2018 BMW 3 Series
Fuel economy, running costs, emissions and safety · from U.S. EPA and NHTSA data
The 2018 BMW 3 Series is sold in the U.S. with diesel and gasoline and plug-in hybrid power. The EPA lists 17 configurations for this model year, with combined economy from 23 to 36 MPG and an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,600 to $3,450 at 15,000 miles.
Key numbers
| Model year | 2018 |
|---|---|
| Vehicle class | Compact Cars |
| Fuel type(s) | Diesel, Gasoline, Plug-in Hybrid |
| Combined economy | 23-36 MPG |
| Best / worst combined | 36 / 23 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $2,600-$3,450 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 189-390 g/mi |
| EPA smog rating | 3-7 / 10 |
| NHTSA overall | 5 / 5 stars |
What it costs to fuel
Across its configurations, the 2018 3 Series costs about $2,600 to $3,450 a year to fuel at the EPA's 15,000-mile basis, averaging roughly $3,021. Over five years that is about $15,103 in fuel alone before maintenance, insurance and depreciation — which is why the running cost, not just the price, decides what a car really costs.
Relative to an average new vehicle, this 3 Series configuration spends about $1,500 more on fuel over five years.
For context, the average combined economy of compact cars in this dataset is about 29 MPG. The 3 Series sits roughly 1 MPG above that mark at its midpoint, making it more efficient than average for its EPA class.
Configurations and fuel economy
| Version | Engine | Drive | Trans | Fuel | Combined | Annual fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 328d | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | Rear-Wheel | Automatic | Diesel | 36 MPG | $2,600 |
| 328d xDrive | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | All-Wheel | Automatic | Diesel | 34 MPG | $2,800 |
| 328d xDrive Sports Wagon | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | All-Wheel | Automatic | Diesel | 34 MPG | $2,800 |
| 330e | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | Rear-Wheel | Automatic | Plug-in Hybrid | 30 MPG | $2,650 |
| 320i | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | Rear-Wheel | Automatic | Gasoline | 28 MPG | $2,850 |
| 330i | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | Rear-Wheel | Automatic | Gasoline | 27 MPG | $2,950 |
| 330i xDrive | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | All-Wheel | Automatic | Gasoline | 27 MPG | $2,950 |
| 320i | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | Rear-Wheel | Manual | Gasoline | 27 MPG | $2,950 |
| 320i xDrive | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | All-Wheel | Automatic | Gasoline | 27 MPG | $2,950 |
| 330i xDrive Gran Turismo | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | All-Wheel | Automatic | Gasoline | 27 MPG | $2,950 |
| 330i xDrive Sports Wagon | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | All-Wheel | Automatic | Gasoline | 27 MPG | $2,950 |
| 340i | 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | Rear-Wheel | Automatic | Gasoline | 25 MPG | $3,200 |
| 340i xDrive | 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | All-Wheel | Automatic | Gasoline | 25 MPG | $3,200 |
| 330i | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | Rear-Wheel | Manual | Gasoline | 25 MPG | $3,200 |
| 340i | 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | Rear-Wheel | Manual | Gasoline | 23 MPG | $3,450 |
| 340i xDrive | 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | All-Wheel | Manual | Gasoline | 23 MPG | $3,450 |
| 340i xDrive Gran Turismo | 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | All-Wheel | Automatic | Gasoline | 23 MPG | $3,450 |
Emissions, safety and size
The 2018 3 Series records tailpipe CO₂ of 189-390 g/mi, an EPA smog rating of 3-7 out of 10, a 5-star NHTSA overall crash rating, and an EPA electric range of 350 to 350 miles when running on battery. The EPA classifies it as compact cars.
Compare this car
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Data: U.S. EPA FuelEconomy.gov (public domain) and NHTSA SafetyRatings. Figures are EPA estimates; real-world results vary.