I have a 2022 330e and my commute is 12 miles each way. I charge at home for $1 per full battery and at work for free. I can also do a 400 mile trip without ever needing to worry about my battery level. I have 7000 miles on the car and 4500 miles were EV only. It’s a great option for a situation like mine.

Charging $500 for heated front seats on a vehile with a $45k sticker price is not sensible, it's shameful. Especially when they come standard on a $26.2k Civic.

As always, an incredibly comprehensive, helpful review that puts each car in a proper context to its competition. The level of pertinent detail and stats you provide is so helpful for us car enthusiasts / buyers. And just a side shout out to you and your team. TY for the hard work putting these YT videos together for us... for free, I might add. Coming from the design / branding / marketing side, there's an incredible amount of pre- and post-production work that goes into these videos that we just don't see, and it's all very well done. Keep up the great work, now as ABG! (I will say, it's great to see the former "Alex on Autos" still in the titles-there's lots of brand equity there, hint, hint 😉.)

Absolutely loved this review!! Great preparation, concise comments and comparisons. I always appreciate content to be understandable, complete and coherent. Kudos!

I have a 2021 330e for 15 month now, it was a dealer demo. The versatility the electric system adds to the car was my reason to get a plugin hybrid. On hot days parked in the sun I can run the AC 5 or 10 minutes before starting a trip from my smart phone to cool the car down. In winter here in Canada I can warm the car without idling the engine for extended times. The transition from electric to gas is very smooth and the drive feels just like a regular BMW. The high torque acceleration off the line from the E Motor makes the car feel sporty and dynamic giving the driver confidents. On a 1000 kilometre road trip into the Mountains without charging I got 6.2 L/100KM what I found was impressive with the added weight. My regular trips to work and shopping with 75% electric drive gets me around 2 L/100KM. Great review from Alex like always, his last review of the 330e made me aware that the car existed.

Plug in hybrid is the way to go. We have a Grand Cherokee 4xe and Honda Clarity in family. We only use gas for road trips, barely use a drop in city. This 3 series looks so good, keep the large kidney grills for 4 series.

A great video with lots of useful info. Thank you

Maybe this is part of what Alex was saying, but my guess is that one of the things that is likely exacerbating the effect of the transmission hump intrusion into the cabin is that the related componentry is shifted rearward...by the fact that there is the electric motor sandwiched between transmission and the engine - effectively taking up more space longitudinally than the non-hybrid versions' transmission.

Drivers interested in Volvos are not the same drivers interested in BMWs. This insistence on comparing the BMW 330e to Volvo’s S60 felt a little out of place to me. The most sensible comparison should be either to Mercedes (300e) or Audi (A4 MHEV).

I have a 2022 330e and routinely get 70+ mpg. If you don’t have a long commute and plug it in every night you can get great efficiency. He’s right about the power, I had a BMW 335 that was really fun to drive and this is not that car. But for those whose commute isn’t too long and still want to take a road trip to the country without worrying about finding a charging station this is a great option.

Can you comment on Variable Sports Steering (VSS) option, would it make the Steering wheel less stiffer when driving/turning?

Very pretty garden there you've got at the end of the video!

I rented a 3 series on vacation a few years back and there was way more leg room even for me sitting in the back. Im 6'3" and was surprised by it. I think it was a 335 though anyone know what happened to them?.

not just gas with hybrid mode how long can I go? I undersand with only electric 22 miles so with hybrid how long? and also without electricity power with just gas what is MPG? city and mix? thanks

Volvo is passing along the $7500 EV credit for S60 Recharge leases, but that really only makes it close to a wash with the 330e when factoring in Volvo's far weaker residuals.

Hi Alex. Adding my usual comment: The hump in the trunk is the gas tank, not the battery. The HV battery goes under the car.

Now THAT intro works.

i did buy a 330e... pretty simple: try both, try turning, and if you value a joyful driving sometimes, you stick to the BMW (either 330i / e or even 340 if tending to be insane :D )

How different is the driving experience when compared to pre-LCI 330e

Alex, Why can't rear seat passengers 7:25 have leg AND head room? 🤨

Fanstastic indepth review!

Am I the only one very disappointed in that MPG? Not anti-hybrid at all but 28 seems really low for a 4 cylinder hybrid sedan, especially considering a Powerboost F150 which is huge and weighs a lot more gets low-mid 20s.

I like the 330e, but I drive pretty aggressively with about 80% highway driving and still average 34mpg with my 2020 330i. Probably can't go wrong with either.

The 340i is the one I’d get. Still decent gas mileage, but it has the best engine. I’d get the 330e over 330i for the carpool stickers, even though I drive mostly highway and won’t benefit from the electricity as much.

