Which is Best? BMW M340d vs M340i 0-60 & MPG Test | Diesel vs Petrol | 4k

[@JoeAchilles1]

I have added the "Thanks" button (above), small channel donations will help keep me going in 2024 ♥

[@srbs73]

I’ve had my M340i for nearly 3 years and still love it. I don’t do a lot of miles and happy with 38mpg on a long run. I think if you do a lot of miles, the M340d makes sense. After several diesels in a row, i just fancied a petrol car whilst they are still an option!

[@Csirkefoga]

38 mpg with a 340i?? Wow

[@2_wheels_fun]

Same as me. 3 years on the M340i after 20 years of 330D and love it

[@miguelosterroht]

I’m always around 30-32, lots of highway but also some mountain roads a bit more “spirited” driving

[@sandippatel1969]

After 20 years of diesel, I've finally taken the plunge with a M340i. That engine. Wow! I turned the fake noise off but it still sounds mighty. Getting 25 on short runs compared to 35 in my 69 plate 330d xdrive. Using super unleaded as I bought this car with my heart so I could run a petrol 6 pot before they're banned

[@DionWillz123]

I had an m340i as a hire car from work (lucky I know) and had it for 2 weeks. It was a 380 mile round trip and I averaged 43 mpg! And no I wasn’t driving like a granny either😂 Absolutely awesome car and I really did not wanna give it back.

[@iangoff5861]

My last 5 cars have been diesel, and last three BMW. 2 x 420d and now a M440d, thought about going full out for an M4. Truth is I can’t give up the diesel. And yes the combination of the engine and gearbox is a match made in heaven. Any excuse to drive it. Great review.

[@leemacdonald6533]

I'm debating between an M4 and a 340i, think it's going to be the xdrive that win it for me

[@iangoff5861]

@@leemacdonald6533 I actually went for an M4 in the end and it’s a competition so it’s an xdrive! So glad I did, the extra width the wheels and the power is incredible! If you can do it! It can still be a bit slippery in the wet I have gone sideways around roundabouts but this could be due to tyres as it’s currently on Pirelli’s! Good luck!

[@richlvtalbko51]

So good that a channel actually does a real-world mpg test, so it's so useful 👍

[@bimmer766]

You should NOT decide between 340i vs 340d based on power, torque and consumption, but based on your driving profile! The 340d needs almost double time to get warm, doesn’t like cold short rides, and due to egr/dpf needs sometimes rpm. It is efficient once warm and likes long higher rpm runs (german autobahn). If you gonna drive 340d in city on a short cold rides or constantly around 1200 rpm without proper motorway run, the engine will be dead before 200k km. I understand, that a first leasing owner doesn’t care, but I just wanted to add few words as a owner of an 2017 f31 330d with 300k+ km.

[@alanjackson2540]

What's with the uppercase and exclamation marks?

[@swansmeister]

@@alanjackson2540 Life and death situation. He also doesn't know shit about cars reading his points he thinks are valid. Yt mechanics are the worst.

[@OllieTT]

THIS is the video I’ve always wanted to see!

[@JoeAchilles1]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@ells-aviation]

That m340i has better fuel economy than my fiesta 1.0 eco boost bloody impressive !!

[@christaylor4946]

My only issue with my F31 335d is that it takes a good 15 mins driving to warm up, so on shorter journeys you aren’t even getting close to the claimed mpg figures. I don’t do the miles I used to post covid and does beg the question about moving away from diesel. But as a car that does everything, it’s superb

[@steve0680657]

Need a new thermostat. Get a Mahle or a Hella one.

[@christaylor4946]

@@steve0680657 I did that on my E90 330d which definitely helped, I’ll try and see about accessing temperatures first, was a hidden menu before, will investigate

[@steve0680657]

@@christaylor4946 I've found on multiple cars I've owned that thermostats last about 70,000 miles before they gradually start to let water pass when they should be closed.

[@christaylor4946]

@@steve0680657 I’m at 59k now July 2016, so I’ll dig further thanks 👌

[@steve0680657]

@@christaylor4946 wish you luck. There's no other causes though.

