Working the Core

Highs: Mighty quick, plenty of fun on the right roads, impressive highway fuel economy. Lows: Not our favorite steering, stiff ride, where'd all the buttons go?

- CSABA CSERE

We've long regarded the 3-series as the core of the BMW brand, although it hasn't been the U.S. sales leader since 2018. Still, it's gratifying to see BMW making a strong effort to keep it up to date even if we don't love all the 2023 changes.

Outside, BMW tweaked the headlights, lower fascia, and tailpipes and, on the M340i, added a subtle rear spoiler. Mercifully, the 3-series avoids the oversize grille nostrils. Inside, BMW's Curved Display arrives, comprising a 12.3-inch instrument cluster screen and a 14.9-inch touchscreen. Gone are the 13 climate-control buttons, as are the audio controls and radio presets. Just two audio and two defroster buttons remain, along with a volume knob. Turning on the seat heater requires navigating to the right submenu or giving a voice command-both more cumbersome than pressing a button. And we'd gladly trade the ambient lighting for a traditional gauge cluster that doesn't glare at night.