{"id":22447,"date":"2022-05-17T18:16:07","date_gmt":"2022-05-17T22:16:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=22447"},"modified":"2022-05-17T18:16:07","modified_gmt":"2022-05-17T22:16:07","slug":"photo-comparison-bmw-3-series-facelift-vs-pre-facelift","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=22447","title":{"rendered":"Photo Comparison: BMW 3 Series Facelift vs. Pre-Facelift"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ll admit to being apprehensive about the BMW 3 Series Facelift. The current G20-gen 3er is one of the most handsome, most BMW-like looking BMWs on sale, with its simple, understated good looks. I also loved its notched headlights, which are throwbacks to the E46\u2019s headlights. So the idea of BMW changing it, with how the brand\u2019s new designs have been lately, I was nervous the Bavarians would ruin the 3 Series.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, my apprehension was misguided, as this new LCI model looks great.\u00a0Now that it\u2019s been released, let\u2019s take a look at both cars, though, to see if the new LCI car is better looking than the pre-LCI car.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start up front, as that\u2019s where the most has changed. BMW basically replaced the entire front end of the G20 3 Series for the LCI. Its headlights are all new, its grille features different vertical bars, and its whole front fascia is different. But is it actually any better?<\/p>\n

To be honest, I think so. The new headlights are similar to those found on the 4 Series and lack the G20\u2019s original notches, the latter of which I always loved. And yet, I think these new ones look sharper, sportier, and more premium. The new grille bars are now doubled up, similar to those you\u2019ll find on modern M cars, which give it a more aggressive look. And the new lower front air intakes are not only larger but they\u2019re simpler, better proportioned, and feature more cohesive lines. As much as I like the pre-LCI G20 3 Series, I think the LCI is better looking.<\/p>\n

Out back, there\u2019s almost nothing to mention. The LCI 3 Series has a relatively large new fake diffuser. It looks fine. But that\u2019s about it. So it\u2019s a wash.<\/p>\n

Inside, though, the new 3 Series LCI gets the same new iDrive 8 infotainment system and digital gauges as the BMW iX and i4. Not only is it more high-tech, more functional, and easier to use, but it\u2019s better looking. The new gauges feature more a intuitive design, better looking graphics, and more customization.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s just a better setup overall. The only downside is the lack of physical climate controls in the new LCI version, which will annoy some enthusiasts. However, having used iDrive 8 for awhile now, it doesn\u2019t bother me as much. I\u2019d still prefer physical controls but, from my experience, the benefits of iDrive 8 out way the the downsides.<\/p>\n

All in, I think the new BMW 3 Series Facelift is better looking and higher-tech than the car it replaces. If I owned a pre-LCI car, I\u2019d think about trading it in for the LCI car. It\u2019s sharper, sportier, more cohesive, and has some nicer interior bits.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll admit to being apprehensive about the BMW 3 Series Facelift. The current G20-gen 3er is one of the most handsome, most BMW-like looking BMWs on sale, with its simple, understated good looks. I also loved its notched headlights, which are throwbacks to the E46\u2019s headlights. So the idea of BMW changing it, with how […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":22448,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22447","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22447","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=22447"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22447\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/22448"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=22447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=22447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=22447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}