2021 BMW 3-Series Hybrid

Looking as gorgeous as any of the other new 3-Series models, BMW’s Hybrid, the 330e, offers a fabulous blend of power, frugality and flamboyance.  It is definitely not the cheapest BMW 3 Series on offer but, if you can afford it, this is the best of the range, and here’s why.

The 2021 BMW 330e Sedan is the plug-in hybrid version of the long-serving BMW 3 Series range.  The BMW 3-Series Hybrid/PHEV is not only a great car for business users, commuters, and people that live and work in the city, it is also great if you are in the market for a prestige family vehicle that’s easy on the wallet once the initial purchase price has been put down.  Life after leaving the showroom in a new 3-Series Hybrid is one of smugness and satisfaction.

BMW is now a suitably experienced car manufacturer familiar with all things to do with hybrid wizardry and PHEV technology, and the premium BMW 330e has inherited all of this know-how.  The new BMW 3-Series Hybrid doesn’t shout and wave it about, making a fuss over the fact that it is running hybrid technology beneath its skin.  The car might even be a little hard to spot that it is a PHEV, but once the boot badge, or the charging port has been spotted on the 3 Series’ front wing, you’ll know exactly what lies beneath this pleasant 3-Series sedan.  The 2021 3-Series Hybrid is only sold in M Sport specification, so it has those nice big alloys and a strident body kit.  Yes, this is the model of choice for the discerning BMW buyer.

2021 BMW 3-Series Hybrid

Inside the car’s comfortable interior, the car has one of the nicest looking interiors of any model in this class of car.  You’ll find that the space throughout the cabin is generous, however those sitting in the the centre-rear seat will have to place their feet either side of a transmission tunnel.  That’s really the only bother one can find, as the quality of all the materials, the textures and the technology used is all top-notch and premium.  BMW’s fantastic iDrive system is standard and this comes with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to work with.  This news should be great news for non-iPhone users because Android Auto wasn’t always supported before – do enjoy!

Like many other hybrid models from other manufacturers, the boot space is compromised by the fact that there are a set of batteries built into the car’s platform that are located beneath the boot floor and the rear seats.  The 2021 BMW 330e Hybrid sedan boasts 375 litres of luggage capacity with the rear seats in place.  That’s 105 litres of space down on the ICE 3-Series model alternatives.  That said, it shouldn’t be a problem for most people, but then I guess you never know.

Climb into the driver’s seat, and everything is presented sweetly to the driver.  The driver-angled screen looks good, and you can control the infotainment by touch screening, steering wheel controls and hand gesture movement.  The digital driver’s display is an instrument cluster that has all the data and information held in various themes and colour combinations.  The driving position is superb, and the car feels squat, ready for action, and comfortable.

You will need to allow quite some time for a full battery recharge (5.5 to 6 hours on a domestic three-pin socket and around 2.5 hours on a public charger or a 7 kW wallbox).  Power for the BMW 3-Series Hybrid comes from a 2.0-litre turbocharged ULP 4-cylinder engine and an 83 kW electric motor.  The full 218 kW is accessible on demand and makes this a quick car to drive.  There is a strong supply of effortless torque right from the get-go, with as much as 420 Nm available.  You get around 40-50 km of all-electric range on a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery.  37 g/km of CO₂ is belched out over the course of an ordinary day’s drive (very low) and an average of around 1.5 – 3.0 litres of petrol is used for every 100 km – though this is pretty-well linked to your driving style, how many people you carry, the commuting distance, the weather etc…  Should you need to get a rattle on, the new BMW 3 Series Hybrid will sprint from 0-100 km/h in around 6.0 seconds, which is pretty sharp time on all accounts.

While its weight is a rather portly 1800 kg, the BMW 330e will easily beat an Audi A4 and Mercedes C-Class alternative round a track.  The car’s great steering and sweetly tuned M-suspension help the 330e PHEV a great deal when it comes to cornering prowess.  Out on the open road and on the motorway you will enjoy impressive comfort levels and a good reduction of unwanted exterior noises making their way into the nice, serene cabin environment.

This brings me back to Dad’s first BMW 5-Series of 1978.  Why the hell did I mention that?  Overall, the 2021 BMW 330e Hybrid Sedan is very close to being similar to his old car because it was better than an Audi or Mercedes alternative, economical for its time, and handled impeccably even with five occupants and luggage.  It was a stylish jack of all trades and a master of them too.  Apart from the 330e Hybrid being rather pricey, this plug-in BMW does pretty much everything you want to a high standard ­ except carry luggage on mass.  All in all, the 2021 BMW 3-Series Hybrid is a very nice car.

2021 BMW 3-Series hybrid

The 2021 BMW 3-Series Hybrid models include the:

• BMW 330e

For any more information on the new BMW 3-Series models or, for that matter, any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181.  If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of BMW dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours.  Private Fleet – car buying made easy!