BMW upgraded the 3-Series lineup in 2008 and made it ready for the Euro 5 norms that became mandatory starting with January 2009.
After four years on the market and a successful career, the German carmaker had to improve its engine lineup. As usual, it couldn’t refresh only the drivetrains, and it had to work on other areas as well.

At the front, the main difference was seen in the company’s “kidney” grille design, which featured rounded interior edges instead of the clear-cut style used before. BMW also included the grille’s chromed top rim in the front fascia, not on the hood as it was on the pre-facelifted version. The lower bumper area received a smiling cut instead of the straight one. Further modifications followed in the rear, where the new LED taillights featured smaller reversing lights.

Inside, the most visible change was for the automatic transmission selector. On the 2008 model, BMW adopted the joy-stick system used on the bigger brother 5-Series instead of the classic, linear style with a side gate for the manual mode. The optional iDrive system featured voice-controls and a set of buttons used for short-cuts to the menu.

Under the hood, the German carmaker offered a vast engine choice and started it with a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated gasoline unit that provided 136 hp, seven more than its predecessor. For turbo-diesel versions, BMW introduced a fuel-efficient 115 hp unit paired with a 6-speed manual. The all-wheel-drive versions were named as xDrive instead of xD or xI as before.