2020 BMW 330e Plug-In Hybrid First Drive: The 3 Series of PHEVs – MotorTrend

On paper, the 2016 330e looked like a perfect example of everything that was wrong with modern BMWs. BMW’s lost its way. BMWs aren’t fun to drive anymore. Why would you even bother building a hybrid 3 Series? Yet, as we found out in our First Test, the 330e was actually pretty good. Thanks to the electric motor’s low-end torque, it actually felt slightly more responsive than the 330i.

But if the old 330e wasn’t enough to convince you that a plug-in hybrid can be a real 3 Series, the new one definitely should. In part, that’s because the new 3 Series is such a better car than its predecessor. Somehow, it manages to be larger, more spacious, and more upscale while also being quicker and more fun to drive.

As with the rest of the lineup, the plug-in hybrid version of the 3 Series comes with a more impressive spec sheet than before, too. Yes, it still uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder paired with an eight-speed automatic, and 252 hp is only 4 horses more than the old 330e’s 248 hp. But when you really step on it, the electric motor can temporarily add an extra 40 hp, bringing total system output up to 288 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque.

BMW says that’s enough power to give the 330e a 0-60 time of a little less than 6 seconds, but that has to be conservative. Extremely conservative. When we last tested its predecessor, it made the same run in a relatively quick 5.6 seconds. The new car is no M3, but after driving both generations back to back, it definitely feels quicker.

In theory, my butt dyno (or as one BMW employee called it, my popometer) could have been deceived, but I doubt it. On the other hand, few if any of these cars will ever be raced on an actual track, so tenths of a second are much less relevant. If you get into the previous 330e after driving the new one, it feels noticeably slower. Almost like you accidentally got into the 320i instead.



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