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2019+ BMW 3 AND 4-SERIES FORUMS (G2x Generation) General G20 Sedan / G22 Coupe / G26 Gran Coupe Discussions G20 base 330i RWD in depth review from a former E46/E90/F30 owner

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      08-16-2019, 03:39 PM   #1
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G20 base 330i RWD in depth review from a former E46/E90/F30 owner

Background- After owning the E46 330i RWD --> E90 330i RWD ---> E90 LCI 328xi --> F30 328i RWD(pre-LCI) BMW has pulled me back in yet again. The best metaphor I can describe for these 20 years of 3 series ownership would be: love at first sight-->married my high school sweetheart-->blossoming/growing romance that morphed into an abusive relationship with me refusing to give up hope and let go. (F30...)

Before the G20 even came out, I knew it had to change. I really believed and hoped that BMW would take all the criticism and work really hard to deliver the perfect sports sedan-just to shut every one up. Deep down though, I also knew that the hydraulic steering was never coming back and that BMW is in mainly in the business of selling cars and the target market couldn't care less how the steering feels.

While I do consider myself a driving enthusiast, I usually shy away from getting a sport/M package car and stick with the RWD base version. I never needed to add any sport package because the base E46 and E90's were so much fun to toss around and also quite comfortable as daily drivers.

Again, going back to my relationship metaphor, before I even test drove the 330i, I already had psyched myself out to believe that it was going to be an incredible return to form. It had to change-and I refused to believe otherwise. I already convinced myself I was going to lease it before test driving it. (abusive relationship)

So test drive day finally came-And guess what...I was not wowed like I had convinced myself I would be and yet I signed on the dotted line anyway....3,000 miles later and with a much clearer mind, here is my honest and level-headed take:

Exterior- It has certainly grown on me. The design won't be winning any awards anytime soon but it does look ultra modern in person and fairly aggressive/sporty for a base 330i. (alpine white really helps here with the contrast glossy black)

Base models used to look pretty pedestrian, especially with those lovely halogens. That being said, the LED's, even with the convenience package, have a pretty weak daylight running lamps signature. The impressive laser light daylight look needs to be standard. Eg. Volvo S60/A4, etc. The standard one looks wimpy on the aggressive looking front end.

Interior- Light years ahead of all the previous generations combined. Super impressed with fit and finish/workmanship and materials. Very modern and classy and I have no complaints at all about the I-drive/digital cockpit/controls etc. This is usually a difficult area for BMW so I am impressed and pleased. Sensatec has come A LONG way. Practically indistinguishable from leather and feels and looks expensive. Seats are comfortable and supportive. Very good visibility front and rear. Zero complaints.

Steering- Is it as good as the E46/E90? Simply-No. Is it better than the F30? Yes. If I had to quantify it, Maybe about 20% improvement over the F30. Steering actually has decent weight now, esp. in sports mode (though sometimes it can feel artificially heavy), and the steering really shines when you are taking a sharp turn. Resistance builds up nicely all the way through the turn. Feedback is decent too but not great.

The real problem I have with the steering is the numb on center feel when I am driving in a straight line. It feels darty and the car doesn't want to go straight. It's more pronounced on the highway at higher speeds. This is actually an area where i feel like the G20 as digressed from the F30 and it is really disappointing. It almost feels like the wheels are loose and each one has a mind of its own. It really takes away from the solidity and refinement of the car. Has anyone else experienced this?

Handling- This car has grown in size so much that I don't even think it's fair to compare it to the E46/E90 anymore. That being said, it handles really well for its size. It actually doesn't feel all that much bigger than the F30 because the chassis upgrades. Much better than any of the competition (minus the Giulia) Even the base model has zero body roll and bounce and is well planted around corners. The ride is a bit stiff for a daily driver but I'll take that compromise for the better handling any day. Again kind of weird and disappointing about the highway darty feeling. I would think with the stiffer suspension it would be solid as a rock at high speeds.

Misc items-

Car is incredibly fast for everyday use- There is no way this car is hitting 60 in 5.6. More than enough power for me in any situation. Transmission is perfect- never ever confused.
--
I am averaging over 37mpg on my daily commute which is incredible considering I could never manage more than 27mpg on F30.
--
The base 330i RWD needs to come with some beefier tires. 225/45/18 is a major letdown in 2019 for the king of the sports sedan market. The Volvo S60 I test drove had 19 inch 235/40/19 Pirelli P Zero's. Come on BMW, you did all that work with the steering/suspension and you couldn't give us ultra high performance all seasons? I think the car would feel and handle 15-20% better just by swapping tires. **Make sure to check and adjust your PSI** Mine came with 30 front/35 rear and the car felt horrible. Changed to 40 rear and 38 front and this is what this review is based off of.
--
The handling/steering feel has noticeably improved from day 1 and the actual test drive. Does the grip/handling improve as tires wear? Or could this be just me setting the correct tire pressures?