[@jonclark1091]

I've had my M340i for two years now. I don't do many miles which is why I chose the petrol over the diesel. I commute 2 days a week into London about 25 miles each way. Even in heavy rush hour traffic and queuing for the Blackwall tunnel I can still get 30 mpg over an hours journey and on a good day can get 36. On a rare long trip from Leeds to Kent I managed 47.7 mpg. Not bad for a 3litre petrol.

[@JoeAchilles1]

Hope you enjoy this one guys! Massive thanks once again to Jamie (the owner of the M340d Touring). Which one would you chose?

[@Chris-yg3nj]

It was a tough choice when making my decision. In the end the B58 won it for me 🏎️

[@TeacherToolkitDemo]

Better than the 20mpg in my 550bhp F82 haha. I would take the M340i.

[@cantjur]

I have driven both....and I have chosen the B58. Much better response and better sound.

[@msiegel]

Great video, both cars I love! I can't exactly say which car I would choose. Slightly lean towards the M340d. A range comparison would be interesting if both cars drove through 180 km/h on the German autobahn.

[@MrQuashu]

I took M340d and both hands for diesel 😁 .

[@stuartleonard1060]

I live in Germany, and diesel is around 10 to 15 Cent a litre cheaper. 340d makes a lots of sense here. Also, for the fast autobahns the diesel will be a lot cheaper to run.

[@peterhammer6915]

Here in Finland diesel is more expensive than petrol and also diesel car owners will have to pay an extra tax. Owning diesels here makes no sense and they are slowly dying here. Depreciation is massive.

[@thereallotharmatthae]

@@peterhammer6915That be no good. Diesel engines are awesome.

[@michaelbuck8804]

Love all of Joe’s videos my only issue with not just these kind of tests but car testing in general is performance is ALWAYS solely measured or at least displayed in 0-60/62 drag races. Which for cars you’re going to drag race (so probably neither of these) is all good. I wish they’d show more kind of real word performance in car videos. In gear speed, overtaking ability. 90% of people who buy cars like this use them on the motorways or back roads and want to know which is more competent for overtaking ‘Sunday Sammy’s’ who are happy cruising at 45 on a 60 road but the road might not have many straights so need to utilise the one chance they might get over the next 2-3 miles of bends. Tests like those for me are part of what define great performance cars.

[@302ci1968]

A long time ago, a French Speaking car magazine used to put, with the oure solo performance figures, an "overtaking" measure: the time necessary to pass a big truck driving at xx mph or km/h and the distance. And it was -not surprisingly- one of the most interesting measure. So, you're right, we need real life performance ;)

[@andrewhurstcars]

Great comparison Joe. The other advantage for high-mileage users for the M340d is having the 30% + extra range, so fewer fill-ups ⛽️. Ultimately it’s down to the owner’s mileage. M340i seems fine you’re doing less than 12,000 miles a year, but I’d want the M340d for more miles than that. Crazy that active cruise control is standard on a Golf, but an option on these 3 series. Should be standard. Edit: August '23 the diesel price has now equalised to petrol, so an even stronger case for the M340d.

[@TsLeng]

Adaptive cruise is standard on a lot of Skodas too.... BMW knows they can get away with charging lol

[@andrewhurstcars]

@@TsLeng yup, same goes for Porsche - optional extra on automatic cars.

[@em4703]

The diesel is also better at highway driving, not just MPG, but in a higher gearbox speed, that extra torque of the engine really makes a difference when accelerating/overtaking another car.

[@boemher15]

Id dispute that in this contest. The kick down on the ZF8 for the B58 and quick spool up for the petrol negates the torque advantage of the diesel. Remember HP x RPM beats NM especially when the ratios are close.

[@Alexdbre]

So I will get maybe a M340i , when budget allows it ofcourse next year or in 2 years (I'm between the C43 and this), like you said the diesel is good for people who drive a lot and the m340i for people who drive less, since I don't even drive 6k Kilometers per year the Petrol sounds like ultimate fun and ofcourse the Toyota Certified Engine in there... Still can't believe the Petrol does 6l and the Diesel 5l , those are big 3l engines with crazy HP! The RS3 with 400hp can't go under 10l , I'll tell you for sure that, so this is eye opening

[@paulaverill9998]

Fantastic video Joe ! I have had the M440d eight months now and doing 15k pa I am really pleased with my choice. I have averaged 46 mpg from new which I think is incredible. The day to day driving with all that torque is just immense. I love it more every day.

