2020 BMW M340 i

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40,000-Mile Wrap-Up

Ask a Car and Driver editor what vehicles they own, and you'll get answers ranging from an Aston Martin Vantage to a Geo Tracker. Ask enough of us that question, though, and you'll notice which car comes up most often:

the BMW 3-series. For decades, when we committed our own money to a long-term purchase, we were repeatedly drawn to the compact Bimmer—across generations, body styles, and engines—for its consistently rewarding character.

That long love affair cooled with the arrival of the sixth-gen (F30 chassis) 3-series in 2012. We felt betrayed as the magic from prior generations slipped away with the adoption of unfeeling electric power steering, a turbo four-cylinder base engine, and a general tuning philosophy at odds with the model's sporting roots. After a 23-year run, the unthinkable happened: The 3-series failed to make the 10Best cut.

Despite our disappointment, we held out hope for a reconciliation. Maybe the seventh-generation (G20) 3-series would earn a place in our hearts and homes.

at drove the bottom line from $54,995 to $67,070. Among them were all the driver-assistance and safety systems, heating for the front seats and steering wheel, remote start, a power trunklid, wireless phone charging, a Harman/Kardon stereo, and Portimao Blue paint, which is worth every penny of $550.

If you demand a do-it-yourself gearbox, you'll have to stretch further to the $70,895 M3. That's a shame because this car deserves a manual transmission—needs one, really. An engine that's this full of thrust, this quick to rev, and this polished all the way to redline is best appreciated when you're playing an active part in the perform­ance. However, among automatics, the stand­ard ZF eight-speed is superb.

It shifts quickly and fluidly and intuits your intentions, making the shift paddles redundant with its excellent logic. With the cylinders' crosshatched finish still fresh, the straight-six shoved the 3827-pound M340i to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 12.3 seconds at 115 mph. Note that those times mean this car keeps pace with or outruns every prior-generation base M3. And remember, this thing makes less than 400 horsepower, if you believe BMW's claims.

Of course, we didn't treasure past 3-series just because they were quick in a straight line. When the road weaves, the M340i feels at home. You might find yourself using trees as braking markers as the chassis sucks you into a faster pace. When you're exiting a corner with the inline-six on boil, the BMW seamlessly maximizes the available traction by automatically varying the lockup force in the standard electronically controlled limited-slip differential.

We had hoped for more dramatic improvements with the second attempt at electric power steering in a 3-series, but there's still more information delivered through the seat of the pants than the steering wheel. "It's not that bad," wrote deputy testing director K.C. Colwell, owner of multiple 3-series, in one of the highest compliments anyone paid to the steering. Though the steering is responsive to inputs and the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber sticks to the skidpad at 0.96 g, there's just no feel as the tires break away.

The M340i has a softer side too. Aided by a longer wheelbase than the previous car, this 3-series maintained its composure on our nation's derelict interstates. It traversed plenty of them over 18 months, going as far east as Connecticut and as far south as Daytona Beach, plus taking three trips to the Rockies or beyond. We refueled in 27 states. Those miles on the open road certainly factored into our stellar 27-mpg average.

The inline-six is an absolute ripper when you ask for it and a marvel of efficiency when you don't. In our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test, the BMW returned 33 mpg, beating the EPA estimate by 3 mpg.

Throughout its long-term evaluation, the M340i was mostly obedient, but not without flaw. During our first trip out west, the active grille shutters that contribute to the M340i's aerodynamic slipperiness became stuck in the open position, illuminating a check-engine light. When we returned to Michigan, the dealer replaced the lower shutter assembly under warranty.

During our 40,000 miles, we also added four quarts of oil to the engine at the computer's direction. While needing to add oil to any modern engine might sound alarming, BMW insists that our car's consumption was normal. The car calls for maintenance as indicated by the oil-life monitor at roughly 10,000-mile intervals, and the cost is covered for the first three years or 36,000 miles. Our fourth stop, outside that window, included cabin and engine air filters as part of the routine service and set us back $539.

During the car's final checkup, we had the dealer inspect the climate-control system, as multiple drivers had noted its inability to adequately cool the cabin. The technician discovered that a baffle within the ductwork had malfunctioned and was restricting airflow. Fixed under warranty,

the system was back to blowing with polar-vortex force. The dealer also agreed to replace the bubbled trim on the steering wheel, but with the part backordered from Germany, our car was gone before that could happen.

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Reviews (2)

Peter Smith

09 Jul, 2021

First we thought that it was not good. But it changed our mind. It is very nice to ride.

satu

07 Oct, 2024

Despite being the elder statesman of the mid-size SUV segment, the 2022 Toyota 4Runner is one of the only ones left that's as rugged as advertised. 2022 Toyota 4Runner Limited
It may look mostly the same as it did 10 years ago, but its boxed fenders and high beltline still look tough.

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