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2019+ BMW 3 AND 4-SERIES FORUMS (G2x Generation) General G20 Sedan / G22 Coupe / G26 Gran Coupe Discussions Test Drove a 330i M Sport today

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      05-10-2019, 03:32 PM   #1
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Test Drove a 330i M Sport today

Hi Everyone.

Today while my wife's X3 was in for service, the staff at Pfaff BMW in Mississauga had a 330i M Sport ready for me to test drive.

Thinking that I wouldn't be interested in its "small" engine, I was pleasantly surprised. While I liked the F30, I didn't love it. But man this G20 -- WOW.

I whipped it around for about 30 minutes and even in Comfort mode I was really impressed. In Sport mode, I felt like a boy racer again LOL. It brought me back to the first BMW I test drove back in the mid 90's.

I did not find the interior exciting. Maybe I just need to see the right colour schemes for the interior.

If a 330i drives like this, I can't wait to take an M340i for a run. I am impressed!
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      05-10-2019, 03:56 PM   #2
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I am in Mississauga too and picking up my 330i tomorrow from Budds in Oakville!

I am going from a 335 E90 so I hope I don't find the 330i lacking in power too much. I didn't even test drive it! Your impressions have me excited. I got alpine white with cognac.
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      05-10-2019, 04:00 PM   #3
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Let me know how it goes! Again, mine was a 30 min test drive only. I was surprised the 330i was this fun to drive. Look forward to your thoughts!!
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      05-10-2019, 05:07 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ar2020 View Post
I am in Mississauga too and picking up my 330i tomorrow from Budds in Oakville!

I am going from a 335 E90 so I hope I don't find the 330i lacking in power too much. I didn't even test drive it! Your impressions have me excited. I got alpine white with cognac.
If your 335i is standard the 330i will feel similar in power. Its super smooth, but lacks somewhat in engine sound. Something almost everyone forgets, the b48 is much lighter than a 6pot giving it better turn in.
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      05-10-2019, 05:20 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ar2020 View Post
I am in Mississauga too and picking up my 330i tomorrow from Budds in Oakville!

I am going from a 335 E90 so I hope I don't find the 330i lacking in power too much. I didn't even test drive it! Your impressions have me excited. I got alpine white with cognac.
Nice combo!

I would bet a lot on it that you'll not feel any step back at all. Torque is identical and matches the 335i uptil about 4000rpm. Only at occasional full bursts, you'll have a very minor deficit. Also the ZF8 is MUCH (really) better than the 6-AT in the E90 and can mask these micro dificits fully & entirely. The car is much roomier, the car is stiffer, and not even heavier!


I'd bet you'll find yourself in a much better car tomorrow! Enjoy!!
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      05-10-2019, 05:30 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by KoenG View Post
Nice combo!

I would bet a lot on it that you'll not feel any step back at all. Torque is identical and matches the 335i uptil about 4000rpm. Only at occasional full bursts, you'll have a very minor deficit. Also the ZF8 is MUCH (really) better than the 6-AT in the E90 and can mask these micro dificits fully & entirely. The car is much roomier, the car is stiffer, and not even heavier!


I'd bet you'll find yourself in a much better car tomorrow! Enjoy!!
Thank you!

The E90 335i standard is a 2008 so I'll be in a 11 year newer car! That is why I felt content pulling the trigger on the 330i.
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      05-10-2019, 06:18 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ar2020 View Post
Thank you!

The E90 335i standard is a 2008 so I'll be in a 11 year newer car! That is why I felt content pulling the trigger on the 330i.
Yes, I understand. I drove new M5 previous year, the M6GC the year before, and very fine M4 competition also and all of them impressed me. Still, I always felt the perfect car to own and pay for is the 330i. It's still the ultimate sport saloon: combining top quality, top dynamics, top frugality and top fun to drive!

I'am interested to hear about your sentiment about owning this new ride. To my believe, this 330i is the ultimate machine to own and that best reflects the BMW values: "efficient dynamics"

Enjoy!
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      05-10-2019, 11:54 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ar2020 View Post
Thank you!

The E90 335i standard is a 2008 so I'll be in a 11 year newer car! That is why I felt content pulling the trigger on the 330i.
I'm in the same boat as you. Going from a 07 335i e92 to the 330i. Also ordered it before test driving. But I finally got a chance to test drive it recently. The acceleration is quite similar to our 335i, but the sound is definitely lacking. It was quite apparent the sounds were coming from the speakers. Suspension wise, I was test driving an M sport without the adaptive, and I felt it was quite comfortable compared to my current 335i. It's not soft, but it absorbs the unevenness of the road quite well while staying planted when taking turns at a brisk pace. The steering is not as heavy as our e9x, but definitely better than the f30. Overall, I feel that I will enjoy the g20, but will still miss my e92 when I trade it in.
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      05-11-2019, 02:04 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KoenG View Post
Yes, I understand. I drove new M5 previous year, the M6GC the year before, and very fine M4 competition also and all of them impressed me. Still, I always felt the perfect car to own and pay for is the 330i. It's still the ultimate sport saloon: combining top quality, top dynamics, top frugality and top fun to drive!

