BMW 330i Touring M Sport 2020 Review

One of the more memorable vehicles from the past decade (or the decade before it, even) has been the BMW 335i Touring. As a counterpoint 11 years on it's interesting to test the car that is the logical successor – the BMW 330i Touring M Sport.

Very much a car for an eco-aware 21st Century, the 330i Touring M Sport will nonetheless knock over the 0-100km/h sprint in 5.9 seconds – the same time as the 335i. Unlike the earlier car, the 330i has an engine displacing just two thirds the capacity, packed into just four cylinders, not six. Power peaks 35kW lower than the six-cylinder car, but torque is the same at 400Nm.

And the new Touring model does have two extra gears, and it's lighter. It's pretty certain too that the newer BMW has all sorts of up-to-date traction control wizardry in its arsenal that the older car lacked, and the rear tyres measure the same width, so the contact patch is roughly the same.

So it's not by any means outside the realm of possibility that the 330i could reach 100km/h in the same time as the 335i, despite the older car's apparent edge in performance. In fact, having driven the 330i Touring now, I'm in no doubt at all that the engine has the output to do exactly that.

Provided you're not locked into a V8-only mentality or 'classic BMW six' fixation, the turbocharged four-cylinder engine under the bonnet of the BMW 330i Touring M Sport is a very fine example of the type. It sounds sporty, but not to the same degree as the old twin-turbo six in the 335i.

Nevertheless, the 330i does deliver a bit of four-cylinder fury, particularly when it's revving and fuelled-up between the mid-range and the 6500rpm redline with the driving mode set to Sport.

Driven more sedately the engine provides soft, exploitable power delivery for motoring that makes few demands of the driver in an urban setting. In a vehicle notionally weighing less than 1600kg, the peak torque is prodigious, and it's available from 1550rpm (just about where the engine is revving at a speed of 100km/h) all the way up to 4400rpm. So there's little need to rev the ring off the engine – other than for the joy of it. There's still performance to be had right up to the redline but, equally, set the cruise control and the engine will take care of hills without shifting down two cogs. It's a very capable all-round unit.

The engine is coupled to an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission which comes with shift paddles and both manual and sport modes in addition to the conventional automatic operation. This is a very adept transmission that changes gear smoothly, in an assured way.

Whether used automatically or manually, the transmission is always in the right gear and, when the sport mode is selected, it will drop back two gears under heavy braking – anticipating the driver's needs in that context. Switch to manual mode and the transmission will not change up automatically, but nor does the engine 'pulse' at the redline. It just stays at maximum revs until the driver shifts up or switches to one of the other operating modes.

While the BMW 330i Touring M Sport doesn't initially impress for its fuel efficiency, posting figures around the 10.5L/100km mark in commuter traffic, it's down around 7.4L/100km or better on the open road and averaged a figure of 8.4L/100km over the course of a night-time test-drive. Demonstrating why BMW (and other brands) have taken the downsized-engine route, the average fuel use over a week wound up at 9.9L/100km, which is fully two litres less than the 335i achieved back in 2009. Given the 330i is in the same ballpark for performance, that actually is impressive.

Some of the technology-boosting fuel economy in the 330i Touring includes an idle-stop system and BMW's EcoPro driving mode. EcoPro mode is not as dull in the 330i as it has been in previous BMW four-cylinder models. There's probably some value resorting to the fuel-saving mode in heavy traffic.

On a 25km stretch of country road, in EcoPro mode, the 330i Touring coasted along for over 9km, but the coasting mode provides zero engine braking, so a change to the speed limit halfway down a hill will result in the BMW travelling at a speed well above the new speed limit, even with feet right off both pedals.

The idle-stop system kills and restarts the engine with little fuss and, unlike older BMWs tested in the recent past, it is possible to pull up softly in the 330i. There's a knack to it, but the idle-stop system is less likely to restart the engine as you ease off the brake pedal in the final couple of metres.

Someone has been hard at work in BMW's engineering department (or some several people, as likely as not), carefully calibrating the idle-stop system so that it distinguishes between stopping gently and lifting the foot lightly to start the engine in anticipation of a quick get-away when the light changes to green.

There are other cars that handle soft stopping better than the 330i, but it's undeniably an improvement from the system in older BMWs.

The test vehicle runs on original-equipment Bridgestone Turanza run-flat tyres – 225/40 R19 up front and 255/35 R19 at the rear. Bridgestone is a long-standing supplier of run-flat tyres to BMW. Almost as long as Bridgestone has been supplying these tyres to BMW, pundits have been complaining about the ride quality.

The BMW 330i Touring M Sport shows real evidence that the message has been received. Just like other variants of the current 3 Series we've driven in the past, the test vehicle's ride/handling balance is top notch. Over sharper impacts the tyres are less compliant, but generally speaking the 330i rides very well.

There's not the same level of feedback from the steering that was once the hallmark of BMWs with hydraulically assisted systems, but drivers will still delight in the feel through the wheel and the seat as the car digs in with some lateral load on the tyres.

