[themush1326]

Originally Posted by smuttana

Hey guys, so I went into BMW of Mt. Laurel, NJ yesterday at noon to drop-off my '13 F30 328i X-Drive in for ~60k oil change/multipoint inspection.
Luckily the next up vehicle in line of the loaner lane was a '19 G20 330i X-Drive Alpine White w/ Black SensaTec with only 240 miles on it! I have been meaning to check one out to see how it stacks to my F30 good vs. bad.
I was able to keep the car until Monday morning (~2 days/125 miles)

*Keep in mind, below are MY initial impressions/opinions/observations, not trying to start a debate, etc, just sharing for fun*

Detailed Specs:
https://www.mdecoder.com/decode/aj79514

Exterior:
Upon quick walk around of the vehicle, the front fascia has grown on me (especially M Sport models), while the side view I consider decent, and the rear will take me some more time to get used to (not a fan of the "blackline" taillight styling mainly).
Comfort Access also turns on the lights automatically when approaching the vehicle, and having the option to unlock/lock now with the rear doors is a nice feature. Also, you can have the mirrors fold in when locking the door (which previously you needed to Code).

Interior:
Live Cockpit -
This is where the G20 shines and in my view is a night and day difference compared to the F30 as all the Technology is way more advanced as expected. Upon entering the driver seat, you are greeted with the Live Cockpit, which displays the usual info, but also presents the map direction in the center, and the right side is customizable, while I have opted to display media as most beneficial. Meanwhile for the center display, I customized it to show the map, media, and communication as those are what I use most frequently (although it may seem a bit redundant in having the same info on 2 displays). The touch screen is amazing and very fluid/responsive, similar to an iPhone feel and moves through menus with ease.
Audio -
As far as audio, it's about similar to the F30, maybe has more highs/gets louder, however the bass is nothing amazing. I currently have BAV Stage 1 Speakers and BAV Ghost Subs with my stock Hi-Fi Amp which is a night and day difference comparatively.
The ASD (Active Sound Design) is a bit too loud/"fake" for my liking, but I guess without it the car would be very quiet.
Packages/Features -
My vehicle did not have any Cold Weather Package/Heated features (surprising for a East Coast X-Drive model), nor the advanced tech package. Although, having the rearview camera, PDC, lane departure warning, and blind spot assist were all nice amenities that proved useful when I took the car out to Philly.
Remote Start is a nice option, especially during the NorthEast winters.
Trunk -
This vehicles did not have RFT, and actually comes with a Spare Tire in the trunk, and you do lose a lot of space/underneath cargo, so may be difficult to fit larger items.
Controls -
Beginning with the remote key fob, the new metal casing feels much more premium and it has some quality weight too it, when comparing to the previous one that BMW has used for 10+ years on many models.
The steering wheel has a nice feel to it, and all the buttons in general feel pretty quality.
Controls wise, climate is a lot more simpler and direct to use, while the media/preset buttons were similar to the F30.
It definitely will take a learning curve to remember that the start/stop button is no longer on the dash, and placed by the gear selector, which I do like as it's easier to get going and more centralized.
In the center "cubby", I did not have wireless charging, but when placing my iPhone XS in the storage cubby, it opened my Apple Pay screen, guessing it thinks there's a reader there. Also there is 1 USB A port, along with 1 USB C in the center armrest and 2 USB 2 for the rear passengers. It is nice to be able to close the "cubby" and not have a cluttered look of cupholders and misc storage items. Also the interior trims are not glossy (other than the shifter and surround) which doesn't get too bad surprisingly).

Driving:
Handling -
Beginning with the steering response (in Comfort/Sport modes) it does have a nice feel too, and the overall handling of the car seems to feel relatively planted when approaching turns at a increased speed and very smooth.
Power -
I've experienced previous F30 B48 330i's as loaners, and power delivery in the G20 also comes along as smooth and decently quick for day to day/casual spirited driving, but does not give you the sense of how fast you are actually going (if that makes sense).
My current F30 328i has an Intake/Exhaust/Custom Flash Tune putting it at ~300whp, and gives you more of a sense of being "thrown back" in your seat.

Price/Value:
MSRP: $47,645.00
My F30 Sportline with Comfort, Premium, Cold Weather and Nav Packages is MSRP'd at ~$45k, although I cannot directly compare packages/features against the F30, they are roughly in the same ball park give or take.
For those who are interested, not in a rush, and are on a budget - I'd recommend waiting ~2-3 years and picking one up that's off lease/used, as you could probably get it for under $30k, which seems more justifiable to me.
The generic lease BMW is marketing is $499/month and $4,424 down with 30k miles over 3 years, equating at ~$22,424 and a $27,567 Residual.

