BMW 330e plug-in hybrid delivers affordable luxury and fuel economy

Published 8:00 am Wednesday, May 24, 2023

The 2023 BMW 330e xDrive is the German automaker’s entry in the plug-in hybrid sedan category. That’s a comparatively small field, especially among premium luxury brands like BMW. The 330e competes with the Volvo S60 Recharge sedan and the Audi Q5 PHEV wagon, but what you get with this BMW is everything you liked about the BMW 3-Series generally, plus 23 miles of all-electric range.

The 330e is based on the standard 3-Series platform. It’s a four-door premium luxury sedan that offers comfort, performance, and style at a mid-level price. The base price of the 330e is right around the average transaction price for a new vehicle in America today. That’s great news because what you’re getting with the 330e is well above average.

The magic of the 330e is in the driveline. In addition to the standard 2.0-liter BMW TwinPower turbocharged gas engine, the plug-in hybrid drive gives you 23 miles of all-electric range, if you want it. That’s enough for most people in the Portland metro area to get to and from work each day without using a drop of gas. When you get home, you can plug in the 330e and be fully charged before you leave for work the next morning. Work out how much you spend on gas each month, and then subtract your commute. Chances are, you can save a lot of money with a car like this.

But the 330e is also a sports car. At the push of a console button, you can switch from EV mode to standard hybrid or sport mode. The official rating is 288 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, which is 33 hp more than you get with the base 330i. Paired with the 8-speed automatic transmission and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system, there’s plenty of power. The 330e xDrive does the 0-60 sprint in 5.6 seconds and has a top speed governed to 130 mph.

As a luxury sedan, the 330e has state-of-the-art safety and driver assistance features. Standard equipment for the 3 Series includes a head-up display, parking distance control, and the usual basic safety, and the advanced driving assistance, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-departure controls come in the $700 Driving Assistance Package. The infotainment touchscreen is a wide 14.9 inches and high definition, so it’s everything you would expect in a luxury vehicle. The system is easy enough to use with BMW’s iDrive 8 operating system. There’s standard navigation, satellite radio, wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 5G data plan with Wi-Fi hot spot.

On the road, the 330e offers the best of the BMW experience. There’s plenty of engine power and the ability to choose when you want to use your electric charge. The system defaults to a basic hybrid mode, but you can select electric driving if you like.

The charging port is a basic 240-Volt Level 2, which is not as quick as a DC fast charger, but there’s less competition for the older Level 2 spots at charging stations now. Plus, the 12-kWh battery in the BMW will charge up quickly at the Level 2 rate, so it’s perfect for home charging stations.

The rest of the ownership experience is pure BMW. The 330e offers tight handling and responsive steering and the smooth, firm ride you expect from a European sport sedan.

The 330e starts at $44,900 for the rear-drive version, or $46,900 for the all-wheel drive xDrive model. BMW offers one major upgrade, and that’s the M Sport package for $2,250. That gets you 19-inch wheels and sport seats, which you really don’t need. Then there’s a long list of option packages that allow you to configure the 330e to your exact specifications. Our test vehicle ended up with a bottom-line price of $57,140, but you wouldn’t give up much to keep your 330e in the $40,000 range, even with xDrive.

The bottom line on the 2023 BMW 330e is that if you’re looking to dip a toe into electrification without giving up anything at all in the way of style and performance, this car is a great choice.

Base price: $46,900

Price as tested: $57,140

Type: Compact sport sedan

Engine: 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with hybrid (288 hp, 258 lbs-ft)

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

EPA estimated mileage: 68 MPGe/23 mpg combined

Overall length: 185.9 inches

Curb weight: 4,180 pounds

Final assembly: San Luis Potosi, Mexico