I'am interested to hear about your sentiment about owning this new ride. To my believe, this 330i is the ultimate machine to own and that best reflects the BMW values: "efficient dynamics"

Enjoy!
Thats exactly how i feel, ive owned a remapped S4 b8.5, remapped e91 335 and a m140i xdrive since 2015 but i feel the 330i is a perfect blend of economy and power. Its very rewarding to drive. You'll get used to power somehow, i even got used to my zx10r bike. Great handling tho is always presence.
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      05-11-2019, 07:04 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ar2020 View Post
I am in Mississauga too and picking up my 330i tomorrow from Budds in Oakville!

I am going from a 335 E90 so I hope I don't find the 330i lacking in power too much. I didn't even test drive it! Your impressions have me excited. I got alpine white with cognac.
Don't worry. This reviewer, who seems to be well experienced, suggests G20 330i is faster than F90 335i.
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      05-11-2019, 11:41 AM   #11
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Seeing more g20 330i in the wild now. Haven't seen x drive or m340. Does the m340 have the square tail pipes? Will make it easier to spot vs the round dual pipes for 330. Even f30 340i don't seem that common, but there are loads of 328 and 330 cars in the wild.
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      05-11-2019, 01:00 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bimmer456 View Post
Seeing more g20 330i in the wild now. Haven't seen x drive or m340. Does the m340 have the square tail pipes? Will make it easier to spot vs the round dual pipes for 330. Even f30 340i don't seem that common, but there are loads of 328 and 330 cars in the wild.
Yea, M340 has more square/rectangular exhausts.
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      05-11-2019, 03:28 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by raddy View Post
Hi Everyone.

Today while my wife's X3 was in for service, the staff at Pfaff BMW in Mississauga had a 330i M Sport ready for me to test drive.

Thinking that I wouldn't be interested in its "small" engine, I was pleasantly surprised. While I liked the F30, I didn't love it. But man this G20 -- WOW.

I whipped it around for about 30 minutes and even in Comfort mode I was really impressed. In Sport mode, I felt like a boy racer again LOL. It brought me back to the first BMW I test drove back in the mid 90's.

I did not find the interior exciting. Maybe I just need to see the right colour schemes for the interior.

If a 330i drives like this, I can't wait to take an M340i for a run. I am impressed!
I walked away with a different impression. G20 330i xDrive felt heavy and slow. But better body roll control than the F30 xDrive.
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      05-11-2019, 03:34 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anotheran View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by raddy View Post
Hi Everyone.

Today while my wife's X3 was in for service, the staff at Pfaff BMW in Mississauga had a 330i M Sport ready for me to test drive.

Thinking that I wouldn't be interested in its "small" engine, I was pleasantly surprised. While I liked the F30, I didn't love it. But man this G20 -- WOW.

I whipped it around for about 30 minutes and even in Comfort mode I was really impressed. In Sport mode, I felt like a boy racer again LOL. It brought me back to the first BMW I test drove back in the mid 90's.

I did not find the interior exciting. Maybe I just need to see the right colour schemes for the interior.

If a 330i drives like this, I can't wait to take an M340i for a run. I am impressed!
I walked away with a different impression. G20 330i xDrive felt heavy and slow. But better body roll control than the F30 xDrive.
I haven't driven the g20 but I have driven g30 and e90 in both xdrive and rwd. The x-drive models always feel heavier than the rwd versions partly because they are a decent amount heavier, but they also make the steering feel muddy from the torque going to the front wheels.
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      05-11-2019, 06:21 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ssquared View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by anotheran View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by raddy View Post
Hi Everyone.

Today while my wife's X3 was in for service, the staff at Pfaff BMW in Mississauga had a 330i M Sport ready for me to test drive.

Thinking that I wouldn't be interested in its "small" engine, I was pleasantly surprised. While I liked the F30, I didn't love it. But man this G20 -- WOW.

I whipped it around for about 30 minutes and even in Comfort mode I was really impressed. In Sport mode, I felt like a boy racer again LOL. It brought me back to the first BMW I test drove back in the mid 90's.

I did not find the interior exciting. Maybe I just need to see the right colour schemes for the interior.