We picked the BMW 330e over the Volvo S60 Recharge. We liked the BMW ride quality much better than the Volvo.

The rear end has a lot going on, almost like a mix of parts from other cars. The exhaust tips are nice to have but they seem to look a bit out of place.

I always thought the new BMW grilles look like spider mandibles. Pretty cool.

Not much is talked about regarding the reduced trunk space. Wouldn't that be a dealbreaker for a lot of families?

How would would this compare against the Volvo S60 Recharge T8 Polestar Engineered version, price be damned? Would the Polestar handle similar to this or maybe a smidge better? Also you didn’t mention the sound systems, I understand that the Bowers & Wilkens system blows everyone else out of the water. That is a major consideration for me along with the quickness and extra electric range that you mention and I’m leaning towards the S60 but wonder if the Polestar Engineering adds enough oomph to rival BMW in handling.

You can get M sport package to get M front seats on 330e

I am very interested in the 330e. I'm just unsure whether I'll still be able to sell it in 5 or 6 years' time because the battery will no longer be fresh. That's why I'm wavering between the 330e and 330i. My driving profile is perfect for the hybrid, mostly short distances.

Alex, sir you should be a mentor of professional speaker. Your speaking skills is amazing.

I can personally vouche for the fact the 330e f20 will do more than what websites claim which is 130. I've done 130 in battery save mode several times and still had tons of floor space leftover. Speedometer says 160 and i'm almost certain it'll do that.

I too love the beaver

RIP, 11s in electric mode. I wish more cars were like the Clarity or Volt that behave almost identically in EV vs hybrid mode...

Cost to replace battery after 4 years? There are already lots of bmw 3 plugin hybrid report battery failures.

It would be interesting to know if you convert the kilowatt charging cost the battery charge to cost per gallon and, if it really does make sense charging the car. I did this analysis and it only works if you have lower charging costs overnight by your utility if you don’t gas is still cheaper in my area. If you do have lower overnight charging cost(in my area they call it time of use rates) then you’re paying a lot more to run run your home air-conditioning and other things during the day. No one really talks about this. They just think electricity is free and cheaper than gas.

I liked it until I saw the gosh-awful video game dash. Can they give an option to have a decent dashboard? It’s up there with Honda’s pushbutton shifter, cylinder deactivation, and non-defeat-able stop-start.

I only wish it actually jut recharged itself no plug in like the Ford Fusion hybrid they dont make anymore that got 500 miles a tank my 330E only gets about 350 a tank with charge full and charge drains after about 20 miles..

I'd get the S60 as well, but it's damn close. My wife loves her 530e. The 2 in comparison here are BOTH made in North America, so hopefully at some point their battery partners/supply chain will get worked out to the point where they'll qualify for at least half the tax credit.

I'd probably pick a 5 series due to the limited back seat legroom.

both cars have cons and pros. i say this having test driven both ( not current version, but 2 years ago ). either try both and see which one you like or just get the brand that appeals to you more. also you may get better deal on one or the other so shop around. i have crazy torque steer on my S60 Recharge because i don't have same tires on left and right in the front after busting a tire on a pothole, but the main grievance with my 2021 S60 Recharge is horrible infotainment. the new S60 has improved infotainment but i tend to believe that BMW probably still has a better one. really i don't think one is better than another - both are solid plug in hybrids. Volvo is a bit more on EV side while BMW a bit more on ICE side.

Nice review! I would skip it because it only has 21 miles of EV range. If I were to burn money on a BMW, I'd go with the M2 to get the true "Ultimate Driving Machine." Otherwise, what's the point?

The 330e uses the same engine as the 320i. Even though it's lugging along a 300kg battery in the boot, it still might be more efficient than a 330i even on an empty battery.

I'd get the 330e for better driving experience

I realy hope bmw brings back the i3 as an i2 or i1

I just leased the 2023 530e and so far am very impressed. The power delivery in all electric or hybrid is seamless and it produces acceleration in a very satisfying manner. It gets the same 21 miles in all-electric, but with the AWD it is reduced in most cases to 17 miles which for my driving needs is still fine, although I wish it did have a bigger battery. I really wanted an EV, but the i4’s beaver toothed grill just wasn’t to my taste.

Wait- its a hybrid but only gets 26 combined???

Those red blinking led in the gauge cluster is soo annoying

I'm glad I got the '21 330e with physical HVAC controls. You'd probably have to pull over and stop to go through 5 screens of menus just to turn on the A/C. Also it would be nice to see pricing in these reviews because they are always press cars that have all the options added. Start with base MSRP and then price as tested. I live in a very flat region with literally no curvy roads so having the M sport option makes no sense. I think it was almost 10k for that in '21. I opted for the Sunset Orange paint - the only one I've ever seen - and complete strangers openly compliment how good it looks.