[@jamesbarnes8338]

I've never gotten that low from any petrol car.

[@nobotshere8364]

What a man for lending his car 👍

[@IMon503]

Really like the m340d. I currently have a f31 335d and it's such a good car everyday.

[@Durace11Bunny]

I have a stage 1 G31 530d X Drive (non hybrid) all M Performance spec etc and it dyno'd at 357bhp 780nm. Great review Joe, good to see! Keep up the good work mate

[@delk5024]

What brand/company did you use for the stage 1? How long have you been running it? Any issues to report? I have a mild Hybrid 530d and tempted by the stage 1.

[@Durace11Bunny]

@@delk5024 Hi, Almost 3 years, Zero problems DMS automotive.

[@Danny-js8uf]

I had a g31 530dx Drive for round about 2,5 years it was such a great car, honestly the best car i ever driven with power and luxury a sadly traded it for an x4 30d with is also great but i rly miss the space in the 530

[@Durace11Bunny]

@@Danny-js8uf Much loss in space? Is the cabin the same? Always saw them as a kinda 5series on stilts lol

[@Danny-js8uf]

@@Durace11Bunny nah its more like the 4 series it looks rly big from the outside but i cant sit in the back with 1.85m and your trunk is nearly the same as in the limo but way smaller than the touring

[@andrewmorton3177]

I run an f31 335d which I adore & one of these 2 are the only models I’d consider replacing it with, although personally I do prefer the pre LCI. They are both absolutely stunning vehicles but I’d probably go for the M340d but I do have concerns with the long term residuals because of the “bad press” diesel gets these days 🤔 Really enjoyed the video 👍🏻

[@xxzusxx]

Same love my F31 335d

[@markymark1940]

I have f32 435d and its incredible although mines sits at about 35mpg I don't get much more than that but love it still the same

[@grahamcawley9737]

Same here… I’ll only replace my 335d with one of these two. Really interested in the m340i this time though. Had diesels for 20 years so I think it’s time for a petrol, especially for that B58❤

[@andrewmorton3177]

@@markymark1940 I’m probably about the same with an average of 35ish but get the high 40s on a good run. To be fair even when you drive it more spiritedly 😇 I find it rarely goes below 30.

[@markymark1940]

@andrew morton same actually the lowest I've ever had is 26mpg with rocket performance that is fantastic 👌

[@FlickSpot]

Thanks

[@JoeAchilles1]

Thank you 🙏

[@bravz_]

Great, comprehensive, informative review with unbiased comparisons. I'm a diesel owner (435d) and I don't believe there is a better engine for power and economy that the BMW 6 cylinder derv units. Mine is slightly modded and gives 0-60 in 3.5 secs yet on a steady run will still still return 50mpg, something I need with a 100+ mile commute every day. Looking around prior to purchase there was nothing that came even close. A true "does everything" unit.

[@neilgardner3213]

I have the same car, superb.

[@ace_55581]

Had my M340d touring just shy of a year now. It’s a fabulous car. The torque is amazing, the mpg is mind blowing. My best on a commute home (41miles) was a staggering 75.9mpg. The petrol may be a little faster to 60 but it can’t get close to the efficiency of the diesel.

[@blairmcconachie]

that's bonkers economy Tony, fantastic car all round.

[@tom-fp2fv]

True but the 20p a litre extra for the diesel has to bring them closer

[@ace_55581]

@@tom-fp2fv yes the gap has got closer. But my car is averaging, since new, 58mpg. The petrols average, realistically, 27/28mpg. So my car is more than twice as efficient. Petrol would have to be half the cost per litre of diesel for them to break even. Not a paltry 20 odd pence.

[@GS-pk9rd]

​@@ace_55581 diesel more economical for sure, but no way its double the fuel economy. If you're driving to get 58 mpg average from a 340d you'd be getting high 30's from the i . My 340i averages 31.5 and that's with majority short trips in a hilly area, so 27/28 seems overly pessimistic.

