I have this car and I absolutely love it!! In Canada, the 330e before a rebate was actually the same MSRP as the non hybrid, so 1:16 doesn't apply. The Range on a good day is 42km. Yes, MPG in gas mode is a bit less than the non-hybrid, but it's not a big difference. Factor in the rebate, this is a perfect 3-series. xtraboost mode make the car more fun than the non hybrid, and the battery actually gives it a 51-49 rear to front split, so it's slightly more tail happy = fun! The EV only range covers my work commute. I only spent $950 on gas last year; my A3 was $4000 in gas the year prior. I tried the S60 PHEV but despite the power it had over this, really bad shifting and hiccups made it slower; the 330e just felt better overall. The transition between gas and ev is barely noticeable in the 330e; in the volvo it always felt like a small jolt. 2025 it got discontinued but the EU got the 330e with the updated battery which doubles the range, it'll come to NA in 2026. This review really doesn't seem like he tired to review it. In EV mode you need to floor it past the detent click to get the gas to come in, or be going over 140 km/h. It's is more than enough to pass even quickly on a highway at speed. The 16 hour charge is NOT accurate at all, I have no idea how they got that. Didn't even talk about xtraboost...again, dude? Come on... The included charger caps out at 10A, that'll charge up the car in around 9 hours. You can use 240V chargers and it'll take up to 3.7kW. Again, this reporting is extremely lazy and low effort. It's not a review. Please go watch any other review of the 330e on youtube, every reviewer loves it. There's a reason it was top of Car and Driver's hybrid and PHEV list for as long as it was If you can get this car and get a rebate, 100% go for it, it's worth every penny.
I recently rented a 2025 330i RWD. I did a 260 miles road trip in it, from Queens, NY, to Windsor, CT and back. It achieved, astonishing, in my opinion 43mpg on the highway! BMW's 4cyl engines are 👌
Very few get into the nitty gritty of the pros and cons between single/dual motor hybrids, series, parallel and series-parallel. Not all hybrids are made equal.
You missed out on one of the biggest advantage of plug-in hybrid EV’s specially BMWs. No auto start stop nonsense with everything slowing down inside the car or the lag you feel when engine kicks back on and heat pump for AC / heating which makes preconditioning a car inside a garage such a viable option.
@@Adrian_Nicolae1 BMW offers far more vehicle variations in Germany and the EU than they do in the US. They discontinued the 330e from the US market in 2024, and they replaced the 530e in the US with the 550e, which has a V8 as well as PHEV system. They make more profit from EVs than PHEVs, so thus makes sense for them, but it gives the consumer less choice. They also refuse to bring any of their excellent wagon variations to the US other than the $130K M5 Touring.
Didn't mention extremely short 299 mile gas range, which kills this car being a viable option. Why must they always take away from the gas tank size when making it PHEV?
I have owned my 330e for 5 years now and love it. In non electric mode though, the performance is not very impressive. That’s why I do not understand why BMW doesn’t use the 258hp version of the same 2 liter engine they use in the 330i.
Good review, thanks. I have BMW 320i 184 HP RWD from 2019 non hybrid just because I don't have access so easily to a charger and wanted to avoid more complicated system but keeping the sporty way from BMW. If will want to use electric I prefer to change directly to full electric versions. 😊
20 miles is not enough. I have a Rav4 Prime with 42 miles of range, good EV power for around town, does fine on the freeway and the engine doesn’t need to come on. Lots of horsepower in hybrid mode. Also efficient in hybrid mode as well giving about 36 mpg. About 500 miles of range or 600 is you are willing to drive when the car says it’s empty. Toyota gives it a 1/4 tank reserve.
I do have this model (330e 2024), I have been facing issues that BMW is most likely aware of, and not interested in fixing (despite several users having this issues, with mixed engagement from dealership seeking to solve it or not): front left knocking sound when the car is warm (cause is identified: left control arm bushing of poor quality), various creaking sounds (a bit stiff for a car above 60k$), random crashes of the entertainment screen section (I have the HUD or front screen to keep the navigation, but climate control is not accessible)... "Small things", but for a car that price range fully specs, the supposed brand image, the brand reluctant to fix manufacturing quality issues: this is my last BMW.
