is available in three states of tune. The 330d has 265hp and 580Nm of torque, or 286hp and 650Nm with a mild-hybrid system attached. Either way, the 330d is a properly fast car that can still achieve over 50mpg on a long run.

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Top of the tree is the M340d with its whopping 340hp and towering 700Nm of torque. A 0-62mph time of under five seconds is seriously quick for a diesel, yet 40mpg-plus is easily done. We think it’s one of the best high-performance cars in the real world.

All these engines come with an eight-speed automatic gearbox; some are available with xDrive all-wheel-drive and some gained a mild-hybrid system in later life. You can find the full details in our specs pages.

What’s it like to drive?

• A truly fantastic car to drive
• Feels light and agile yet remains comfortable
• Settings can be configured via drive modes

The 3 Series has long been recognised as the best car to drive among the compact premium saloons. Rivals such as the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Jaguar XE put up a good fight, but we think the BMW remains the best option if you want performance, engagement and comfort in one, fully-rounded package.

It glides along motorways effortlessly and feels very agile and responsive – as valuable in town as on a country road. Body roll is almost completely absent, it’s composed over crests and through dips, and that means it feels completely safe and stable. Even if you’re not a keen driver, you’ll find it’s an easy car to make rapid progress in. If you are an enthusiast, you’ll revel in the car’s sense of balance and the feedback you get through the seat and steering wheel. It’s enormously satisfying whatever your attitude.

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You can tweak the driving experience by selecting the Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport or Adaptive drive modes (the latter is only available with adaptive suspension). They alter the responsiveness of the throttle and gearbox, as well as the weight of the steering.

The ride is generally very smooth, but the bigger wheels and stiffer suspension fitted to the M Sport and M340i models can cause lumps and holes to crash through the car. Adding adaptive suspension solves the problem.