From the moment you steer into the first corner, the 330i impresses with its poise, its deftness and its balance. You find yourself flinging the car into street corners at higher speeds than usual – not because it's fun, but because the 330i feels slow if you don't. It can handle the pressure, in other words.

Hit the powerful brakes hard from any sort of speed and the 330i's tyres will clench the bitumen with real tenacity. Yet the car also has more than enough engine output to break traction from a standing start on dry bitumen (if you are of a mind to do so in a safe scenario).

Two standard systems in the BMW 330i Touring M Sport are further evidence of BMW coming to grips with the demand for semi-autonomous systems that ease the burden on the driver.

Traffic sign recognition performed almost faultlessly during the period the 330i Touring was in our possession. Aside from one possible glitch (reading 50 for a 60km/h sign), the system coped better than counterparts in earlier BMWs. School zones didn't present the same problem they have in the past.

The lane-keep assist system is another system that shows a marked advance over BMWs from previous years. On a challenging country road – one with lines that clearly marked the shoulder and the centre line, but not clearly enough for most lane-keep assist systems – the BMW got it right about 50 per cent of the time. That's actually a fairly good strike rate, based on previous experience.

The car would steer into bends sometimes but not others – although it did at least warn the driver when the system was unable to detect line markings by repeatedly flashing large, amber LEDs in the steering wheel spokes.

Fitted to the test car as part of the Visibility Package (a $5589 option), the 'Laser' headlights were excellent. They flooded the road ahead with a clean, white light on low beam and automatically adjusted the beam to reduce glare for drivers of on-coming cars. The system reacted immediately and wasn't fooled by a succession of vehicles approaching or a car on a side road. There was such a spread of light around the front of the car that the adaptive cornering lighting was almost redundant.

One minor quibble though: no timer for the rear-window demister.

Take a seat behind the wheel of the BMW 330i Touring M Sport and it's plain to see that Munich has honed the driving position to a high level of comfort and control.

The extendable driver's seat base turns your seat into a banana lounge and the steering wheel and pedals are all positioned for optimal reach. Upholstered in black 'Vernasca' leather, the standard sports seats are nicely shaped and reasonably cushy – certainly with a little more give than the flat-and-firm school of thought that has predominated in Euro designs for decades.

We've praised the instrument cluster of the 3 Series in the past. It provides different viewing modes for the various driving modes (EcoPro versus Sport, for instance) and works in conjunction with the infotainment screen and head-up display for what must be the optimal package in the market for ease of use, flexibility and immediate comprehension.

If you are familiar with BMW's ergonomic conventions, you'll know that the auto high-beam button is located below the trip computer scroll button in the end of the indicator stalk, but it may take newbies a little while to work out where everything is located. That's why your salesperson gives you the full run-down when you take delivery of your new BMW.

One feature that stands out is the keyless entry/exit facility. The 330i automatically locks and unlocks itself without even the need to press a button on the key or door handle. Approach the car on foot and it will automatically unlock, detecting the key in your pocket from a couple of metres away. Similarly, the car secures itself as soon as the key moves out of range. You can be sure that the car is locked up safely when you walk away – with the mirrors folding in and an audible clunk from the door locks confirming that – provided you have the key with you. This is not particularly new technology, but BMW has refined it to the point where it's practical and useful.

The problem with a 'sportwagon', if you want to categorise the BMW 330i Touring M Sport that way, is that they traditionally short-change buyers when it comes to accommodating the rear-seat passengers comfortably or safely hauling a mid-sized item of furniture (such as a larger flat-screen TV or a bar fridge, for instance).

With a 500-litre boot tacked on at the rear, the 330i tips the beam balance back in the direction of functionality. The triple-split fold rear seat squab opens up the boot for even more carrying capacity. While the rear seat doesn't fold completely flat, it does fold down more or less flush with the boot floor, so sliding longer, bulkier items forward requires little muscle to accomplish.

Where a spare tyre would usually sit, under the floor of the boot, the car's battery resides instead. The run-flat tyres negate the need for a spare – in theory at least. There's a 12-Volt power outlet on the driver's side of the boot, for charging or powering accessories when the BMW is parked.

The 330i is roomy for adults in the rear, despite the encroachment of the optional sunroof – part of the optional Visibility Package mentioned already. Headroom is fine for an adult of average height, but would be better still without the sunroof fitted.

Rear-seat passengers get adjustable vents with switchgear for the third zone of the climate control and two USB ports.

As a final note, the 330i Touring is a well-built machine with plenty of kit. The solid doors are heavy, but close softly and with little effort. And the car comes with wireless phone charging and Apple CarPlay integration (but nothing for Android Auto).

All up, it's a top effort from BMW. For sheer enjoyment and satisfaction, the 330i Touring is hard to beat. It's even more than just the sum of its exploitable performance and high-grade dynamics; the entire package reminds us once more why the current model 3 Series won the carsales Car of the Year award for 2019.

How much does the 2020 BMW 330i Touring M Sport cost?
Price: $84,189 (as tested, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 190kW/400Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.0L/100km (ADR Combined), 8.4L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 160g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP (2019)