[@ace_55581]

@@GS-pk9rd I’m basing it on what owners say in the various forums. I don’t have the M340i and I’ve never driven one on the commute I do. If I did I’d probably better 35mpg. But no two people drive the same so I averaged the results I’ve seen and compared it to my cars actual mpg.

[@Ryan-oe3mg]

Extra 20p a litre for diesel makes the running costs very similar. 100 miles would cost £14.88 in the diesel and £17.62 for the petrol with the figures you achieved. Problem in the uk is diesel depreciation is massive so I’d imagine you’d need to a significant amount of miles to offset the added servicing and depreciation costs. Still, love a big diesel but also loving my current b58👌🏻

[@PiOfficial]

Doesn’t apply to business users . If you have a fuel card it’s the same price. For example I’m paying 1.24ex vat this week which is 1.48 Inc vat for diesel.

[@BennyStLeger]

Similar price difference between diesel & petrol in Australia, so I would definitely go the petrol option.

[@anthonymeek4248]

And just like that in most places we are back to petrol / diesel price parity.

[@CentralScotlandEnduro]

As a current m340i owner, I must say, love the video again Joe! What you didn’t consider though, I think 90% of the m340i owners will probably fill with e5/super unleaded, where probably majority atleast of m340d owners will buy normal diesel (I find cheap petrol burns WAY quicker in this car and get a lot higher mpg (around 5) with Tesco momentum against cheaper petrol)… taking that into consideration might make even more sense for the diesel cost wise per mile…. Also what will depreciate more though 🤷‍♂️ my bet would be the diesel depreciating more than the petrol ⛽️ but who knows?

[@ozhoneybadger]

Good analysis on the fuel. Me personally would buy the diesel as well. Plenty of fun and the low down torque and fuel economy would win me over. Petrol probably best for someone that does a lot more racing keeping higher revs

[@commantrosexetlos4700]

The stage 2 option with 900nm on 340d its insane

[@commantrosexetlos4700]

@SUPPS2GO i dont know what eu companies can do it..i saw some in yt

[@commantrosexetlos4700]

@SUPPS2GO the funny thing is that most of the times 340d is more expensive than m340i..i read somewhere in forums that now they tune 340d without to sent the ECU.. Google it

[@franzke79]

Danke!

[@JoeAchilles1]

Thank you very much 🙏

[@da_great_mogul]

Very, very enjoyable MPG comparison. All I would add is it would be useful to compare the residual values of both petrol and diesel and then backward calculate how many miles you would need to do over the life of ownership to ensure that one engine betters the cost of the other.

[@richarddocherty5007]

I previously owned a 330d X drive touring F31 then ventured into a RS3 Sportback. I now have a G81 Alpina D3S Touring and it's the best car I've owned. Alpina have sprinkled their magic on the 340d.

[@azhariqbal6796]

All day any day m340i. I have owned both models. 340i is absolutely different animal more responsive more energetic. Waiting for my lci m340i 🚀

[@delk5024]

Another fantastic video! You give so much detail without ever getting bored or overwhelmed. I love my 2022 530d touring, its a real shame BMW don't do a M540d. One thing you can't argue with is, the petrol sounds so much nicer.

[@le_bosseur4996]

I had the m550d it was a rocket ❤

[@JKOOLjam1234]

Man I've been wanting to see this comparison since forever and it's like nobody else had done it. Love this!!!!

[@hadisidaoui5784]

That is motor journalism at its best, well done Joe! 👏

[@mocabrera]

Late to the party, but I like to see a 2.0i vs 2.0d also. Great work as always.

[@philipblunden6504]

Fabulous review, as ever, Joe. Got my m340i touring coming end of April. So happy I was able to tick the boxes for both the pan roof AND the m sports seats. Seems I made the right choice!! My offer is still there Joe if u want to do a direct comparison of your new beauty with mine to see where the extra £25-30k has been spent (especially if I can get a 3.92 out of an m340i touring!!)

