2023 BMW M340i xDrive LCI Review

The new BMW M340i xDrive LCI is here, headlining the range of updates brought to the staple 3 series range.

BMW has made a car that makes me question what even is the point of the M3. Okay, the M3 is very cool and an absolute track weapon. But the facelifted 2023 BMW M340i xDrive LCI has literally 95% the performance of the G80 M3, at a fraction of the price. 

With revised styling, mind-boggling new tech and a lower price tag - is the BMW M340i the steal of the century? Let’s take a look at that!

How much does it cost?

While all other BMW 3 series have gone up in price with the LCI (life cycle impulse… no really, what it stands for!) facelift, the 2023 BMW M340i LCI has significantly reduced in price by $-8,700 for a before on-roads price of $104,900 - nice!

What do we think of the exterior looks?

The LCI has brought in a bunch of new changes for the exterior, but it takes a keen eye to spot them. I think it looks great, certainly one of the better looking sedans on the market. So what are the changes?

Up-front you get redesigned headlights, with a new ‘L-shape’ design. Better yet, the M340i scores as standard Adaptive LED headlights with some cool blue accents in them. There is of course an even larger kidney grille (although I think it’s tasteful), with active slats in them that allows for better intake of air to the fire-breathing B58 inline 6 cylinder turbo engine. More on that later.

The side has revised 19” wheels, and are wrapped in awesome Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires - some of the best road tires you can get. Boy does this thing grip!

At the rear, the bumper has been redesigned with some new (and VERY fake) trapezoidal exhaust tips. But that is okay, because it still sounds pretty damn great. Watch our YouTube review to hear that.

Overall, it’s a good looking thing. Some minor changes, but a big thumbs up from us!

What about the back seats?

It’s a modern day car, so yes this thing continues to grow. This newer generation of 3 series has grown in all dimensions, and so it is now the same size as an older 5 series. Not a bad thing in my books though, it means you get great leg room and headroom in the back. I am but a 5’11” man, but I fit behind my notoriously stupidly far back driving position totally fine.

I like the 3rd zone of climate controls, as well as the USB-C charging ports in the back - very modern.

How much can it fit in the boot?

This thing has a SOLID amount of boot space. Really good at 480L, and it’s super usable. Classic BMW packaging.

What’s under the bonnet?

If this engine wasn’t an inanimate object, I would immediately propose. This thing is powered by the awesome B58 3.0L Twin-Scroll In-Line 6 Cylinder engine. This thing pumps out 285kw of power and 500nm of torque. BMW claim that it will get you from 0-100 km/h in 4.3 seconds. We timed it even quicker with two people, camera gear and a slab of costco water, which you can check out in our YouTube review.

This engine is paired with BMW’s xDrive AWD, which is a rear-wheel drive bias all-wheel drive system. Combined with it’s Michelin Pilot Sport 4s tires and a limited slip differential, this thing is at the point where it can compete with an M3. Seriously.

How does it drive?

Launching this thing is about as terrifying as it sounds on paper. This thing is fast. Like, very fast. It just keeps pulling, and pulling, and pulling.

It does pump in fake sound (which you can turn off) in sports mode, but I like it - it’s tasteful. It also means that it can do some crackles and pops. It’s subtle but really engaging (even if it is partially fake).

We drove this thing hard around Saucy Corner (which you can watch in our YouTube review), and this thing handles incredibly well. The limited slip differential sends power to the wheel with most grip, and turns on a dime. No ‘crab-walking’ issues like the outgoing Mercedes-Benz C43, I’m happy to report! You’re told it’s AWD, but this thing feel rear-wheel drive. The biased system really allows slipping in the rear which is very controllable, and engaging. It never feels out of control; the car has been tuned almost perfectly.

Put the car into comfort mode, and the adaptive dampers become softer - but it's still a pretty firm ride. It’s not terrible, but just know you are not buying a perfect land-yacht. Speaking of though, it does have all the latest safety tech and really drives itself on the highway using lane centering and adaptive cruise control.

It definitely passed the girlfriend test though - she loves being the passenger, but more so the driver. It was really hard to pry this one back for review.

The craziest part to me though is just how fuel efficient this thing is. I averaged 10.1L/100km over the week loan, which is mind blowing if you only knew how hard I drove this thing. It has to be the worlds most efficient 6 cylinder before adding electric motors.

What does it cost to service?

BMW has finally moved to a 5 year unlimited kilometer warranty. BMW offers a 5 year or 80,000km service for package for $2,150. This is substantially cheaper than Mercedes’ C-Class of over double this for the same 5 year period

Is it Safe?

The BMW 3 series received a 5 star ancap safety rating in 2019, and has an impressive list of active safety features:

Dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting (curtains) and a driver knee airbag are standard.

Autonomous emergency braking (City, Interurban and Vulnerable Road User), and lane keep assist (LKA) with lane departure warning (LDW), are standard on all variants.

Final thoughts - should you buy one?

Combined with a price-drop, and all the new tech this thing gets, you’d almost be silly to buy an M3 over this. This is not a slate on the M3 - an amazing car - but this just does everything so right.

Is it the most comfortable daily? Probably not, but it is a jack-of-all trades and then some. This was one of those cars I was sad to give back!