Those paying attention know that the G20 BMW 3 Series has already received an LCI. But for 2025, the seventh generation BMW 3 Series gets a host of improvements that – almost -rival what it got for its full-blown facelift a couple of years ago. The carefully curated additions make the new 2025 BMW 3 Series – again – the best it has ever been. We will show you some of these changes in the images below.
Exterior Design
From the outside, you might be hard-pressed to spot the differences between the LCI 3 Series and the 2025 BMW 3 Series. The new car gets two new metallic colors, Arctic Race Blue and Vegas Red. Frozen colors are available, too, including new-for-2025 Frozen Pure Grey and Frozen Portimao Blue. M Sport models get new 19-inch Style 995M wheels in either black or bi-color. Besides the new colors and wheels, nothing outwardly distinguishes the LCI model from the 2025 3 Series.
Interior Design
Inside, the 2025 BMW 3 Series gets brought in line with much of the rest of the new lineup. Instead of the old three-spoke steering wheel, you’ll find the new two-spoke design as standard equipment. M Sport cars get a three-spoke unit with a red 12-o’clock marker. New interior lighting runs along the air vents, and new trim materials are available, including carbon fiber on the M340i. Galvanic controls are available now, too, and the optional Sensatec dashboard gets some slight tweaks. Though hardly looking dated on the LCI car, the interior is an incremental step up over last year’s model.
Performance
Incredibly, the 2025 BMW 3 Series has a little bit more power than the LCI model. M340i and M340i xDrive models get the new B58B30M2 engine – the most modern iteration of the B58 powerplant. It makes 386 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque, so the 2025 M340i and M340i xDrive will be marginally quicker than last year’s model.
The standard 330i gets a technical update engine as well. The B48B20O2 engine has the same output – 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet – as last year’s model. But now, it integrates 48-volt tech and incorporates a Miller cycle combustion process. Additionally, the new car gets redesigned intake ports and combustion chambers alongside tweaks to the camshaft control, injection, ignition, and exhaust gas routing systems. Overall, the new 2025 BMW 3 Series will be a better-performing version of the car we’ve already come to love.
Technology
iDrive 8 becomes iDrive 8.5 with QuickSelect in the 2025 3 Series. It also gains AR-assisted navigation, a welcome addition that’s been a long time coming for the 3 Series. It’s packaged with Live Cockpit Professional and the head-up display, which make sense and will likely add a lot of value for shoppers who care about that sort of thing. From a tech standpoint, the 2025 BMW 3 Series is just another step forward, performing everything last year’s model did with a little smoother integration.
What do you think about the changes to the BMW 3 Series? Trading in your 2024 for a 2025? Do you hope to see more mid-mid-lifecycle refreshes like this in the future?