[@Gijzzzzzzzzz]

Would absolutely love to see the comparison. Also with in gear rolling acceleration (340i torque). M3 will kill it on the track

[@Jssssssssss-x3z]

This is such a good video , really tricky as I consider finally replacing my 2016 435d x drive , petrol v diesel is no longer an easy debate

[@Krileee0]

Its really easy thought, if you have money to throw on the fuel always go for the petrol if consumpion is big thing for you go for diesel :)

[@Jssssssssss-x3z]

This is exactly what I’m saying is no longer the case though

[@Zaid394]

Did you make your mind up? I also have a 435d and still debating 😅

[@TheCrazyHarpers]

Great review Joe. Always impressive how you squeeze in so much detail and it’s clear you really care about the quality of your videos 👏🏼 Agree with another comment that it would be good to see in gear acceleration too. Real world tests need real world acceleration scenarios 😉

[@horstriesenhil3444]

I will get my used M340d Touring in 2 weeks and i‘m so excited and hyped to bring it on the german autobahn. 🎉

[@michalkoeal697]

Your opinion is so balanced that I can’t even imagine how you could have done it better. 👍

[@thoughtfuldog5424]

Detailed video as always ✅ Would be interesting to see these side by side with in-gear acceleration, rather than a 0-60.

[@00Seven1000]

Excellent video Joe! I was really looking forward to this one and it didn't disappoint. Thanks. I think an additional point to make is that these cars are both performance orientated and owners of these will inevitably drive them at pace. The MPG test driving normally proves a valid point but if you were to drive the same route at pace and having fun, accelerating hard etc, the 340d would be even more impressive and the fuel efficiency percentage difference would be even greater. My take is that 340d is essentially a marketed product for regular autobahn users, so for me, living in the UK, I think I would opt for an M340i.....In Tanzanite blue😃👍

[@WilliamsGarth]

Just returned from a 4600km (3000m) road trip in my 340d across the UK and Germany. In the UK I averaged 5.2l/100km (54mpg) with a mixture of motorway and spirited B road driving. In Germany I averaged 7.1l/100km (40mpg) on the autobahn, travelling at about 180-200km/h (112-125mph) where conditions allowed. My previous car was a turbo petrol, where the consumption seemed to go up exponentially as you increase speed. The diesel consumption seems to be more linear, so the benefits of running a diesel in countries with higher speed limits are even clearer.

[@jtwitchett]

I guess I'm pretty lucky as I have the m340d for daily duties but a B58 in a lighter car (m140i) for fun at weekends. For me, the perfect combo 😋

[@colla555]

Cool, that you just uploaded this video! I am currently contemplating whether to get a used M340i or M340d from 2019/2020. (will probably buy it next year). {since I've written my comment, now I can start watching the video 😁 )

[@biddyboy1570]

How many miles will you do? That deicides it for you. The M340i is the default for the sound of the B58. If you are going to do 20k miles a year and want to save money, get the D.

[@colla555]

@@biddyboy1570 probably somewhere around 15k miles. Additionally, here in Germany the diesel price was 15 cents higher than petrol per litre in the past months. But recently it declined to be on par or even some cents cheaper than petrol.

[@TheGingerdevil1]

This is a video I've been waiting for someone to do since they both came out! Thanks Joe!!

[@garysnell47]

Loved this comparison, would have liked 50-80 mph times as well because let’s face it, that’s what we all do mostly on our motorway commutes 😊

[@The_journeyy]

It's hard to say which one is best they're making such beautiful cars 👏

[@nickbutler7422]

Great video Joe, I decided on the M340i. Not much between the cars but I have had plenty of BMW oil burners in the past (in fact our other car is a 420d) and moved to a M135I a few years back and now to this. I guess if i did high mileage i would of given the M340d more consideration. Cant beat the sound of the B58 and the fun factor of the M340I.

[@KingSadim]

For me I would go with the 340i, purely because I do short trips and mainly urban driving. I bet the 340d is a sweet drive with all that torque.