Man, BMW missed an opportunity. They should have engineered the 330e to have 33 miles of EV-only range.

What diet is that?

The grill is taking on Kia's Tiger Nose shape.

I get 31 combined mpg on my m340 lmao

The Volvo s60 does qualify for $7500 Fed tax credit, dealer takes it off the top so they discount it right away, Feb 2024

The totally un-inspired designer who "fathered" the "beaver/kidney grill" of the 4 series ... was kept away from the front grill of this re-freshed 330e ( Thanks, God ! ) ... but managed to mess with both bumpers ... front & rear ... 😔

26 mpg combined for hybrid compact sedan with 2.0engine is not an "A", it's not better than a gas car in any way if you don't charge it and go for a long trip. Questionable efficiency.

"this is certainly going to be more comfortable for taller passengers in the rear as long as their legs aren't too long." lmao perfect if you're the alien from american dad

I like the Volvo S60. I'd prefer the BMW 330e or the I4.

Love the look but the interior is too digital for my liking.

That M visual package looks like a Corolla. Unsee that.

I hate the trend of removing physical buttons for touch screens and touch buttons. Who prefers touchscreens??

I’d get the regular 330i. The fuel economy and range of the 330e is simply unimpressive.

wait until you take that thing for maintenance and repairs 🤣🤣

Between those two l'd get the S60. Better hybrid, more power, better looking IMO. Though I would just get an EV. Probably a new Model 3

"The best 3 series" is perhaps better than "the best Nissan with a CVT." If you want a compact luxury sedan that drives well and won't bankrupt you buy a Lexus IS. If you want an eco friendly luxury sedan buy a Lexus ES300h.

Great review as always, but i’ll take the non hybrid version.

I'll pass.I'll stick with my 2019 Honda Accord hybrid for a long time.

There is nothing sensible about not being able to purchase and plug-in your own fault diagnostic computer like most cars.

BMW has the right idea but they’re known to be unreliable. With higher miles add it’s two powertrains this will be the opposite of a used Prius prime in the 1st & second hand market.

Volvo is Chinese owned, so just for that reason I'd pick the BMW

Offer a cooled seat. This is not 2013. Grow up, BMW.

Good review but tbh I really missed your old intro, please change it back

20 mile EV range is to low. The Rav Prime is double that and hp is also better. This car is old tech that has not been improved.

You have to be out of your mind to buy this. Its not a luxury car by any metric, and has the same feel of a VW interior. Adding the plug in hybrid system makes this car exponentially more likely to break. With BMW they develop and rush to market to try to be first, without much long term testing at all. Toyota found this out when they let them build the supra/ Z4. BMW was pissed because Toyota kept sending them engine parts that were wearing and breaking during testing of the engine and had them redesign the parts before they would sign off on the engine to go in the Supra. BMW is already known for having terrible reliability, so you have to be a fool to consider buying one. People are going on about heated seats, while they are standard in the cheapest of cars. Cooled and ventilated seats is what you should be shopping for. The guy gives it an A for ride while he is being bounced around the cabin. Without plugging in every day to get the 21 miles of electric power, the hybrid only gets 28mph. The gas 3 series has been claiming to get 28mpg since 2013. You have to be nuts to plug a car in everyday just to get only 21miles on electric power.

If it plugs inro electric it's electric, it is not hybred. Work hard with words to get us into electric vehicles. Would take a true hybrid amy day but not electric..

Model 3 Performance please, over both the BMW and Volvo 😊

All these new look interior, like slapping on a tablet on landscape mode. Seem like they all copying each others. Nothing unique or special for theirs own brand. Boring design

Bmw charges $ 10 k more than rhis car is worth. A base Teala 3 or RAV4 hybrid or base VW Jetta 6 MT or Maverick or Prius are just as good in some or all aspects, will avoid the costly repairs BMWs have due to poor parts quality and poor design for maintaince. Go elsewhere. Both a costly gasolibe and costly electic drive train is a recipe for twice the fun 😢.

Civic lol d9nt compare lol

Either get full gas, or full EV. Dont bother with something in between

Intro-NO!

I still don't understand who really buys this ... Looks cheap,bad quality,unreliable, pricy !!!

Nobody wants electric vehicles, give it up. There's nothing inevitable out them unless they are forced by government and reality. The people didn't want not want them.

Doesn't this get the $7.5k federal incentive anywhere in the US?