Should you buy one?

If you want a medium-sized plug-in hybrid family car, and it’s in budget, then this is the best you can buy right now. And as such, we can heartily recommend the 330e in either Saloon or Touring form – with the latter’s additional practicality being a major selling point for us.

The closest plug-in rival is the Mercedes-Benz C-Class PHEV that still beats the uprated 330e for electric range at 71 miles. But that’s the only area the C-Class excels, the 330e is a better choice.

The biggest rival to the 330e is probably a regular 3 Series and working out whether the plug-in hybrid system really works for you. It loses a tiny step in the handling department and the boot size takes a substantial knock, but the tax incentives and extra fuel economy can’t be ignored.

The 330e is a well thought-out and even enjoyable tool, with tenacious handling and incisive steering. But it does rather lack the genuinely emotional experience a really outstanding BMW can deliver.

What we like

Almost everything we like about the standard 3 Series holds true here. Its sharp handling, roll-free cornering and incisive steering are a cut above all of its rivals, while the interior and controls are an absolute joy to use. BMW’s plug-in hybrid is blessed with plentiful performance, a decent real-world electric range of around 63 miles and some other very clever tricks.

What we don’t like

It’s all relative, but do bear in mind that if you’re opting out of a pure petrol 3 Series, it’ll feel marginally less agile in your hands – but we’re talking fractions. However, it does also sound rather dull and bland, and and the ride quality is on the lumpy side in M Sport guise, even in Comfort mode. Newer PHEV rivals such as the C-Class also have longer EV ranges and therefore attract lower company car tax costs.

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