If a 330i drives like this, I can't wait to take an M340i for a run. I am impressed!
I walked away with a different impression. G20 330i xDrive felt heavy and slow. But better body roll control than the F30 xDrive.
I haven't driven the g20 but I have driven g30 and e90 in both xdrive and rwd. The x-drive models always feel heavier than the rwd versions partly because they are a decent amount heavier, but they also make the steering feel muddy from the torque going to the front wheels.
How is the turn radius? Does it have torque steer? Would like to have an off button for x drive but still have traction control. Probably a pipe dream as even mx drive turns off traction control in s drive mode which makes it completely impractical, basically it is a drift mode.
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      05-12-2019, 02:35 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bimmer456 View Post
How is the turn radius? Does it have torque steer? Would like to have an off button for x drive but still have traction control. Probably a pipe dream as even mx drive turns off traction control in s drive mode which makes it completely impractical, basically it is a drift mode.
On the e90 the turning radius was much worse on the x-drive it made quite a difference. On the G30 it was also worse but not as noticeable as the difference in the e90 probably since it’s such a big car to begin with. I suspect that the g20 will be somewhere between those two, but I’m sure it would be apparent.

The m5 has the ability to turn off x drive. Rumor has it the same system will be available in the m3, so perhaps you can get your wish.
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      05-12-2019, 06:47 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ssquared View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by bimmer456 View Post
How is the turn radius? Does it have torque steer? Would like to have an off button for x drive but still have traction control. Probably a pipe dream as even mx drive turns off traction control in s drive mode which makes it completely impractical, basically it is a drift mode.
On the e90 the turning radius was much worse on the x-drive it made quite a difference. On the G30 it was also worse but not as noticeable as the difference in the e90 probably since it’s such a big car to begin with. I suspect that the g20 will be somewhere between those two, but I’m sure it would be apparent.

The m5 has the ability to turn off x drive. Rumor has it the same system will be available in the m3, so perhaps you can get your wish.
Yes but it won't have traction control with it off and I wonder how the turn radius on the new M5 compares to the old 2wd only version and how it will be on the 3. One of the things that annoys me is a shitty turn radius where you can't negotiate turns in a parking lot without having to change direction.
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      05-12-2019, 10:11 AM   #18
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Yes but it won't have traction control with it off and I wonder how the turn radius on the new M5 compares to the old 2wd only version and how it will be on the 3. One of the things that annoys me is a shitty turn radius where you can't negotiate turns in a parking lot without having to change direction.
The 2019 m5 has a 41.3ft turning circle. The 2016 was 39.2 but the new model is also larger.

a g20 330i RWD has a 37.4ft turning diameter while the x drive version is 39.2ft. No reason the new M3 would be any different unless they add IAS.
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      05-12-2019, 12:24 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ssquared View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by bimmer456 View Post
Yes but it won't have traction control with it off and I wonder how the turn radius on the new M5 compares to the old 2wd only version and how it will be on the 3. One of the things that annoys me is a shitty turn radius where you can't negotiate turns in a parking lot without having to change direction.
The 2019 m5 has a 41.3ft turning circle. The 2016 was 39.2 but the new model is also larger.

a g20 330i RWD has a 37.4ft turning diameter while the x drive version is 39.2ft. No reason the new M3 would be any different unless they add IAS.
I was thinking the rear wheel steering would help.
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      05-12-2019, 01:33 PM   #20
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While I think the G20 is a significant improvement across the board compared to the F30 in stock/base trim form, if you're coming from a 35i BMW with a straight six, I think you'll be missing it on a 330i. The 330i with M Sport does an excellent job hiding its 4 banger and weight but if having a straight six was something you considered in getting BMW I think you'll miss it. I know that while the 330i does things better than my 440i Gran Coupe, the B58 is hard to let go. I would imagine it would be the same for your N54/N55.

But if you're looking for more efficiency and a better all around vehicle, the 330i should check most if not all boxes.
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      05-13-2019, 02:19 PM   #21
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In other news: I test drove the 330i without the M Sport the other day and it was pretty much meh. Soft suspension, soft steering, quiet exhaust, no Sport+ mode. The M Sport is a must on these cars unless you don't actually want a car that's fun to drive.
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      05-13-2019, 07:39 PM   #22
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Quote:
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While I think the G20 is a significant improvement across the board compared to the F30 in stock/base trim form, if you're coming from a 35i BMW with a straight six, I think you'll be missing it on a 330i. The 330i with M Sport does an excellent job hiding its 4 banger and weight but if having a straight six was something you considered in getting BMW I think you'll miss it. I know that while the 330i does things better than my 440i Gran Coupe, the B58 is hard to let go. I would imagine it would be the same for your N54/N55.

But if you're looking for more efficiency and a better all around vehicle, the 330i should check most if not all boxes.
I think the gap of the B48 (G20 330) vs. N54/N55 (F30 335) is a lot less noticeable than to the B58 (G20 M340, noting this B58 is different variant of the engine than the F30 340's).
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