Final thoughts- The love/hate relationship continues...BMW keeps abusing me yet I keep coming back longing for the good ole days, thinking they will change. That being said, the G20 is a good sports sedan. It's not great and far from perfect but it's the best we've got to work with right now. You can once again get a base 330i without any sports/m package and still have *some* decent fun like the good ole days. Waiting patiently for the 2 series gran coupe....

Last edited by alpinewhite3; 08-16-2019 at 04:13 PM..
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      08-16-2019, 03:54 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alpinewhite3 View Post
The base 330i RWD needs to come with some beefier tires. 225/45/18 is a major letdown in 2019 for the king of sports sedan. The Volvo S60 I test drove had 19 inch 235/40/19 Pirelli P Zero's. Come on BMW, you did all that work with the steering/suspension and you couldn't give us ultra high performance all seasons? I think the car would feel and handle 15-20% better just by swapping tires. **Make sure to check and adjust your PSI** Mine came with 30 front/35 rear and the car felt horrible. Changed to 40 rear and 38 front and this is what this review is based off of.
Good review.

Is the steering precision influenced by the tires? What have you got fitted? A decent UHP summer tire could be completely different.

Are you sure the front pressure isn't a bit too high and contributing to the darting feel? Other factor could be it requires a slight front toe adjustment.

My E91 had that vague mid-center feel from new, (that was hydraulic steering). Partly the run-flat tires, plus the front toe needed tweaking to eliminate the feeling.
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      08-16-2019, 04:07 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HighlandPete View Post
Good review.

Is the steering precision influenced by the tires? What have you got fitted? A decent UHP summer tire could be completely different.

Are you sure the front pressure isn't a bit too high and contributing to the darting feel? Other factor could be it requires a slight front toe adjustment.

My E91 had that vague mid-center feel from new, (that was hydraulic steering). Partly the run-flat tires, plus the front toe needed tweaking to eliminate the feeling.

I have the Pirelli P7 Cinturato run flats that came standard with the car. When the car was brand new, it was pulling to the right when the steering was on center. I took it in for an alignment- seems like the numbers are all okay now? As for the PSI, maybe i am wrong here but i thought that higher PSI was better for handling/steering/high speed. Car felt a lot better from initial 30/35 when i changed it to 38/40. Maybe i should try 35/40?
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      08-16-2019, 04:12 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alpinewhite3 View Post
The handling/steering feel has noticeably improved from day 1 and the actual test drive. Does the grip/handling improve as tires wear? Or could this be just me setting the correct tire pressures?
Yes! It's even on the BMW website under their braking in section. So are other parts of the car that influence handling:

Quote:
During the new car break-in period, take note of the following tips:

For the first 200 miles, new tires will not yet provide full grip. This is because a release lubricant used in the manufacturing process has to be worn away from the tire surface. Adjust your driving accordingly to prevent accidents.
Similarly, the brakes won't become fully effective for the first 300 miles as the brake pads and discs will need to adjust to one other. You should therefore drive cautiously.
The shock absorbers and springs will also need some time to become fully effective. That's why you should not push your new car to its limits during the first 1,000 miles or so.
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      08-16-2019, 04:16 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alpinewhite3 View Post
I have the Pirelli P7 Cinturato run flats that came standard with the car. When the car was brand new, it was pulling to the right when the steering was on center. I took it in for an alignment- seems like the numbers are all okay now? As for the PSI, maybe i am wrong here but i thought that higher PSI was better for handling/steering/high speed. Car felt a lot better from initial 30/35 when i changed it to 38/40. Maybe i should try 35/40?
Toe is on target, I'd experiment with slightly less front pressure. Easy to try and run a few days, see what the difference is. Can always look at toe at a later time.