[@thedrivebygg]

Awesome Joe, just what ive been waiting for. I think you did a great test and a fair test in all scenarios especially the mpg one. I’m a huge fan of how diesel cars pull effortlessly, and my 125D is no exception, but this 340D sounds so good, it would be a really hard choice. My 2014 125D still gets 45mpg on city driving and 50mpg on motorway which really works for me, and does 450 miles on a tank before I fill it up, I’m sure if I ran it dry it would achieve 550.

[@pakmancooper628]

I deliberated for ages over the d or i, but eventually chose the 340i Touring and swapped my X5M50d as mostly a direct swap. The new car is scheduled for next month and in Ermes Verde and thanks for that Joe, you convinced me to go for an individual, individual colour, along with the Msport seats in Cologne and pan roof..........your videos have been a real influence on me, much to the disapproval of the missus though🤣

[@anatomylee587]

Great video, I have had both ….. m340i petrol all day everyday! The petrol is just plainly more emotional to drive - thanks to the B58

[@johnt9783]

The massive sunroof is a must must must. Sunroof and the sport seats!

[@441stainesphil5]

What a brilliant and informative video, thanks Joe and Jamie

[@2Bunphettered788]

Jamie's color spec is excellent. 👌

[@alexm.2028]

Great video! It really answered some of my questions. Any chance you could do a comparison between m340i and m3? I'm really curious how much faster the M3 is and how much better does it feel through the corners.

[@mihakanzyani]

I second that! And how do they compare as a day to day cars? :)

[@johnmclaughlin2845]

I have drove both an own an m4 xdrive M cars are just on an other level for the driver and going fast comfortably worth every penny for the driver focused person

[@dinges8561]

I would love to see a comparison between the M3 touring and the Alpina B3 touring. The Alpina still has the good grill and does 0/100 in 3,7 sec

[@BM_PAZ]

For my the M340d makes absolute sense as I do a 150 mile commute daily. The cost savings at that mileage really become significant.

[@Hanns55644]

What a video!! Im currently trying to decide on which one to get next, they both have so much going for them im finding it hard to pick one over the other.

[@ace_55581]

If you do 15k + miles a year get diesel. If not, petrol 👍

[@nickainley1]

Great video Joe. Personally as a daily I think with the torque of the M340d just edges it for daily use. I've done 20K miles in my M340d and can easily manage over 55 MPG in Eco Pro Mode. Pretty much ticks all boves.

[@savas6386]

Hi,what's the point to drive 340d and chase mpg? I drive 320d ed and my mpg 37,but it can do 67mpg (tested over 200miles trip)

[@leooneill1693]

What is your tank range, thanks

[@TheChrisglasgow]

Hey can I ask what mpg you get in eco mode just driving around town ?

[@cedrichelsemans]

Hi Joe Achilles, Quick suggestion/tip, when you’re filming displays like your phone at 14:40 it flickers. It’s because your framerate of the camera that is filming your phone is too high (probably 60fps), try 30fps next time. That will resolve the flickering issue. Thanks for making these high quality content! Kind regards

[@nickcastleton7438]

Cracking video again Joe, I swopped my low mileage 68 plate 340i for my current 71 plate M 340D because I couldn’t hack the real world mpg of 22 I was getting in the i, oh and the immense torque which I missed from my 435d

[@jamesenglish8639]

Brilliant review , brilliant you tuber / journo whose opinion we can trust . Don’t ever sell out Joe we need honest real reviews like yours 👊🏻 I drove the ix the other week 🤢

[@Shaggy12321]

Brilliant video! very informative. Something I'd like to see, is the M340i Sedan vs M440i Coupe... I've seen a lot of M340i Sedan vs M440i GC, but there's very little, if any videos comparing the 2 and 4 door B58 3/4 series models, it's something i'm personally deciding between (and a few others online), and i'm really struggling to find any real comparisons.

[@jankohrajko]

I personally think that a huge plus going for M440i GC is the fact that you have a fifth door and thus much more usable boot space. I can see myself stucking a mountain bike into the 440i however the same would be impossible with the 3 series.

[@Graham_Shaw]

Honestly, I prefer the older shape, pre LCI

[@tim1king]

Both great engines! Neither is the wrong choice. Great video buddy

[@biddyboy1570]

I hate to disagree but... if you aren't doing lots of miles the D isn't the right choice.

