The 2021 BMW 330e 3 Series Plug In Hybrid Sport Sedan
You Are What You Drive — A Bottom Line Review
The Bottom Line: Who is BMW? Bayerische Motoren Werke, commonly known as the Bavarian Motor Works, or BMW, is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. BMW is headquartered in Munich, Germany, and it owns and produces Mini cars, and is the parent company of Rolls Royce.
What is a BMW 3 Series? The 3 Series brings power and innovation together in a luxury compact sports sedan made to move you. This is BMW’s original sports sedan that adds exhilaration to your everyday drive with stunning design features, innovative technology, and engine efficiency. This is the car that BMW calls “The Ultimate Driving Machine”.
The 3 Series comes in 3 models and they are the highest volume selling BMW’s, with about 50,000 cars sold per year. They are: the base 330i, the hybrid 330e and the high performance M3 models. These are the BMW cars that are the iconic sports sedans that are born to be driven. They are all listed in the luxury compact sedan class, and are up against 11 competitors in the sales race to be the best in class.
The BMW 3 Series competes directly with: the Genesis G70, Tesla Model 3, Audi A4, Alfa Romeo Giulia, Mercedes Benz C Class cars, Volvo S60, Cadillac CT5, Acura TLX, Jaguar XE, Infiniti Q50 and the Lexus IS sedan. The 3 series cars lead the sales race, and BMW knows they need to be continuously improving, to stay at the front of this pack.
To help prove that point, BMW sent me a 2021 330e Plug In Hybrid sport sedan with a base window sticker price of $44,550, to test drive and review. The long list of $14,100 in options start with: the Cognac Vernasca Leather interior for $1,450, the Dynamic Handling package for $1,400, the Drivers Assistance Pro package for $1,700, the M Sport package for $3,800, the Parking Assistance package for $700, the Executive package for $2,600, the Active Driving Assistant Pro package for $1,700, the Ambient Lighting package for $250 and the Wireless Charging Pad for $500.
The total MSRP manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including the $995 destination charge, came to: $59,645. After adding in the state and local sales tax, plus the DMV and dealer fees, the total out the door and in your garage purchase price came to: $67,101.
The new 330e hybrid mates a 181 HP horsepower version of the 330i’s 2.0L liter engine to a 107 HP horsepower electric motor with a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery pack for a total of 288 horsepower and 310 poundfeet of torque. Then it’s bolted to an 8 speed M sport automatic sport transmission. This hybrid powertrain has a clean greenhouse gas rating of 8, and a smog rating of 7, both out of 10.
The hybrid gas engine delivers 28 MPG in combined driving, and an impressive 75 MPGe in gas and electric power driving. Driving dynamics are controlled by a dial that lets you pick what power mode you want to use: adaptive driving, sport mode, hybrid mode, or in all-electric mode. You get to pick when you want to be driving powerfully, comfortably, or environmentally friendly.
The 330e is a plug-in hybrid. That means you can charge up the on-board battery at home, or work, and drive around all day long on electric power, just like an all electric car. Electric range on a fully charged battery is 23 miles. That is just over the estimated average driving range of 20 miles per day, with some electric power to spare. You have the best of all drive trains, with the ability to be an electric car, that you can still drive to LA with a full tank of gas.
Plug-in hybrids are the best way to go to save the planet, and help reverse climate change.
Finally, every BMW comes with Ultimate Care. Ultimate Care is a comprehensive maintenance plan that covers all factory recommended maintenance services. The maintenance coverage period is for the first 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first, and all the work covered by this maintenance plan is at absolutely no charge to you.
When you’re ready to buy a new hybrid sedan the 2021 BMW 330e should be on your ride and drive list, as it’s one of the best hybrid sports sedans for sale today. Call, click or visit your local BMW dealer for a test drive, and a Bottom Line price review, on a 2021 BMW 330e Hybrid. And note that the base window sticker price for a new BMW 3 Series sedan is only $41,250.
A word to the wise is sufficient: Be Smart, Stay Safe, and Just Breathe. Remember, “You Are What You Drive ©” And maybe, just for those reasons alone, you should “Drive one, Buy one, Today ©”.
This Bottom Line new vehicle review is a Nut & Bolt and Dollars & Sense © editorial provided by Tony Leopardo. “Tony the Car Guy” is an automotive writer, editor and publisher in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you have a question, or comment for Tony, send it to tonyleo@pacbell.net and visit AutoWire.Net at www.autowire.net