2014 BMW 3 Series Sedan
Fuel-efficient engine options and interior roominess help bring versatility and value to the 2014 BMW 3 Series.
Written by Shannon Fitzgerald
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
With the upscale interior and nimble handling you’d expect from a BMW, the 2014 BMW 3 Series sedan offers a fuel-efficient engine lineup and decent affordability—making this one of the more cost-effective luxury used cars you might find.
Here to give you a closer look at those specs is
Jerry
, the car insurance
savings super app. From reliability ratings to fuel economy and comfort, let’s break down exactly where the 2014 BMW 3 Series sedan shines. We'll cover how you can save on your BMW 3 Series insurance costs
, too! Compare insurance quotes from 50+ carriers with Jerry in under 45 seconds
Compare insurance quotes from 50+ carriers with Jerry in under 45 seconds
4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversHow much is a 2014 BMW 3 Series sedan?
As an entry-level luxury car, the 2014 BMW 3 Series sedan originally started at around $33,500 MSRP. According to Kelley Blue Book, used 3 Series sedans usually go for between $10,000 and $13,000 on the fair market today.
The cheapest trim of the 2014 3 Series will be the base
320i
, whereas a fully decked-out ActiveHybrid 3 will cost you the most. That said, listing prices vary among trims depending on your location and the vehicle’s condition and mileage. Is a 2014 BMW 3 Series a good buy?
The 2014 BMW 3 Series sedan may be one of the least expensive BMWs on the used car market, but are luxury features and technology sacrificed as a result?
It depends. While drivers complain about cheaper materials in the base 320i trim, unique powertrain builds begin with the 335i. Used 3 Series sedans equipped with luxury packages, like the Premium package, include much of the finery you might miss in less souped-up vehicles. But vehicles with these extra packages will cost you extra, too.
Overall, the 2014 BMW 3 Series is a decent buy. You may want to keep your eye out for upgraded trims to get the most bang for your buck, though.
Reliability
BMWs aren’t always reliable cars. But the 2014 BMW 3 Series sedan actually fares slightly better than other BMW models. Compared to other small luxury cars as a whole, though, its reliability is about average.
RepairPal rated the 2014 3 Series’ middle-of-the-line
328i
trim with a 3 out of 5 rating, citing valve cover gasket leaks and heater fan errors as the most common problems. J.D. Power also gives the 2014 BMW Model 3 Series sedan a 3/5 star rating on reliability alone. However, when rating quality and reliability together, it receives a “great” score of 84/100. Speed and performance
Engine options abound when it comes to the 2014 BMW 3 series. In fact, each trim has its own standard powertrain:
- 320i: turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 (180 horsepower; 200 lb-ft of torque)
- 328i: turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 (240 horsepower; 255 lb-ft of torque)
- 328d: turbocharged 2.0-liter diesel inline-4 (180 horsepower; 280 lb-ft of torque)
- 335i: turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 (300 horsepower; 300 lb-ft of torque)
- ActiveHybrid 3: turbocharged 3.0-liter hybrid inline-6 (335 combined horsepower; 330 lb-ft of torque)
Though rear-wheel drive (RWD) is standard across the board, all-wheel-drive (AWD) drivetrains, or xDrive, is possible for each trim—xDrive models will cost you more, though. Also standard is an eight-speed automatic transmission, but six-speed manual configurations can be found in every trim but the diesel and hybrid powertrain models.
Generally, the 2014 3 Series is praised for having a smooth ride and nimble handling. The fuel-saving stop/start feature does create a noticeable shudder—but this can be deactivated each time you start the car.
If you find a used 335i model with the turbo inline-6, you’ll hit 0-60 mph in a very respectable 5.4 seconds. The 328i turbo inline-4 is only slightly slower at 5.9 seconds while the 320i’s inline-4 slows it down to 7.1 seconds. Your ActiveHybrid 3 outshines the lot here at 5.2 seconds to 60 mph from nothing.
Though the diesel turbo is plenty powerful, it’s not much of an accelerator at around 7.3 seconds.
The 3 Series models with the most sport-tuned performances, of course, will be those equipped with the Sport or M Sport equipment lines. These models will cost you more, however, and are also a bit more difficult to find.
