2026 BMW 3 Series

This model year is part of the seventh generation of the 3 Series. The car’s long life is a testament to its many and varied abilities. With the 3 Series, BMW virtually created the compact luxury sedan class. It has always been the car by which rivals are judged, and has evolved to this present state of excellence.

Because it debuted for the 2019 model year, the expectation was that an eighth-generation 3 Series would succeed the current model for 2026. Now that seems more likely to be 2027’s big news. In the meantime, the 3 Series continues to impress.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of compact luxury cars, including the BMW 3 Series.

Standard equipment expands to include a Digital Key, Speed Limit information, and Lane Keeping Assistant. Active Park Distance Control with Side Protection is now part of the Parking Assistance Package. Distance Control with Steering Assistant, Lane Change Assistant, and Partial Automated Driving join the Driving Assistance Professional Package.

We recommend the popular 330i, and buyers can choose whether they want all-wheel drive (AWD) or stick with the standard rear-wheel drive (RWD).

The main rival to the 3 Series is the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, priced similarly to its Munich counterpart. The Audi A5 is close as well. Buyers hoping to spend a little less will want to check out the Genesis G70.

Before buying an all-new 3 Series compact luxury sedan, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. Resale values are average for the class. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

The higher the horsepower, the greater the thrills, but even the 330i is enjoyable and engaging. It’s a popular choice among 3 Series buyers. With a more-than-respectable 255 horsepower simmering under its hood, the all-wheel-drive 330i xDrive will sprint from a standstill to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, making it one of the quickest cars in its class. The rear-drive version (without the traction of all-wheel drive) is only a couple of tenths behind.

We’ve also found that the 3 Series is comfortable (well, except for that little middle spot in the back, as ever), but the driver’s seat is the place to be in any variant. It’s where the otherwise smooth suspension starts to impart the sensations of poise and nimbleness, where the engine’s responses to throttle inputs come into clearer focus.

The suspension is sufficiently refined to provide comfort, yet retains all the composure and precision that are typical BMW traits. In Comfort mode, meanwhile, the steering is lighter, requiring less effort.

The high-performance M3 variant is reviewed separately.

Fuel Economy

The rear-wheel-drive 330i achieves 31 mpg in combined city/highway driving. The all-wheel-drive 330i xDrive runs to 29 mpg combined, beating the Mercedes-Benz C 300 4Matic by two mpg. An all-wheel-drive Genesis G70 returns 23 mpg combined.

The M340i manages 29 mpg combined. With xDrive in the picture, it’s no thirstier on the highway.

Material and build quality are at the usual top-notch BMW level. The impressive Curved Display is a standard feature in every 2026 3 Series. It’s a frameless glass-covered unit housing a 12.3-inch driver information screen and an expansive 14.9-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system, each with high-resolution graphics.

BMW puts a 2-spoke polygonal steering into the 330i and a 3-spoke flat-bottomed steering wheel into the M340i (also available in the 330i as part of the M Sport package). Both have controls for various functions as well as shifter paddles mounted beneath.

Although the 3 Series falls into the category of compact luxury sedan, each generation has been bigger than the one before. So the 3 Series is relatively spacious. Rear legroom is 35.2 inches, pretty much as good as anything in this class. Behind the 40/20/40-split folding rear seats, trunk space measures a generous 16.9 cubic feet.

BMW has kept the 3 Series a little more conservative than the closely related 4 Series. We think that’s probably a good call. All the lines and proportions seem to work well enough for us. White and black are the only no-extra-cost colors.

Engines
All the tech, ergonomics, suspension tuning, and quality materials wouldn’t mean as much if these elements weren’t backed up by engines that didn’t excite us. BMW’s expertise in this area is considerable, managing to balance power output with fuel efficiency.

Infotainment system
The standard infotainment system in the 3 Series includes BMW Maps, while the voice command feature can also obey spoken requests, such as opening (or closing) the sunroof. BMW has refined the operating system to reduce the number of actions needed to access and change a function. Augmented Reality is part of the navigation feature, with superimposed directional arrows for help with things like confusing intersections.

All-wheel drive
All-wheel drive is a popular option with 3 Series buyers. It helps apply the power to the road and provides confidence in tricky conditions.

Driving Assistance packages
Some rivals include blind-spot monitoring as standard, so we recommend spending extra on the Driving Assistance package to acquire that, plus lane departure warning and parking sensors. The pricier Driving Assistance Professional package adds adaptive cruise control and a partial self-driving function in traffic.

Parking Assistant
As well as steering the 3 Series into and out of parking spaces, this optional bundle also includes automatic reverse emergency braking and a 360-degree camera system.

Harman Kardon audio
This optional surround-sound system makes the whole 3 Series experience even more luxurious. We think this is a sensible upgrade over the standard setup.

The 330i has a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine making 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, enhanced by a 48-volt mild hybrid system to help produce peak power at a quicker rate, and smooth out the fuel-saving stop/restart function.

One of BMW’s famed inline-6 engines is in the M340i. It’s a 3.0-liter unit, turbocharged to produce 386 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque. It also has a mild hybrid system.

Both engines link to an 8-speed automatic transmission, with rear-wheel drive as the default configuration and all-wheel drive (xDrive) on the options list.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

BMW’s new-vehicle and powertrain warranties last four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. These terms are typical among European luxury car marques. Roadside assistance is included for that period, with unlimited mileage. Scheduled maintenance is free for three years or 36,000 miles, which isn’t typical.

Safety Ratings

The 3 Series hasn’t been fully tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), although it did take top scores in various impact scenarios. The car also earned a maximum of five stars overall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Standard driver aids are a little sparse, not much more than forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and automatic high beams.