Real-world fuel economy

BMW 3 Series MPG: what owners actually get

Owners report 42.9 mpg from a BMW 3 Series, about 80% of the official figure. On its NEDC-tested engines that is 80%, about typical: the median NEDC-tested car in this 8,216-engine dataset returns 82%. The tables below give the figure for every engine and generation we hold. Add your own at the bottom and the averages get better for the next buyer.

42.9mpg

Real-world average, all engines

80%

of the official combined figure

19–72

Range reported by owners (mpg)

11,570

Owner submissions

Free advert check

Found a BMW 3 Series for sale?

Paste the advert and we read it against the BMW 3 Series’s known faults, its MOT history and the DVLA record, with the real-world 42.9 mpg from this page in the running-cost line, and tell you what the seller has not. Free, about a minute, no card.

Check a BMW 3 Series advert (free) →

Works with any listing: paste the text from AutoTrader, Gumtree, eBay, Facebook Marketplace or a dealer’s own site.

BMW 3 Series

2005–2012 · real average 40.7 mpg · owners report 21.0–59.0 mpg · 1,758 submissions

Engine	Official (NEDC)	Official (WLTP)	Real MPG	% of official	Owners report
316d	62.8	–	52.1	83%	–
318d	53.3–62.8	–	47.8	82%	–
318d Automatic	53.3	–	43.8	82%	–
318i	42.8–44.8	–	33.6	77%	–
318i Automatic	42.8	–	28.7	67%	–
320d	53.3–68.9	–	48.0	79%	–
320d Automatic	53.3	–	42.3	79%	–
320i	41.5–44.1	–	32.8	77%	–
320i Automatic	41.5	–	30.8	74%	–
325d	49.6	–	40.2	81%	–
325d Automatic	46.3	–	39.5	85%	–
325i	39.2	–	29.4	75%	–
325i Automatic	38.2	–	27.4	72%	–
330d	49.6	–	42.5	86%	–
330d Automatic	45.6	–	37.6	82%	–
330i	38.2	–	27.3	71%	–
335d	42.8	–	35.6	83%	–
335i	31.0–33.6	–	26.3	81%	–
335i Automatic	32.5	–	26.3	81%	–

BMW 3 Series Touring

2005–2012 · real average 41.9 mpg · owners report 20.0–60.0 mpg · 996 submissions

Engine	Official (NEDC)	Official (WLTP)	Real MPG	% of official	Owners report
318d	52.3–62.8	–	48.7	85%	–
318d Automatic	52.3	–	43.7	83%	–
318i	41.5–44.8	–	34.6	80%	–
318i Automatic	41.5	–	35.8	86%	–
320d	52.3–58.9	–	47.1	85%	–
320d Automatic	52.3	–	44.0	84%	–
320i	40.4–44.1	–	34.7	82%	–
320i Automatic	40.4	–	32.6	81%	–
325d	48.7	–	42.8	88%	–
325d Automatic	45.6	–	40.1	88%	–
325i	38.7	–	31.5	81%	–
325i Automatic	37.2	–	26.7	72%	–
330d	47.9	–	40.7	85%	–
330d Automatic	44.8	–	38.1	85%	–
330i	37.2	–	27.9	75%	–
335d	42.2	–	34.6	82%	–
335i	30.4–33.2	–	29.1	92%	–
335i Automatic	32.5	–	26.5	81%	–

BMW 3 Series Coupe

2006–2012 · real average 36.6 mpg · owners report 20.0–58.0 mpg · 733 submissions

Engine	Official (NEDC)	Official (WLTP)	Real MPG	% of official	Owners report
318i	44.8	–	29.3	65%	–
320d	58.9–60.1	–	48.5	81%	–
320d Automatic	53.3	–	44.0	82%	–
320i	42.8	–	33.1	77%	–
320i Automatic	41.5	–	29.6	71%	–
325d	49.6	–	44.7	90%	–
325d Automatic	46.3	–	38.5	83%	–
325i	39.2	–	28.6	73%	–
325i Automatic	38.2	–	28.4	74%	–
330d	49.6	–	41.7	84%	–
330d Automatic	45.6	–	39.3	86%	–
330i	38.9	–	29.9	77%	–
330i Automatic	37.7	–	28.1	74%	–
335d	42.8	–	35.1	82%	–
335i	31.0–33.6	–	26.6	82%	–
335i Automatic	33.6	–	25.8	77%	–

