New BMW 3 Series waves goodbye to diesel, gets PHEV improvements for 2024

• Diesel no longer available in the UK
• Improved electric range for PHEV
• Extra 20bhp for M3 Competition

The BMW 3 Series has received a facelift for 2024, although you may struggle to notice from the outside. Instead, the engineers in Munich have tinkered under the 3 Series’s metalwork, bringing a few useful improvements to the plug-in hybrid model, but ditching the diesel models entirely. The performance-focused BMW M3 has received a few upgrades of its own, following the facelifted BMW M4 that made its debut earlier this year.

What do I need to know about the 2024 BMW 3 Series?

The most significant change to the BMW 3 Series lineup for 2024 is the discontinuation of the diesel models, leaving UK buyers with just two petrol models and the 330e plug-in hybrid.

15

The latter has received most of the attention for this update, getting a new 19.5kWh battery for an improved electric-only driving range of up to 63 miles – enough to rival the Mercedes C 300 e. CO2 emissions have fallen to just 19g/km, placing it in the 8% Benefit-in-Kind band, while BMW claims fuel economy figures of up to 313.9mpg, but this will only be achievable if you keep the battery topped up.

The petrol engines in the 320i and M340i haven’t been fettled with. The former still uses a 181bhp four-cylinder engine, while the sporty M340i gets a punchy inline-six-cylinder engine with 369bhp and xDrive four-wheel drive. However, these models – along with the 330e – benefit from some chassis tweaks to improve comfort and refinement, plus a new selection of paint colours, alloy wheels and M Performance styling parts to choose from. Inside, you’ll find a new steering wheel design, some new interior upholstery and BMW’s latest infotainment operating system. 

What about the 2024 BMW M3 Competition?

2024 has also brought some upgrades to the 3 Series’s rapid twin, the M3 Competition. Another 20bhp has been squeezed out of its six-cylinder turbocharged engine, bringing the total to an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio-beating 523bhp. The result is a 0.4-second reduction in the M3’s 0-62mph time, which now stands at just 3.5 seconds – the estate-bodied M3 Touring is only 0.1 seconds behind.

15

Elsewhere, the new M3 gets the same LED headlights shared with the latest BMW M4 Coupe, along with the interior changes that come with the new 3 Series.

How much do the 2024 BMW 3 Series and M3 Competition cost and when can I buy one?

Prices start from £39,045 for the entry-level BMW 320i Sport, while the plug-in hybrid 330e and the sportier M340i xDrive cost from £46,080 and £57,845, respectively. All three can be ordered in Touring estate form, which adds an extra £1,800 to the list price. Note that these prices exclude ‘on-the-road’ costs, which haven’t yet been confirmed.

The M3 Competition with all of its performance-focused upgrades costs a fair chunk more, starting from £82,420 for the saloon, and £84,700 for the Touring estate.

Looking for something larger than the 3 Series? Read our in-depth review of the new BMW 5 Series…