They are trying but it will come down to: Battery fires. Battery recalls. Model recalls and TSBs. And then, European car fashion, it’s Broken as soon as warranty expires!
I'd say hybrids are a great way to learn about electric cars, but they are still a compromise. You eliminate range anxiety, but at the cost of lower fuel economy on long trips, extra complexity and more potential points of failure. Acquired the X5 50e last October, and I can echo the comment about needing to charge just about every time you use the car. 38-40 miles electric range is great for errands, but constant charging is necessary. Fortunately, it's easy to charge, and a level 2 charger is highly recommended. After 2000 miles, I've just filled up the tank for the 2nd time yesterday (it was delivered with a full tank.) The X5 50e has proven to be extremely comfortable and a joy to drive, with excellent torque and power owing to the B58 inline 6 engine. BMW does the electric/ice integration well, with some sophisticated software and a electric motor-transmission setup similar to the one mentioned in the review. However, it's not particularly efficient in terms of miles/kilowatt, probably due to its weight. And there is no heat pump; heating is done through highly inefficient electrical resistance.
I have this car and I absolutely love it!! In Canada, the 330e before a rebate was actually the same MSRP as the non hybrid, so 1:16 doesn't apply. The Range on a good day is 42km. Yes, MPG in gas mode is a bit less than the non-hybrid, but it's not a big difference. Factor in the rebate, this is a perfect 3-series. xtraboost mode make the car more fun than the non hybrid, and the battery actually gives it a 51-49 rear to front split, so it's slightly more tail happy = fun! The EV only range covers my work commute. I only spent $950 on gas last year; my A3 was $4000 in gas the year prior.
I tried the S60 PHEV but despite the power it had over this, really bad shifting and hiccups made it slower; the 330e just felt better overall. The transition between gas and ev is barely noticeable in the 330e; in the volvo it always felt like a small jolt. 2025 it got discontinued but the EU got the 330e with the updated battery which doubles the range, it'll come to NA in 2026.
This review really doesn't seem like he tired to review it. In EV mode you need to floor it past the detent click to get the gas to come in, or be going over 140 km/h. It's is more than enough to pass even quickly on a highway at speed. The 16 hour charge is NOT accurate at all, I have no idea how they got that. Didn't even talk about xtraboost...again, dude? Come on...
The included charger caps out at 10A, that'll charge up the car in around 9 hours. You can use 240V chargers and it'll take up to 3.7kW. Again, this reporting is extremely lazy and low effort. It's not a review.
Please go watch any other review of the 330e on youtube, every reviewer loves it. There's a reason it was top of Car and Driver's hybrid and PHEV list for as long as it was
If you can get this car and get a rebate, 100% go for it, it's worth every penny.
Extremely well written, well presented review. Impressive on camera work, Alex!
I recently rented a 2025 330i RWD. I did a 260 miles road trip in it, from Queens, NY, to Windsor, CT and back. It achieved, astonishing, in my opinion 43mpg on the highway!
BMW's 4cyl engines are 👌
Very few get into the nitty gritty of the pros and cons between single/dual motor hybrids, series, parallel and series-parallel. Not all hybrids are made equal.
The check engine light is on throughout the driving segment of the video e.g. @5:52 Any particular reason why that is?
I see your Fisker Ocean in the garage. Is yours 'bricked' and gathering dust now?
You missed out on one of the biggest advantage of plug-in hybrid EV’s specially BMWs. No auto start stop nonsense with everything slowing down inside the car or the lag you feel when engine kicks back on and heat pump for AC / heating which makes preconditioning a car inside a garage such a viable option.
I love my 2023 BMW 330e xDrive, but why is CR bothering to review an already outdated and discontinued car? BMW dropped the 330e from the lineup.
Thought the same thing - loved me 2021, before a deer totaled it
People may be considering buying a used one
It's still a 2024
It's there any replacement lineup for 330e or are just promoting full electric versions?
@@Adrian_Nicolae1
BMW offers far more vehicle variations in Germany and the EU than they do in the US.
