The BMW 3 Series got a 2024 refresh just two years after the facelift model appeared. Why is that?
The car industry is a little predictable. You get a new generation model, followed about 3-4 years later by a facelift and then a final edition to clear the last run of cars. This is particularly true on mainstay products from premium brands like BMW. Which is why it was particularly surprising to learn that the 3 Series – the brand’s bread and butter product since the 1980s – is getting a notable update for 2024, just 2 years after the facelift was launched.
The changes coming to the 2024 BMW 3 Series aren’t quite as extensive as an all-out facelift but there are enough changes here for one to raise an eyebrow… Was the 3 Series feeling the heat from rivals and new EV launches? Did BMW have to increase its appeal to meet sales targets? Or perhaps these were just some changes that weren’t ready in time for the 2022 facelift. We will probably never know the real answers, but what we do know is what has been added in 2024.
Under The Hood
Electrification is now core to BMW’s strategy and that means even non BEVs will get battery upgrades over time. The new 330e models go from 12kWh battery packs to 19.5kWh “Gen5” battery packs, allowing for up to 101km of pure electric driving. AC charging also gets bumped up from 3.7kW to 11kW now, which cuts charge time down to 2 hours and 15 minutes. This makes it the fastest charging PHEV from BMW. The 320e model has been discontinued as has the rear-wheel drive 330i model. How long before Malaysia gets affected by these changes? We’ll have to wait and see.
Besides that, the only performance upgrade BMW has made is to the chassis. A stiffer mounting between the rear dampers and body and some other unspecified changes improve comfort, acoustics and driving behaviour.
Design Changes
The 2024 BMW 3 Series comes with the same facelift design and optional M Sport packages. This time around there are 9 new paint finishes, two solid and 7 metallic for customers to choose from. There are also new wheel designs with multiple finish options. The interior gets a minor bump as well in the form of new steering wheel designs for the standard and M Sport models. Illuminated shift paddles are new too.
iDrive gets improved with BMW Operating System 8.5 and the Curved Display now comes with cascade lighting as standard. Besides that, you’ll also get M Performtex trim when you option in sport seats with the M Sport package. New interior trim elements are also available this time around. There are also other minor changes such as a reduction in physical buttons, a revised instrument cluster and some new controls for the air vents.