There are better tires, but you 'have what you have' at present.
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      08-16-2019, 04:17 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alpinewhite3 View Post
As for the PSI, maybe i am wrong here but i thought that higher PSI was better for handling/steering/high speed. Car felt a lot better from initial 30/35 when i changed it to 38/40. Maybe i should try 35/40?
Higher psi means less friction with the road and so less resistance. But also less grip..
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      08-16-2019, 04:22 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by Eagle Creek View Post
Higher psi means less friction with the road and so less resistance. But also less grip..
Yes, can get skittish and 'darty' with high pressures, without additional load. Was the same with my E91, it is not necessarily just an EPS issue. I tried a range of pressures, trying to reduce the vagueness. RFTs can be very sensitive to pressure setting. Too low and the road pulls too much, too high and they float around.
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      08-17-2019, 10:15 AM   #8
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I don't experience any "loose" steering feel around the center in any driving conditions. I'm running on a standard suspensipn with 18 inch wheels with 225/45 R18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 Runflat tyres. Tyre pressure is 2.4bar cold, and it gets to 2.5 to 2.6bars when warmed.

This being said, I drove a couple of F30s and they all had a pronounced dead spot in the center of the steering. My G20 does not manifest that.

Last edited by Calamari; 08-18-2019 at 05:00 PM..
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      08-17-2019, 05:52 PM   #9
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My F36 has a dead spot in the centre of the steering, but the G20 I had for a few days as a tester does not. I think this is what you are on about but I love this it’s one of the things that annoys me most about my F36 especially when going through a tight gap I tend to find myself constantly micro adjusting the wheel just to feel the steering.
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      08-18-2019, 05:05 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnBarny View Post
it’s one of the things that annoys me most about my F36 especially when going through a tight gap I tend to find myself constantly micro adjusting the wheel just to feel the steering.
This was exactly what I experienced with F3X cars. Glad it's gone on my G20, cause it really affects the overall driving experience and dynamic feel of the car.
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      08-18-2019, 09:38 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alpinewhite3 View Post
The base 330i RWD needs to come with some beefier tires. 225/45/18 is a major letdown in 2019 for the king of the sports sedan market. The Volvo S60 I test drove had 19 inch 235/40/19 Pirelli P Zero's. Come on BMW, you did all that work with the steering/suspension and you couldn't give us ultra high performance all seasons?
To be fair, you're comparing a base 330i to an optioned S60; the base S60 comes with 18" wheels with either Continental ProContact TX or Michelin Primacy Tour A/S tires from the factory. Those are not UHP A/S tires...

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireS...nLoadRating=XL
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      09-12-2019, 10:19 AM   #12
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UPDATE: After 5,000 miles and a 1,000 mile road trip through the Appalachian mountains (in which i averaged over 38 mpg, >80mph!) I really have to say- I really unfairly nitpicked this car in my original review.

Car magazines/reviewers are guilty of this. Many of us on this forum are guilty of this. We hold BMW to SUCH a high standard because of their history and legacy with the 3 series. I really think it's unfair. You cannot compare this car to an e46 or an e90. Those cars obviously excelled in their own ways while the G20 should be appreciated and applauded for what it is. You have to judge it and review it in today's luxury sports sedan category.

Cars have evolved so much since the e46/e90-we can debate all day about purity, hydraulic steering etc. The fact is-it's gone and those days are over. For better or worse, now BMW has attempted to please every single demographic with this car: enthusiasts, car mags, moms, older folks, commuters, autobahn drivers, city dwellers, etc. I think they have done an absolutely phenomenal job by literally pleasing everyone with this vehicle. It's a near perfect sedan for everyone out there. Most of the other competition in this category, excels in 1 or 2 areas but doesn't offer the kind of complete package the G20 provides.

It somehow manages to handle incredibly well- at ANY speed, without being overly stiff or uncomfortable. It's easy to drive fast and rock solid/refined/predictable with tons of grip-even with all season tires. It's also easy to drive slowly and maneuver through tight city streets/parking lots despite it's larger size and mass. It's super comfortable as a highway cruiser if you just want to drive and relax. It's modern and feels luxurious and expensive inside and out. It somehow manages to deliver over 38mpg on the highway while cruising at 80-90mph-(i got 550 miles on one tank of gas before refueling ). I think this is the ultimate compromise that a majority of us are looking for.

If we're going to be perfectly honest-Is the new Altima with summer tires faster around a skidpad? Yes. Does the G2 have the steering feel/ratio of Giulia? No. Is it as comfortable as Lexus? No. Is it as sexy as the S60? No.(although subjective)

Does it offer the best combination of driving dynamics, comfort, luxury, looks, price(lease deal) in the luxury sports sedan category as it stands today? Absolutely. None of those cars even come close.

