The 2023 BMW 3 Series is sporting a revamped exterior that is handsome and well within the Bimmer traditionalists’ aesthetic guardrails. Inside, several upgrades have made this luxury sedan standout more accommodating and sheer fun to drive.

This current 3 Series iteration is the seventh generation of the 3 Series (introduced in 2019), which has been a groundbreaker in many ways for the segment and a steady sales star for the German automaker. Combining refined looks and solid sporty performance is a combination that has paid dividends for decades.

Exterior flair

The 3 Series is remarkably classy looking while remaining a true compact sport sedan. Perpetually competing with the likes of Mercedes, Lexus, and Audi, the bar is never allowed to slip. On the outside, the primary look is a sleek, contemporary combination of athletic stance with a sophisticated feel.

My tester was a 330i with the M Sport Package ($3,100) and it added performance 19-inch rims (with cool blue M Sport Brake calipers) that made the sedan look more sporty and more planted to the pavement. The familiar grille is wider than previous models while the front and rear bumpers present sharper angles, which elevates the contemporary look.

Cabin luxury

Obvious changes to the 3 Series cabin include the 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and primary touchscreen that share the same housing with BMW’s new iDrive 8 software keeping things moving quickly (a theme for the 330i). I love the look of the curved screen running from the left of the dash to the mid-point. It looks sleek and contemporary, a credit to the design team.

Seating in the front and rear can feel tight, but power adjustments make for a comfortable seating position, though taller drivers may not have enough room to really relax. The add-on M Sport Package was a star in the cabin with gorgeous ash grey wood trim, anthracite headliner and the M steering wheel.

Perhaps more obvious than physical changes are the profound boosting to the Intelligent Personal Assistant software. Two-word review: It’s smarter. Featuring improved natural language voice recognition and additional features, including the ability to open and close the windows or the sunroof through verbal commands, this is a huge upside to the 2023 model.

As a driver of the 330i, I appreciated the primary screen upgrade, which measures 14.9 inches, almost twice the size of the previous screen. Add in the quick-response touch functionality and you have a very impressive experience.

I liked the fact there was a constant temperature displayed for the cabin, while providing the convenience of a touchscreen menu to manipulate the settings. There are not a lot of dedicated physical knobs or buttons on the center console and that makes for a very sleek appearance. The high capabilities of the voice recognition system ensure you simply make a change without need a button.

Performance

BMW offers the 330i in all-wheel-drive xDrive and traditional rear-wheel drive. The 255 hp/294 lb-ft 2.0L four-cylinder turbo 330i is mated to a high-performance 8-speed automatic. I found the 3 Series, in all its iterations, to be a pleasure to drive. The engine and drive mode options are all responsive and unique settings.

My 330i tester was comfortable around town and on the highway. The 330i rides with plenty of dampening and while you may hear complaints about a too-stiff suspension, I didn’t feel that way at all. My 330i was a wonderful ride for someone who loves to drive a vehicle and push the boundaries a bit.

BMW offers the 330i in rear or xDrive AWD from $42,300. My tester added the Driving Assistance ($700) and Dynamic Handling ($1,200) packages, as well as the M Sport ($3,100) and Premium Package ($1,350), which pushed the final price to $51,390. in my experience driving compact sedans in this segment, this is top-notch performance with elegance and class as a very fair price.

• John Stein is a freelance journalist based in Chicago. He has more than 25 years of experience driving, testing, and writing about the automotive industry, its latest innovations, and vehicles.