BMW 330e M Sport | long-term test review

Having spent some quality time with our long-term BMW 330e it’s clear to see why it’s an award-winning, popular company car. 

It’s not just the drive that’s engaging as every switch and dial is built to a high quality and the brilliant iDrive system is intuitive to use with everything presented in a clear style. The app is worth downloading too – features range from setting the car’s temperature remotely to checking when it’s finished charging. 

Having covered around 2,200 miles over four months, we achieved an average mpg of 52.7. Of the total mileage, 651 miles were covered "on electric". 

As previously highlighted, where you gain on company car tax rates, you lose in boot space. Because of the hybrid battery, the 330e loses more than 100 litres over a conventional 3 Series (375 litres vs 480 litres). 

Having the 300e among your company car choice list means it’s highly likely that the Mercedes C300e is included too.  

The Mercedes has a larger battery – 25.4kWh vs BMW’s 12kWh unit – meaning an official range of 62 miles and sits in 8% BiK band, giving 20% taxpayers an annual tax bill of £822 (around £68 a month) and £1,645 for a 40% taxpayer (£137 a month). 

It also has an 11kW on board charger (BMW has 3.7kW) so charges more quickly but if using a 7kW home wallbox, both would take around three hours. 

The Mercedes offers more power, 320PS vs BMW’s 292PS, but it’s heavier so doesn’t feel as nippy as the BMW, especially when using the Sport XBoost function. 

The BMW is the more driver-focused car of the two and the fitment of iDrive 8.0 has brought its infotainment system up to date with Merc’s offering. 

You can also opt for the BMW 330e with xDrive (all-wheel-drive) as well as the rear-drive setup we had. But having the dilemma of choosing either car is a nice problem to have. 

Facelift updates strengthen appeal

It was a little over a year ago that BMW gave its 3 Series a refreshed new look and upgraded the iDrive infotainment system to the latest version that debuted in the i4.

These changes made an already-desirable car even more attractive and elevated the 3 Series’ status as a great choice of company car.

The iDrive system using BMW Operating System 8, is intuitive to use with text and graphics presented in a clear, easy to read and understand style.

It offers a large curved display and new digital instrument cluster, combined into one panel. The car’s climate controls are integrated into the tounchscreen display and the revered iDrive rotary controller knob remains.

My partner’s first reaction to seeing the panel on our long-term M Sport Saloon test car. was that it must be a distraction, but I was able to assure her it’s out of sight of your eyeline.

You can use spoken instructions for the sat nav system as an alternative to punching in the letters individually and another option is using the MyBMW app to plan your route in advance before sending it directly to your car.

The app’s also a great resource for monitoring fuel and battery levels, checking windows are shut and doors locked and to pre-conditioning the car’s internal temperature on a particularly hot or cold day.

The adaptive headlights are among the best I’ve used and proved a great addition on a late-night journey from the airport to home after a recent holiday. In previous cars, I’ve often had to dim the lights myself as I felt the car took too long to respond to an oncoming vehicle. Not so here.

But while the technology inside is state-of-the-art there is one feature on our test BMW 3 Series that transports me back to yesteryear – the sunroof! A £1,050 option, I last used one about 20 years ago and I’d forgotten how lovely it is to have fresh air circulating in the cabin on a warm, sunny day.

BMW 330e M Sport joins our fleet

BMW first introduced a hybrid to the 3 Series line-up in 2016. 

In 2020, it was named Parkers’ Company Car of the Year, in partnership with Fleet News, and praised for its ‘combination of efficiency, dynamics and usability coupled with low running costs and attractive taxation for company car drivers.’ 

Prices for the 330e start at £46,285. We’re testing the M Sport version and our car, complete with options, comes in at a shade over £57,000. 

I can charge the car in three hours using the 11kW chargepoint at the Fleet News office, or in five hours when connected to a three-pin domestic socket, and have found the battery offers around 30 miles of electric driving. It's ideal for pootling around town or, in many cases, for the daily commute. For longer journeys, an automatic setting works with the sat nav system so the car chooses when best to use electric power over petrol. 

CO2 emissions of 35g/km, combined with the aforementioned zero-emission range, means a 20% company driver will pay an annual tax bill of £1,243 (around £103 a month) and a 40% taxpayer £2,485 (around £207). 

But where you win on favourable tax rates over non-hybrid variants, you lose on boot space – the higher floor to house the battery means it measures in at 375 litres compared to a regular 3 Series saloon's 480 litres. If it were my company car, I’d be costing up a roof box, or considering the 330e Touring.

Initial impressions are very positive. It’s a great looking car with lots of equipment and offers a brilliant driving experience. It has plenty of poke when needed but will happily cruise along if you’re in no hurry. 

Standard equipment is generous and includes front heated seats, ambient lighting, auto air conditioning, front sport seats, cruise control, parking assistant, DAB radio and active guard plus, which offers a front collision warning system.  

In terms of any negatives, aside from the lack of decent boot space, I’m finding the sports seats a tad uncomfortable, but I’m sure I’ll get used to them. I can still imagine myself making lots of long journeys in the 330e, both for work and pleasure.