BMW 3 Series Convertible

2007–2012 · real average 34.2 mpg · owners report 19.0–57.0 mpg · 375 submissions

Engine	Official (NEDC)	Official (WLTP)	Real MPG	% of official	Owners report
318i	36.2	–	32.7	90%	32.0–34.0
320d	44.8–55.4	–	47.5	95%	38.1–57.0
320d Automatic	50.4	–	42.0	83%	31.3–47.8
320i	30.1–41.5	–	32.1	90%	25.2–40.2
320i Automatic	38.7	–	28.6	74%	22.0–35.0
325d	46.3	–	40.0	86%	31.0–47.2
325d Automatic	44.1	–	38.6	88%	32.0–44.5
325i	29.4–37.7	–	27.0	81%	–
325i Automatic	35.8	–	28.4	79%	21.4–34.4
330d	40.4–46.3	–	40.9	94%	–
330d Automatic	44.1	–	36.5	83%	27.0–44.1
330i	29.4–36.2	–	25.2	77%	–
330i Automatic	34.4	–	26.5	77%	22.0–32.0
335i	29.7–32.1	–	27.4	89%	23.4–31.7
335i Automatic	32.1	–	24.3	76%	18.7–29.7

BMW 3 Series

2011–2018 · real average 44.6 mpg · owners report 22.0–72.0 mpg · 3,372 submissions

Engine	Official (NEDC)	Official (WLTP)	Real MPG	% of official	Owners report
316d	60.1–62.8	–	51.6	84%	38.8–64.0
316d Automatic	61.4–64.2	–	45.1	72%	–
316i	47.9	–	35.3	74%	27.5–42.0
316i Automatic	47.9	–	33.8	70%	28.0–39.0
318d	61.4–64.2	–	51.2	82%	38.1–62.0
318d Automatic	61.4–64.2	–	48.3	77%	–
318i	45.6	–	37.4	82%	29.0–46.5
318i Automatic	47.1	–	39.5	84%	29.0–44.4
320d	58.9–64.2	–	51.1	83%	–
320d Automatic	60.1–64.2	–	49.5	80%	–
320d EfficientDynamics	62.8–68.9	–	58.2	88%	43.4–71.7
320d EfficientDynamics Automatic	61.4–68.9	–	56.4	86%	42.8–69.0
320d xDrive	57.6–62.8	–	45.5	76%	34.1–56.0
320d xDrive Automatic	54.3–60.1	–	44.3	77%	33.3–55.0
320i	43.5–47.9	–	33.0	72%	25.1–41.1
320i Automatic	47.1–48.7	–	35.3	74%	27.0–42.5
320i EfficientDynamics	53.3	–	40.5	76%	31.8–50.0
320i EfficientDynamics Automatic	52.3	–	43.5	83%	35.0–53.8
320i xDrive	41.5–42.8	–	31.4	74%	–
320i xDrive Automatic	43.5–46.3	–	31.7	71%	25.0–39.5
325d	57.6	–	48.8	85%	39.0–58.0
325d Automatic	61.4	–	49.4	81%	45.0–56.5
328i Automatic	44.8	–	32.0	71%	–
330d	57.6	–	43.1	75%	32.5–53.5
330d Automatic	51.4–56.5	–	43.5	81%	33.6–54.0
330d xDrive	54.3	–	42.1	78%	32.5–52.0
330d xDrive Automatic	48.7–53.3	–	38.9	76%	–
330e	134.5–148.7	–	50.7	36%	–
330i	43.5	–	32.5	75%	25.0–39.0
330i Automatic	46.3–48.7	–	35.6	75%	–
335d	52.3	–	38.5	74%	29.0–48.0
335d xDrive Automatic	45.6	–	39.9	88%	30.0–49.0
335i	35.8	–	28.9	81%	22.0–34.0
335i Automatic	39.2	–	31.6	81%	24.8–36.0
340i	36.7	–	28.1	76%	21.5–35.4
340i Automatic	38.2	–	27.8	73%	21.8–34.0
ActiveHybrid	47.1–47.9	–	31.0	65%	25.0–35.0
ActiveHybrid 3	47.9	–	35.2	73%	30.0–45.0

BMW 3 Series

2012–2019 · real average 45.0 mpg · owners report 22.0–71.0 mpg · 2,587 submissions

