Most enthusiasts have been quite vocal in regards to BMW’s direction over the last several years. Whether it’s over their styling direction or losing their “touch” when it comes to driving dynamics, there seems to be much to complain about, but it’s not all doom and gloom. Case in point: the 2025 BMW 330i xDrive. Despite being the entry-level model in the 3 Series lineup, it remains the total package and reminds us that BMW hasn’t missed a step.
Following a more thorough refresh two years ago, the 3 Series heads into 2025 with another round of updates. Thankfully, BMW hasn’t cursed it with their controversial styling along the way. The 330i remains subtle, handsome, and nowhere near as offensive-looking as some of BMW’s other models, which is saying a lot considering they gave us the XM. Most of this year’s updates to the 3 Series are inside and underneath, but you do have some new colour and wheel option to choose from—our tester’s Arctic Race Blue Metallic paint being one of them.
Inside, the 330i receives minor but meaningful updates without changing too much. Step inside and you’ll feel right at-home; it’s still a very usable and hospitable space. Unlike Mercedes-Benz’s noticeable decline in quality and ergonomics, the 330i is less complicated, more user-friendly, and build quality feels solid and remains a step ahead of much more expensive Benzes. The updates for 2025 include a tweaked dash layout, a new steering wheel, and while the screen layout remains the same, the 3 Series now runs BMW’s latest iDrive 8.5 infotainment.
In 2023, BMW moved to a two-screens-under-one-curved-panel layout, and that arrangement carries into 2025. Both displays are bright and sharp even in direct sunlight, and almost everything you could possibly want—built-in navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and on-board WiFi—are standard. You can control the infotainment via the touchscreen or the rotary knob if you prefer a fingerprint-free screen.
My only complaint is that the 3 Series loses its physical switchgear for climate controls. You now have to dig through the screen to adjust certain settings that used to be one button-hit away, but at least the important functions—temperature adjustment, heated and cooled seats, and the heated steering wheel—stay on-screen all the time. Beyond that, there’s little else to complain about inside the 3 Series. My six-foot-three frame comfortably fits, there’s a good amount of bolstering even with the base seats, and its 480-litre trunk is the biggest in the segment.
Even with “only” 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque from its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, I was taken aback by how powerful the 330i felt with this base engine. Unlike some of its competitors with four-cylinder engines, I never once thought the 330i felt underpowered or sounded strained. It’s well-matched to the smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission; with standard all-wheel-drive here in Canada, expect a zero-to-100 km/h run in an impressive 5.6 seconds, though U.S. buyers have the option for rear-wheel-drive.
This being the base 3 Series, it’s not overly complicated. Features like rear-wheel steering or adaptive this-and-that have their place, but not having these options allows the chassis to be the real star of the show. Some might consider ride quality to be on the stiff side, but the 330i is hardly jarring and handles itself better than anything else in the segment. This is a true driver’s car pretending to be a four-door family sedan.
Also among the updates for 2025 is the addition of a 48-volt mild hybrid assist, among other tweaks to the engine and exhaust. It doesn’t necessarily result in more power, but fuel economy ratings are improved, now coming in at 8.9 L/100 kilometres in the city, 6.9 highway, and 8.0 combined. The best we could manage was 9.2 L/100 km in the real world—a way’s off from the official estimates, but still rather impressive considering the –20 degree Celsius cold snap we encountered.
Pricing for the 2025 330i starts at $56,900. Our tester included the Premium and M Sport packages for $4,000 and $2,000, respectively, as well as $900 for the aforementioned, new-for-2025 shade of blue paint, $250 for open-pore wood trim, and another $500 for 19-inch wheels—though our tester wore separate winter tires with downsized wheels. All told, you’re looking at $64,550 as-tested. It wasn’t long ago that you could score a brand-new 3 Series for under $50,000, but those days are long gone.
Many competitors have tried to dethrone the 3 Series as the sport-sedan benchmark over the years, but BMW remains at the top of its game here. The 2025 BMW 330i xDrive, with its combination of performance, handling, technology, and design make it an easy recommendation to anyone looking to step into the world of sport sedans.