[@SB_170]

Superb video Joe. Best one you’ve done in ages. Perfect video for me as I have an X3 M40i LCI and always wondered if I’d done the right thing with the i instead of a d. I also have the M seats 😊 and I love it!

[@intopicture]

Excellent video, thanks. The very important is reliability, just yesterday discussed it with AD here. They told they haven't had a single 40i failed, while having about the same fail rate for 30d/40d as for 20d. Really didn't expect that.

[@HozOp]

I've driven my 340D all over Europe for work. I would regularly get back to the UK with an average of 55mpg. Total mixture of driving conditions. Far eastern Poland and Hungary, Spain, through the Alps to Italy and of course flat out on the German Autobahn.

[@SteveTurner-xv4xy]

I have been running a M340d touring for just over a year ( previously ran the 335d touring for over 4 years ). Never had anything go wrong on the previous car, but the electronics on the M340d have been a little glitchy. One of the exhaust sensors went after 9 months, the head up display has decided not to work occasionally. Most recently the wipers have intermittently decided to turn themselves on when switched off. The car itself is beautiful to drive, like Joe eluded to, it is effortless and very refined returning an average 40.5mpg ( used mostly for shorter journeys ). It doesn't quite have the fun factor of the 335d.

[@samwharton3533]

great video. would love to see a direct comparison between the X3m40D/i and how they compare to the 3 series

[@gundy100]

During the fuel crisis I got 71mpg over 103 miles with my pre LCI G21 M340d in adaptive driving mode and 730 miles out of that 1 tank of fuel (with photo evidence of the driving data). Can't ever get it lower than 32mpg with heavily 'spirited' driving. For a car that Joe has proven can also do 0-60 in 4.69, and never feels like it runs out of diesel 'puff' and still sounds bloody good (don't get me wrong I'd love the M340i exhaust note) the engine with the mild hybrid is an absolute masterclass of engineering.

[@brendandevoy8178]

Great review as always joe . Here in Ireland 🇮🇪 cars are wildly more expensive than in the uk . That diesel 340d touring your driving is €100,000 and the 340i touring is €107,000 which equates to roughly £88000 and £95000 . For perspective the money you pay for these in the uk would buy a bmw 128ti hot hatch oh and the new m3 touring costs €160000 here because of a luxury car vat tax . Depressing or what 😢

[@odin5188]

Wow, so what do you guys do then? Buy used 2 year old car?

[@brendandevoy8178]

@@odin5188 well I suppose it depends on people circumstances.a 2 year old 340i would still cost €78000 ( there are 4 in the country) Pcp has become a big thing . Car leasing is not a thing here at all . I myself have a mk8 gti but it's €55000 here . I seen a high spec golf R the other day €93000 . You'll see loads of new 5 series E class etc ,the odd m3 or porche 911 ,quite a few taycan s actually but anything considered high end is loaded with tax . Insurance for young people is insane. My 19 year old nephew was quoted €3500 for Insurance on a 2011 fiesta diesel

[@RockfordFiles74]

It's a lot more fun to drive in Ireland though, decent roads and not nearly as much traffic as England. But yeah crazy price differential. UK cars are much cheaper than Spain too btw

[@tlrprice7]

Hello, I’m Tyler and I’m in the US. Which means I don’t have BMW wagons here and I’m not happy about it! Both of these cars are brilliant and amazing dailies!!! I would probably go M340d if I had to choose, I love the torque especially for getting through tall this traffic

[@mathilde3756]

Great video!! Love Jamie’s car and his insta. Would definitely recommend looking

[@mrjosto81]

Well done guys. Thank you for this comparison. This is what I was looking for. For now I´m driving 330d touring waiting for the M340i touring in Brooklyn grey that is ordered for summer.

[@pjmoody]

Thanks for sharing Joe. Very good comparison.