Engine	Official (NEDC)	Official (WLTP)	Real MPG	% of official	Owners report
316d	60.1–62.8	–	51.6	84%	–
316d Automatic	61.4–64.2	–	45.1	72%	–
316i	47.9	–	35.8	75%	–
316i Automatic	47.9	–	33.8	70%	–
318d	61.4–64.2	–	51.5	82%	–
318d Automatic	61.4–64.2	–	47.9	76%	–
318i	45.6	–	37.9	83%	–
318i Automatic	47.1	–	42.9	91%	–
320d	58.9–64.2	–	51.4	84%	–
320d Automatic	60.1–64.2	–	49.9	80%	–
320d EfficientDynamics Automatic	61.4–68.9	–	56.4	87%	–
320d xDrive	57.6–62.8	–	45.5	76%	–
320d xDrive Automatic	54.3–60.1	–	45.0	79%	–
320i	43.5–47.9	–	33.1	73%	–
320i Automatic	47.1–48.7	–	36.0	75%	–
320i EfficientDynamics	53.3	–	41.8	78%	–
320i EfficientDynamics Automatic	52.3	–	42.6	81%	–
320i xDrive	41.5–42.8	–	31.4	75%	–
320i xDrive Automatic	43.5–46.3	–	31.7	71%	–
325d	57.6	–	48.3	84%	–
325d Automatic	61.4	–	49.4	81%	–
328i	44.1	–	31.3	71%	–
328i Automatic	44.8	–	32.3	72%	–
330d	57.6	–	42.9	74%	–
330d Automatic	51.4–56.5	–	43.3	80%	–
330d xDrive	54.3	–	42.8	79%	–
330d xDrive Automatic	48.7–53.3	–	38.8	76%	–
330e	134.5	–	51.9	39%	–
330i	43.5	–	29.8	68%	–
330i Automatic	46.3–48.7	–	34.6	73%	–
335d	52.3	–	37.9	73%	–
335d xDrive Automatic	45.6	–	39.9	87%	–
335i	35.8	–	29.5	82%	–
335i Automatic	39.2	–	31.6	81%	–
340i	36.7	–	28.4	77%	–
340i Automatic	38.2	–	28.5	74%	–
ActiveHybrid	47.1–47.9	–	34.0	72%	–
ActiveHybrid 3	47.9	–	35.2	73%	–

BMW 3 Series Touring

2012–2019 · real average 44.4 mpg · owners report 24.0–68.0 mpg · 1,022 submissions

Engine	Official (NEDC)	Official (WLTP)	Real MPG	% of official	Owners report
316d	58.9–60.1	–	45.6	77%	40.0–54.1
316d Automatic	60.1	–	51.3	85%	–
316i	45.6	–	45.0	99%	–
316i Automatic	45.6	–	–	–	–
318d	58.9–61.4	–	48.8	81%	39.0–59.1
318d Automatic	58.9–62.8	–	50.9	84%	43.6–59.0
318i	44.1	–	36.0	82%	31.8–40.0
318i Automatic	45.6	–	33.8	74%	28.0–40.0
320d Automatic	55.4–62.8	–	48.0	81%	36.0–58.0
320d EfficientDynamics	60.1–65.7	–	57.4	91%	43.0–68.0
320d EfficientDynamics Automatic	58.9–65.7	–	54.1	87%	–
320d xDrive	55.4–57.6	–	46.0	81%	38.0–58.0
320d xDrive Automatic	52.3–57.6	–	45.1	82%	35.0–55.0
320i	40.9–44.8	–	37.3	87%	29.0–45.8
320i Automatic	42.8–47.9	–	36.6	81%	28.0–41.8
320i xDrive	38.7–40.9	–	29.9	75%	24.0–36.2
320i xDrive Automatic	42.2–43.5	–	31.1	73%	–
325d	55.4	–	44.3	80%	39.5–49.7
325d Automatic	58.9	–	43.9	75%	–
328i	41.5	–	31.1	75%	28.4–33.8
328i Automatic	43.5	–	32.8	75%	26.0–41.6
330d	52.3–55.4	–	42.8	80%	–
330d Automatic	49.6–53.3	–	42.9	83%	–
330d xDrive Automatic	47.1–51.4	–	40.0	81%	–
330i	42.2	–	36.8	87%	33.0–38.9
330i Automatic	44.8–46.3	–	31.5	69%	25.0–36.0
335d xDrive	50.4	–	39.6	79%	30.1–46.4
335d xDrive Automatic	44.8	–	40.4	90%	31.0–50.0
335i	34.9–41.5	–	28.8	75%	–
335i Automatic	37.2–43.5	–	28.6	71%	27.0–30.1
340i Automatic	36.7	–	31.4	86%	24.4–38.0

BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo

2013–2020 · real average 42.4 mpg · owners report 23.0–64.0 mpg · 286 submissions

Engine	Official (NEDC)	Official (WLTP)	Real MPG	% of official	Owners report
318d	61.4–62.8	–	51.8	83%	–
318d Automatic	57.6–64.2	–	55.2	91%	–
320d	56.5–60.1	–	49.0	84%	–
320d Automatic	56.5–62.8	–	49.1	82%	36.9–56.8
320d xDrive Automatic	60.1	–	42.4	71%	35.0–51.0
320i	42.2–45.6	–	35.6	81%	26.6–41.0
320i xDrive	39.2–41.5	–	30.7	76%	25.0–34.3
320i xDrive Automatic	42.2–44.1	–	30.1	70%	–
325d	54.3	–	53.7	99%	–
325d Automatic	55.4	–	43.7	79%	–
328i	34.9–42.2	–	33.3	86%	–
328i Automatic	36.7–44.1	–	30.9	76%	23.0–36.0
330d	48.7–54.3	–	42.6	83%	32.0–51.0
330d xDrive	47.1–51.4	–	42.5	86%	36.9–50.0
330i Automatic	43.5–47.1	–	36.5	81%	35.7–38.0
335d xDrive	49.6	–	39.5	80%	29.0–44.0
335i	34.9–41.5	–	–	–	–
335i Automatic	36.7–43.5	–	38.4	96%	–
340i Automatic	37.2–40.4	30.1–31.7	–	–	–

BMW 3 Series GT

2013–on · real average 42.7 mpg · owners report 23.0–64.0 mpg · 240 submissions

Engine	Official (NEDC)	Official (WLTP)	Real MPG	% of official	Owners report
318d	61.4–62.8	–	51.9	84%	–
318d Automatic	57.6–64.2	–	54.0	89%	–
320d	56.5–60.1	–	49.3	85%	–
320d Automatic	56.5–62.8	–	49.0	82%	–
320d xDrive Automatic	60.1	–	43.1	72%	–
320i	42.2–45.6	–	35.7	81%	–
320i Automatic	44.8–47.9	–	30.2	65%	–
320i xDrive	39.2–41.5	–	30.1	75%	–
320i xDrive Automatic	42.2–44.1	–	30.0	70%	–
325d	54.3	–	53.7	99%	–
325d Automatic	55.4	–	43.7	79%	–
328i	34.9–42.2	–	33.3	86%	–
328i Automatic	36.7–44.1	–	30.9	76%	–
330d	48.7–54.3	–	42.0	81%	–
330d xDrive	47.1–51.4	–	42.6	86%	–
330i Automatic	43.5–47.1	–	36.6	81%	–
335d xDrive	49.6	–	40.0	81%	–
335i	34.9–41.5	–	–	–	–
335i Automatic	36.7–43.5	–	38.4	96%	–

BMW 3 Series

2018–on · real average 45.4 mpg · owners report 26.0–66.0 mpg · 174 submissions

Engine	Official (NEDC)	Official (WLTP)	Real MPG	% of official	Owners report
318d	–	57.6–62.8	50.9	84%*	–
318d Automatic	–	54.3–55.4	47.1	86%*	46.1–48.0
318d MHEV Automatic	–	57.6–62.8	–	–	–
318i Automatic	–	44.1	30.5	69%*	–
320d	62.8–64.2	55.4–57.6	52.2	92%*	–
320d Automatic	65.7–67.3	54.3–55.4	52.1	95%*	–
320d MHEV Automatic	–	56.5–61.4	59.1	100%*	59.6–60.0
320d MHEV xDrive Automatic	–	54.3–57.6	–	–	–
320d xDrive Automatic	61.4–62.8	51.4–52.3	46.6	90%*	38.0–58.5
320i Automatic	–	41.5–44.1	41.0	96%*	32.2–48.0
320i MHEV xDrive Automatic	–	40.9–42.2	–	–	–
320i xDrive Automatic	–	39.2–42.2	–	–	–
330d Automatic	–	47.9	–	–	–
330d MHEV xDrive Automatic	–	51.4–53.3	–	–	–
330d xDrive Automatic	–	51.4	47.3	92%*	43.0–49.6
330e	–	201.8–217.3	48.4	23%*	40.0–59.4
330i Automatic	47.9	41.5–43.5	37.8	89%*	30.0–45.1
340i	–	34.9	33.5	96%*	30.5–36.0
M340d xDrive	–	36.7–47.1	46.6	111%*	37.0–53.0
M340i xDrive	–	35.3	31.9	90%*	29.0–32.2