Last edited by alpinewhite3; 09-12-2019 at 11:34 AM..
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      09-12-2019, 10:47 AM   #13
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Thanks for the update..... interesting to hear views after decent mileage.
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      09-12-2019, 11:21 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alpinewhite3 View Post
UPDATE: After 5,000 miles and a 1,000 mile road trip through the Appalachian mountains (in which i averaged over 38 mpg, >80mph!) I really have to say- I really unfairly nitpicked this car in my original review.

Car magazines/reviewers are guilty of this. Many of us on this forum are guilty of this. We hold BMW to SUCH a high standard because of their history and legacy with the 3 series. I really think it's unfair. You cannot compare this car to an e46 or an e90. Those cars obviously excelled in their own ways while the G20 should be appreciated and applauded for what it is. You have to judge it and review it in today's luxury sports sedan category.

Cars have evolved so much since the e46/e90-we can debate all day about purity, hydraulic steering etc. The fact is-it's gone and those days are over. For better or worse, now BMW has attempted to please every single demographic with this car: enthusiasts, car mags, moms, older folks, commuters, autobahn drivers, city dwellers, etc. I think they have done an absolutely phenomenal job by literally pleasing everyone with this vehicle. It's a nearly perfect sedan for everyone. Most of the other competition, excels in 1 or 2 areas but doesn't offer this kind of complete package.

It somehow manages to handle incredibly well- at ANY speed, without being overly stiff or uncomfortable. It's easy to drive fast and rock solid/refined/predictable with tons of grip on all season tires. It's also easy to drive slowly and maneuver city streets/parking lots. It's very comfortable as a highway cruiser. It's modern and feels luxurious and expensive inside and out. It somehow manages to deliver over 38mpg on the highway while cruising at 80-90mph-(i got 550 miles on one tank of gas before refueling ). I think this is the compromise that a majority of us are looking for. Is it the new Altima with summer tires faster around a skidpad? Yes. Does it have the steering feel/ratio of Giulia? No. Is it as comfortable as Lexus? No. Is it as sexy as the S60? No.(although subjective)

Does it offer the best combination of driving dynamics, comfort, luxury, looks, price(lease deals) in the luxury sports sedan category as it stands today? Absolutely. None of those cars even come close.
After doing around 3000kilometers with my G20 this is exactly my impression of the car.
It's impressive how G20 manages to do so many things so good cause a lot of cars out there excel in one or two categories at the expense of being subpar in other areas.

G20 is perfectly relaxed, comfortable, economical and silent on the highway (especially with sound-insulated front windows). It's fun and dynamic on B-roads and very easy to drive in the city. It's built like a tank and finally has great headlight output with mid-range adaptive LED option. Sport seats are great. Ergonomics of the controls are better than ever. You just see that every little detail has been thought through and tested over and over.

If you want a nimble, sharp sports car to throw around narrow mountain roads and performance and road feel is your number one priority - just skip the 3 series and buy yourself a 2 series coupe or an M2.
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      09-14-2019, 01:13 AM   #15
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This is one of the most honest and well-written reviews I've seen. Seems pretty par for the course with what the press has been writing. Congrats on the purchase.

I'm also in the same conundrum. I'd prefer 4 doors but the G20 is far from satisfying me the way E-chassis 3ers did. Like you, I hoped it would be a true driver's car again but knew hydraulic steering was gone for good, and that market demands have changed vastly this decade. The G20 is simply too large and the steering, while it adds some artificial weight in turns, is just so far from how natural the E90 was. The only alternative is the Giulia which has a mediocre interior and typical FCA build quality. The S4 and C43 are nice cars but like the G20 are pretty "numb" cars. Luckily a coupe will suffice for my lifestyle, so I'll likely opt for the M2.

But as you said, relative to the competition in 2019, the G20 comes out on top.
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      09-14-2019, 12:51 PM   #16
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OP is yours built in Germany or Mexico. Had a bad quality experience with my sons 1994 Sentra spec v so that’s why I am asking.
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      09-14-2019, 03:47 PM   #17
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OP is yours built in Germany or Mexico. Had a bad quality experience with my sons 1994 Sentra spec v so that’s why I am asking.
German build. Fingers crossed but so far quality/fit/finish seems to be excellent. Alignment was noticeably off when i took delivery but that seems to be a common problem with BMW's apparently.
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