Overall Thoughts:
The G20 does carry forward the 3 Series brand, and boasts many new finishings/features that bring it up to the current expected standards of the next "decade".
It will certainly take time for myself and others from the F30 community to grow accustomed to the differences fully, as I see many dislike a lot about it.

I personally will be holding onto my F30 for another ~3 years, until the G80 becomes available in the market and has time to depreciate, but it's certainly good to have a "taste" of the features that are yet to come

Enjoy the Pics

Any comments on road/wind noise?
I have had both a 340 and 430 and am not happy with noise level, hoping it wont be an issue on the new versions

[ahmedhamdy]

I have a question on performance - is the performance gap between the G20 330i and F30 340i large or not noticeable? I'm mostly concerned about low speed accelerations (e.g. up to 120 Kmph / 75 MPH).

[David922]

Does anyone know when BMW will manufacture other G 3 series models? I hope summer of 2019!

[smuttana]

Originally Posted by themush1326

Any comments on road/wind noise?
I have had both a 340 and 430 and am not happy with noise level, hoping it wont be an issue on the new versions

Does your 340/430 have RFT's? This 330i did which results in reduced road noise, and the cabin was pretty quiet.

[smuttana]

Originally Posted by ahmedhamdy

I have a question on performance - is the performance gap between the G20 330i and F30 340i large or not noticeable? I'm mostly concerned about low speed accelerations (e.g. up to 120 Kmph / 75 MPH).

I'd say an F30 340 would have better performance in terms of power when compared to a G20 330i. However, the G20 340i should be more of a significant difference compared to what you have.

[smuttana]

Originally Posted by David922

Does anyone know when BMW will manufacture other G 3 series models? I hope summer of 2019!

I think it should be by later this year, and possibly the G80 M3 by mid/late 2021

[themush1326]

Originally Posted by smuttana

Does your 340/430 have RFT's? This 330i did which results in reduced road noise, and the cabin was pretty quiet.

Both had rft but the wind noise is the bigger issue

[vladmury]

The G20 330i with 19 inch RFT tires was very quiet at 90-95 mph

[jmg]

I find it completely ridiculous that you can't close the center console while a USB is plugged in. I have to drive the 330i loaner I have around with the cup holders exposed just to use my iphone. The F30 used to have an accessory port under the glovebox dash which allowed for "hidden" power supply that didn't clutter the dash. Why did they get rid of it or at least design the center console door to allow for routing a usb cable?

[Pauleebe]

Originally Posted by jmg

I find it completely ridiculous that you can't close the center console while a USB is plugged in. I have to drive the 330i loaner I have around with the cup holders exposed just to use my iphone. The F30 used to have an accessory port under the glovebox dash which allowed for "hidden" power supply that didn't clutter the dash. Why did they get rid of it or at least design the center console door to allow for routing a usb cable?

Center console has USB (USB-C). Use that.

[SigurWes]

Originally Posted by Pauleebe

Center console has USB (USB-C). Use that.

Then where do you put your phone?

[Eagle Creek]

Originally Posted by joshuastein55

Thanks for the write up! seems like the apple pay issue from the X5 persists to other models with idrive 7.0 as well.

Apple pay responds to NFC. The tray sends out NFC. So don't think this is BMW'S fault?

[jmg]

Originally Posted by Pauleebe

Center console has USB (USB-C). Use that.

My iPhone X came with a usb to lightning cable. I don't have usbc.

[Eagle Creek]

I'm sure if you can afford calling using an iPhone and driving a bmw, buying an usb c cable shouldn't be an issue?

[jmg]

Originally Posted by Eagle Creek

I'm sure if you can afford calling using an iPhone and driving a bmw, buying an usb c cable shouldn't be an issue?

None of my other cars have it. It would be a waste of money. But I digress, that's a viable option.

I'd still rathe have a plug under the glove box.

[Eagle Creek]

I hear you. I don't have any C to Lightning cables either. Yet. Because USB C is a modern standard I'm sure I'm going to use it in the future as well as more and more devices are equipped with it.

So to me, worth the money and only a slight inconvenience during the transitional period between A to C. I'm very happy BMW choose to put in USB C ports and not anything older.

You also have very small C to A adapters so you can still use your old cable.