BMW 3 Series Touring

2019–on · real average 47.8 mpg · owners report 31.0–62.0 mpg · 27 submissions

Engine	Official (NEDC)	Official (WLTP)	Real MPG	% of official	Owners report
318d Automatic	–	49.6–58.9	–	–	–
318d MHEV Automatic	–	57.6–58.9	–	–	–
318i Automatic	–	42.2	–	–	–
320d	–	52.3–55.4	–	–	–
320d Automatic	–	50.4–52.3	49.2	96%*	46.9–48.0
320d MHEV Automatic	–	54.3–58.9	51.5	91%*	–
320d MHEV xDrive Automatic	–	48.7–57.6	–	–	–
320d xDrive Automatic	–	48.7–51.4	–	–	–
320i Automatic	–	40.4–42.2	42.5	103%*	–
330d Automatic	–	42.8–54.3	–	–	–
330d MHEV Automatic	–	52.3–56.5	–	–	–
330d MHEV xDrive Automatic	–	48.7–51.4	–	–	–
330d xDrive Automatic	–	43.5	–	–	–
330e	–	188.3–217.3	61.0	30%*	60.0–62.0
330e xDrive	–	156.9–201.8	–	–	–
330i Automatic	–	39.2–40.9	–	–	–
M340d xDrive	–	35.3–45.6	47.5	117%*	43.0–55.0
M340i xDrive	–	34.0	33.3	98%*	–

All figures in miles per gallon (UK). “Owners report” is the spread of individual submissions for that engine. * Measured against the WLTP figure rather than NEDC.

Add your BMW 3 Series Real MPG

What does yours actually do? Read it off the trip computer over a full tank or work it out from litres and miles. No postcode, no sign-up. The more people add, the better the averages get, and this page stays free.

BMW 3 Series fuel economy questions

What is the real-world MPG of a BMW 3 Series?

Owners report an average of 42.9 mpg across all BMW 3 Series engines with data, about 80% of the official combined figure. The engine tables on this page give the figure for each engine and generation.

Why is the BMW 3 Series real MPG lower than the official figure?

Official figures come from a laboratory test cycle, not the road. Cold starts, short trips, hills, load, tyres and driving style all cost fuel the test does not see. A gap of 10 to 30 per cent is normal; a much bigger gap on one engine usually points at a fault, a heavy right foot, or a diesel that never gets warm.

Where did the Honest John BMW 3 Series Real MPG page go?

The site closed in August 2026 and its Real MPG section went with it. This page is where the BMW 3 Series figures now live: rebuilt from the archived dataset, with the official figures kept alongside, and reopened for new submissions.

Looking at a BMW 3 Series right now? Check the advert before you go and see it.

Where the BMW 3 Series figures come from

If you used the Honest John Real MPG section before the site closed in 2026, this is where the BMW 3 Series figures now live. The owner-reported averages above were rebuilt from the archived dataset (archived page, 2026-08) alongside the official NEDC and WLTP figures and new submissions from CarAdCheck readers, and the section is open so they keep improving. Real-world figures also feed the running-cost estimate in our free advert check.

CarAdCheck is not affiliated with Honest John or Volkswagen Financial Services. How we rebuilt Real MPG.

Other BMW models

BMW 1 Series42.2 mpg BMW 2 Series40.7 mpg BMW 4 Series39.2 mpg BMW 5 series41.0 mpg

Before you go and see it

Fuel economy is one line on the BMW 3 Series running-cost sheet. These guides cover the checks that stop you buying the wrong one.

How to haggle for a used car: negotiate the price with what its records show13 min read HPI check vs carVertical: which is better, and our pick for a UK car9 min read MOT advisories explained: how to check them, and which ones should worry you12 min read

All buyer's guides →