Car Review: 2023 BMW M340i xDrive

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Performance sedans have room for kids and clients, but they’re also fast and fun. This makes them awesome. And with four doors, they’re usually an easier sell to that apprehensive significant other, too.

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The 2023 BMW M340i is one such performance sedan, and the spiciest of the mainstream BMW 3-Series dishes cooked up with a new-this-year recipe. BMW has drizzled the car with onboard modernizations, a more alert exterior design, and garnished tip and tail with exclusive BMW Motorsport roundels — a nod to those first used 50 years ago on BMW’s racing cars.

How does the 2023 BMW M340i drive?

The best thing about the M340i is its electrically assisted engine. The 3.0-litre straight is boosted by turbocharging, as well as a 48-volt mild hybrid system that augments the gas engine via an integrated electric motor and hybrid battery (no plug required).

At 1,200 RPM, the combustion engine is rolling out of bed and rubbing its eyes, but the electric motor has already got the coffee on. At very low engine revs, the electric motor spins up on-demand torque literally right off of idle, and that torque shoves the car ahead, filling in until the engine and turbo system get breathing to pick up from there. And thanks to AWD traction, this makes for fast, drama-free launches.

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The same ability to apply torque directly to the engine can also help to save fuel, boosting performance without using more gasoline and allowing the engine to operate at lower revs with no loss of throttle response. It makes the idle-slashing auto-stop system much smoother, faster, and less noticeable too.

Output is rated at 382 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. But while the M340i can rapidly chug back great lengths of tarmac while squashing your eyeballs into your skull, one of the best things about this battery-boosted straight-six is that you don’t need a lead foot to enjoy it — specifically because the athletic nature of this machine remains present throughout the full driving experience spectrum. Even cruising the highway at 100 km/h in ECO PRO mode, plenty of sporty signals still make their way to the driver.

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There’s little need to pull more than about 2,000 rpm, and while virtually inaudible at these speeds, the engine’s electric-assisted throttle response always feels urgent and encouraging; just squeeze your big toe a tad to get the speedometer climbing. There’s throttle response where you’re not expecting it, which can make even leisurely drives more engaging.

Even without SPORT mode to sharpen the drive, the M340i’s Variable Sport Steering has just a hair of on-centre slack to help keep the drive from feeling too twitchy or nervous. An inch on either side beyond this, and the weight of the steering ramps up. It’s an easy car to keep firmly placed in the centre of its lane on the highway, while still responsive enough to change lanes with your wrists rather than your forearms.

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With SPORT mode on, the steering feels thicker, heavier, and more clamped down. While commuting, drivers can handle highway lane changes with their fingertips, with bigger steering inputs requiring more muscle in the forearms and biceps to help draw enthusiasts into the experience. Whether at a lapping day or repeatedly perusing your favourite northern Ontario highway on-ramp at a brisk pace, the direct relationship between your wrists and the car’s position on the tarmac combine with the howling explosion of electrified thrust for a constant source of smiles.

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If gas engines become obsolete one day, this is one I’ll miss the most.

Though it’s capable of some serious low-rev pulling power, you’re seeing the engine’s best work when it’s spinning fast. Stand on the accelerator from standstill, and the M340i leaps, then explodes, off the line. Initial roll-out is quick, but the deepest shove into your seat begins about one third of the way into first gear and stays on until you lift the accelerator.

The eight-speed automatic is a gem: upshifts are clean and quick, and there’s no interruption in power flow or lash through the axles. The engine and gearbox work beautifully together, even moreso when pushed hard. Downshifts are instant, and the torque is right there behind them. While deployable in various stages through the selected drive mode, the M340i’s athletic side often remains part of the experience — engaging, encouraging, smooth, and eager.

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During 1,500 kilometres of highway cruising, I noted excellent performance from the Assisted Driving mode, which can autonomously change lanes and keep your car properly distanced between lane markings and other motorists. The system is subtle and trustworthy, demonstrating excellent pre-calculation of maneuvers to be smooth and minimal. Unlike past test drives of comparable Volvo and Mercedes models, the BMW’s assist systems are highly effective while all but working invisibly in the background. You rarely feel the car arguing or squirming beneath you, even after hours.

All the while, a clever on-screen infographic tracks nearby lanes and traffic on your screen in real time, helping engage you with the car’s safety systems. It’s a clever bit of tech.

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Cruising leisurely on smooth pavement, expect quiet cruising as speeds enter triple-digit territory. Using SPORT mode lets a little of the engine’s hum into the cabin. The suspension gives the driver a high-resolution feel of what’s going on between the car and the surface of the road, while managing to filter out and stabilize the car across bigger disturbances. It’s a smooth and relaxing drive that’s also highly communicative, adding up to an experience that’ll likely tempt you into multiple laps of your favourite highway merge ramps.

Brakes largely back the urgent reflexes you’ll find from the M340i’s handling and steering. There’s that sliver of numbness at the top of the pedal’s travel to make it easy to work the brakes smoothly in traffic, but dig in more than a little bit, and the stopping power grows rapidly and builds progressively. Still, these racy brakes often proved squeaky on my test drive, and drivers won’t see its most precise brake pedal feel unless working the brakes hard and hot. Though responsive in day-to-day driving, these brakes can be a little noisy at times, and perform best when worked hard. That’s par for the course where performance braking is concerned.

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In all, and especially in SPORT mode, the 2023 BMW M340i responds in a way that encourages drivers to use the sort of small, precise inputs required for smooth and spirited driving. As a worthy driving machine should, the car coaxes and coaches the driver into the best way of operating their machine for the biggest grins, and there are plenty of them.