They discontinued the 330e from the US market in 2024, and they replaced the 530e in the US with the 550e, which has a V8 as well as PHEV system.
They make more profit from EVs than PHEVs, so thus makes sense for them, but it gives the consumer less choice.
They also refuse to bring any of their excellent wagon variations to the US other than the $130K M5 Touring.
Engine check is on!!! Bring it to the service first then do the filming?
Is that the check engine light that's on?!
Didn't mention extremely short 299 mile gas range, which kills this car being a viable option. Why must they always take away from the gas tank size when making it PHEV?
Packaging...
Packaging space.
I have owned my 330e for 5 years now and love it. In non electric mode though, the performance is not very impressive. That’s why I do not understand why BMW doesn’t use the 258hp version of the same 2 liter engine they use in the 330i.
Good review, thanks.
I have BMW 320i 184 HP RWD from 2019 non hybrid just because I don't have access so easily to a charger and wanted to avoid more complicated system but keeping the sporty way from BMW. If will want to use electric I prefer to change directly to full electric versions. 😊
20 miles is not enough. I have a Rav4 Prime with 42 miles of range, good EV power for around town, does fine on the freeway and the engine doesn’t need to come on. Lots of horsepower in hybrid mode. Also efficient in hybrid mode as well giving about 36 mpg. About 500 miles of range or 600 is you are willing to drive when the car says it’s empty. Toyota gives it a 1/4 tank reserve.
I do have this model (330e 2024), I have been facing issues that BMW is most likely aware of, and not interested in fixing (despite several users having this issues, with mixed engagement from dealership seeking to solve it or not): front left knocking sound when the car is warm (cause is identified: left control arm bushing of poor quality), various creaking sounds (a bit stiff for a car above 60k$), random crashes of the entertainment screen section (I have the HUD or front screen to keep the navigation, but climate control is not accessible)... "Small things", but for a car that price range fully specs, the supposed brand image, the brand reluctant to fix manufacturing quality issues: this is my last BMW.
Don’t forget that when the battery needs to be replaced it costs over $15k
Who cares
Learn your ABCs: Always Be Charging
BMW PHEVs have never been terribly successful. Note they discontinued the problem plagued X3e PHEV after the 2021 model year and now this 330e
They are trying but it will come down to:
Battery fires.
Battery recalls.
Model recalls and TSBs.
And then, European car fashion, it’s Broken as soon as warranty expires!
Check engine light lol
Get a Lexus ES300h
PHEVs are the best of both worlds.
With 20 miles of electric range and slow charging, at a high price, it's pretty marginal. Not surprising it's discontinued for 2025.
I'd say hybrids are a great way to learn about electric cars, but they are still a compromise. You eliminate range anxiety, but at the cost of lower fuel economy on long trips, extra complexity and more potential points of failure.
Acquired the X5 50e last October, and I can echo the comment about needing to charge just about every time you use the car. 38-40 miles electric range is great for errands, but constant charging is necessary. Fortunately, it's easy to charge, and a level 2 charger is highly recommended. After 2000 miles, I've just filled up the tank for the 2nd time yesterday (it was delivered with a full tank.)
The X5 50e has proven to be extremely comfortable and a joy to drive, with excellent torque and power owing to the B58 inline 6 engine. BMW does the electric/ice integration well, with some sophisticated software and a electric motor-transmission setup similar to the one mentioned in the review. However, it's not particularly efficient in terms of miles/kilowatt, probably due to its weight. And there is no heat pump; heating is done through highly inefficient electrical resistance.
@@raleedyit’s the last gen PHEV system in the US, the 5 series PHEV probably provides a lot more range
Until something breaks down. I rather do pure ice or purce EV. Less components
...For a very small subset of the population.
20 miles? Sheesh. My Volvo V60 Polestar is faster and can do 41 miles of electric driving.
Totally agree with you. Currently have a S60 Recharge and love it! Polestar upgrade makes it wake up on the highway.
Just buy the i4.
Reliability?
NO!
Nope!
I'll stick with the plane gas engine thanks. I don't need to think about all that hybrid junk.
Ok bye
Youre speaking like EV’s are better somehow. Theyre not. Allways go ICE!