Fuel economy
The 2014 BMW 3 Series has very decent fuel efficiency in many of its engine and powertrain configurations. In fact, there are 328i trims out there that are considered super ultra-low emissions vehicles (SULEV) with an EPA estimated 23/35/27 MPG city/highway/combined fuel economy and an estimated 6.6 tons of CO2 emissions per year.
To be deemed a SULEV, these 2014 328is produced 90% fewer emissions than other gas-powered vehicles that year. Typically these models were sold in states that had more emissions requirements, however—like California and New York.
The most prevalent 2014 3 Series models on the used car market tend to be the automatic 335i (RWD and xDrive AWD) and 328i (RWD and xDrive AWD). Here’s a look at how their EPA estimated fuel economies compare:
- 2014 BMW 335i—22/32/25 MPG city/highway/combined
- 2014 BMW 335i xDrive—24/30/24 MPG city/highway/combined
- 2014 BMW 328i—23/34/27 MPG city/highway/combined
- 2014 BMW 328i xDrive—22/32/26 MPG city/highway/combined
If you can track one down, the diesel-powered 328d actually tops out fuel economy for the 2014 3 Series (even over the hybrid!)—earning an EPA estimated 37/32/45 MPG city/highway/combined. For comparison's sake, the ActiveHybrid 3 only gets 25/32/28 MPG.
Interior and comfort
The 2014 BMW 3 Series has one of the roomiest cabins you might find amongst entry-level luxury cars. Back seat passengers can stretch out with 35.1 inches of rear leg room while front row passengers can luxuriate with 42 inches.
Wood trim, a leather-wrapped tilt and telescoping steering wheel, and premium leatherette vinyl upholstery outfit the base trim. The 328i sedan has eight-way power-adjustable front seats (the 320i’s are manual), and all trims come with standard dual-zone automatic climate control and automatic wipers.
Packages are really where the comfort and convenience come in with a used BMW 3 Series. If you can find a model equipped with the Premium package, you can enjoy leather upholstery, keyless ignition, and four-way power lumbar support in the front seats. A 3 Series with the Cold Weather package adds in heated front and rear seats, and a heated steering wheel, too!
Standard trims of the 3 Series come with a 6.5-inch iDrive touch infotainment display, an auxiliary audio jack, and iPod/USB audio compatibility. You’ll need to find a 3 Series equipped with the Technology package for a built-in navigation system, however, but this comes with added perks like a head-up display, a higher-resolution 8.8-inch display, and included audio apps (like Pandora).
Safety
All trims and configurations of the 2014 BMW 3 Series earned the highest five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
That said, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had a few more reservations about the 3 Series’ safety. While it was awarded a top rating of “Good” for the 3 Series’ roof strength, head restraints and seats, side airbags, and head-on collision protection during crash testing, driver-side crash safety only received a “Marginal” rating.
All 3 Series models come with anti-lock brakes, a stability control system, and airbags in the front, side, side curtain, and front knee areas. The IIHS does note that the side curtain airbag lacks enough coverage for the driver, and the driver’s survival space is structured poorly—increasing the risk of left lower-leg injury.
Used models may have the Driver Assistance Plus package, however, which provides some extra safety tech to help prevent accidents from occurring. This includes:
- Front and rear parking sensors (also in Driver Assistance package)
- Rearview camera (also in Driver Assistance package)
- Side and top-view cameras
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Lane departure warning
- Driver drowsiness monitors
How to save on BMW insurance
Even with a used, entry-level luxury car like the 2014 BMW 3 Series, your
car insurance
premiums can run pretty high. In general, cars made with pricier materials, like aluminum, are more expensive to repair and replace—so insurers charge more to cover them. A
trustworthy insurance comparison app
, Jerry instantly finds the lowest rates available to you from over 55 leading insurers. Once you see a plan you like, simply select it through the app and our expert brokers will help handle all the calls and paperwork. The average Jerry user saves $800+ per year on car insurance, so it’s definitely worth it to keep those
BMW insurance costs
as low as possible! “Insurance companies originally charged me $189 while driving my BMW 300 miles per year. Thanks toJerry, I only pay $56! I’m so happy.” —Ray T.
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