There are a few complaints, too.

The new instrument display screen left me longing for a more conventional set of round gauges, and the digital tachometer visibly exaggerates the speed at which some gearshifts take place. My eyes often caught an instantaneous change in RPM on screen, while my ears heard a slightly slower shift. The on-screen display can be a bit optimistic here, and it feels a little disconnected at times.

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The trapezoidal exhausts help set off the rear of the car, but closer inspection reveals them to be cosmetic attachments concealing a smaller round tip floating within. Incoming sound levels are largely at the mercy of the texture and condition of the surface you’re driving over: my tester’s 19-inch Pilot Sport rubber is capable of a smooth and quiet ride on smooth pavement, though coarse surfaces can rapidly drive up cabin noise levels. In addition to sometimes-squeaky brakes, you may also notice some subtle scrubbing, binding, and grabbing from the tires and suspension during tight, low-speed corners, such as while parking. These disturbances are well within limits for a car with high-performance parts like this, but do pull slightly from refinement during everyday driving.

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What’s new in the 2023 BMW M340i?

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This year’s updates to the M340i include new iDrive 8 infotainment, a curved digital instrument panel that spans half the dash, and a low-profile toggle-lever shifter below it on the console. Outside, new body contours and lower-profile lighting elements combine with the M340i’s high-flow ducts and colourfully accented wheels with red brake calipers to set things off against the redesigned kidney grille.

Pricing: 2023 BMW M340i xDrive

Alright 3 Series shoppers, here’s a lay of the land. Shoppers like options, and there are plenty of ways to customize here.

The 2023 3 Series starts at $52,570 in 330i xDrive configuration with a 255-horsepower turbo four and AWD as standard kit.

A plug-in hybrid model called the 440e comes in at $58,000 with xDrive, and $54,990 with xDrive AWD.

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With straight-six turbo hybrid power, the M340i opens the bidding at $66,000. From that basis, this tester packed over $12,000 in optional equipment for a sticker price of $78,435.

How I’d spec my own 2023 BMW M440i

If you’d prefer your new sports sedan come closer to the $70,000 mark but still pack some added toys, I’d suggest skipping the 3’s $4,900 Premium Enhanced Package (though I would miss the head-up display). I’m happy to do 100 per cent of the driving myself so I’d probably skip the $2,000 Advanced Driver Assist Package too, though shoppers who cover a lot of highway miles will likely find this system pretty indispensable; more on that later.

Personally, I’d be looking to knock about $6,900 worth of content from my build and put it towards brake pads and tires and track day admission.

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I’d definitely be choosing the new Skyscraper Grey paint, which makes body lines pop to beautiful effect; your tastes may vary.

Competitors to the 2023 BMW M340i xDrive

Key competitors include the Audi S4, Lexus IS F-Sport, Genesis G70, and Mercedes-AMG C 43 4Matic.

The BMW M340i is the second most powerful of these; its 382 horsepower come second only to the AMG C 43‘s 402 hp.

The M340i leaves the 365-horsepower G70 trailing, with the 349-horsepower S4 and 311-horsepower IS further behind.

The BMW M340i is the most fuel-efficient machine on the list at 9.0 L/100 km combined; the S4 comes in just behind at 9.7 L/100 km, followed by the Lexus IS 350 at 10.8 L/100 km and AMG C 43 at 11.0 L/100 km.

The G70 comes in about $6,000 cheaper than an M340i, though its less powerful engine is much thirstier: a combined rating of 11.5 L/100 km makes it the biggest drinker on our list. The M340i costs $6,000 more up front, though it’ll use hundreds of dollars less fuel annually than the G70.

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Is the 2023 BMW M340i a hybrid?

Yes, the 2023 BMW M340i is a mild hybrid-electric vehicle.

All hybrid cars have a gas engine and an electric motor that combine to boost performance and save fuel. A full hybrid can drive on battery power alone in certain situations, sometimes using a dedicated electric motor that isn’t connected to the vehicle’s gasoline powerplant; hybrid cars capable of fully electric operation are called Full Hybrids.

The mild hybrid uses an electric motor and gasoline engine as well, but isn’t capable of fully-electric driving. Instead, the electric motor is used more as a means of enhancing the performance of the gas engine, without using more fuel to do it. The BMW M340i is a mild hybrid: its straight-six turbo engine is always running if the car is driving, but the electric motor is always on standby to deliver a performance boost while trimming fuel consumption as well.

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Neither traditional hybrid nor mild hybrid cars have a plug-in port. All electricity required by the electric motor is generated automatically as you drive around. In this way, you can consider the batteries in hybrid and mild hybrid cars to be self-recharging.

Frequently searched questions about the 2023 BMW M340i xDrive

What gas does the BMW M340i take?

Premium fuel is recommended.

Does the BMW M340i have ambient lighting?

Yes, and it can be customized and controlled through the central infotainment system.

Does the BMW M340i have wireless charging?

Yes, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Is the BMW M340i a twin-turbo?

No, but this is confusing.

The turbo system used on the BMW M340i’s engine is called TwinPower Turbo. This is easily mistaken for another common term, ‘twin turbo’, which indicates an engine that has two turbochargers instead of one.

BMW makes engines with both twin-turbo (two turbochargers) and TwinPower Turbo setups; only the latter is found in the M340i. It uses a single turbocharger whose performance and efficiency is optimized in part by the use of two exhaust inlets, allowing the single turbocharger unit to extract more energy from the engine’s hot exhaust gasses as they exit the engine.