[@JoeAchilles1]

Thank you 👍

[@bairdotv]

I use my pano roof for 3 things. When it’s raining, in a car wash - kids love those things. And to check if my bikes are still there (most important benefit). Aside from that it adds significantly more noise - if cover is open. Personally I’d not bother with it next time. Better off having a more spacious interior and potentially improving handling

[@tristanmayor6302]

Not 100% sure on this, but I think the weight difference is mostly in the gearbox, not the engine block as the B57 and B58 blocks are very similar. The diesel uses the HP70 gearbox from ZF (indicating it's higher torque threshold of 700Nm), whereas the petrol uses a HP50 from ZF.

[@tomashley5869]

Very enjoyable as always Joe! Two brilliant cars, and yes, diesel still makes sense !

[@teryd5672n]

I have a 2022 530d and easily get low 50’s mpg on a run. I like the fact I can fill up and get between 6-700 out of a tank. I don’t often drive fast as I just enjoy it’s comfort when cruising.

[@realmusicreallife]

Forget that. I have a x5 40d and i drive it hard most times and the car loves it. I get best 26mpg. Mostly low 20's

[@bield7]

Good review. I chose the 340i over the diesel as I don’t do much mileage and prefer the i’s sound

[@MrQuashu]

When I saw pre LCI tests that Joe did I decided to order M340d and I'm now owner of M340d LCI.... It's so crazy good all rounder, it's simply incredible how good it is. I drove M340i and besides sound I don't see anything better, in day to day drive M340 feels and is simply faster. Yes with proper preparation m340i will pass over M340d but like I wrote i normal driving diesel is simply more capable. Thank You Joe for Yours review as now I can be happy owner of such great car.

[@michaelbuck8804]

Personally the M340d is better. I’ve only ever driven the petrol briefly and I noticed not every time but on occasions it downshifts if you go to floor it in gear to find the torque. Where haven been shotgun in my parents X3 M40d that torque is just there whatever the gear, which for real world driving is what you want. Don’t get me wrong the gear boxes are fantastic in these cars but I just prefer the way the power train works in the diesel. Sound, you’ll only ever hear in the cabin when it’s your car anyway so it’s not a game changer imo. You buy a car for sound and drag performance you’d just go for an M2 or M3

[@ace_55581]

@@layne4376and yet Joe just proved there’s barely anything in it. It’s 2 tenths of a second. You’ll be at illegal speeds a moment after.

[@component9008]

Which one is faster for everyday driving?

[@ace_55581]

@@layne4376 they both have the same limited top speed. But you can’t legally do it, so who cares.

[@ace_55581]

@@layne4376 like I said, who cares 🙄 you can’t drive 100mph legally in the UK anyway. #facts 😂

[@garryhayward-bird4618]

Awesome video again joe my m235i the 2 litre one on a run to my customer in Derby I have seen regular 40 plus mpg even a 50 mpg obviously driving like miss daisy on the m140 I had that was doing some witch craft as I seen 40 mpg regular Keep up the great video buddy

[@sxhrgvs]

I had an m340i and sold it due to fuel and running costs. Got a m135i instead, hoping it would be less thirsty. I’m really not convinced it is, at all, and kind of regret selling the m340. Ah well. The m340i was brilliant and I loved it, so if you have one, don’t sell it! If you’re buying one, be prepared for the fuel bill. Yes it “can” be economical, but it’s not a car to drive economically.

[@cobratrinity]

Yes! Here we go. A near 40 min video of two M tourings? Yes please! Good work Joe.

[@R8andGT3Fan]

I would have liked to see a "sporty driving" mpg duel, but that's the only thing I could add to this brilliant video! Amazing wagons!😎👏🏾

[@chrisgreen4258]

I’ve just ordered a black M340i with black leather, comfort and tech packs but I love this colour of leather, those M seats and the sun roof. Hopefully I can add them

[@goltyx]

Eco mode makes a massive difference in the m340i. I averaged 48mpg there and back between Yorkshire and wales. Still 40mpg + is easy if your steady

[@biddyboy1570]

True but it also removes all the power. I don't think the M340d suffers that way.

[@WelshBMWandAudiDriver]

I have had both of these, had the M340i and yes if you are careful it is alright on the juice. However, my current M340d I drive mostly in sport plus settings (Individual configuration of comfort for the suspension and steering, but powertrain and gearbox sports plus) and no matter how hard you drive it, I still don’t drop below 40mpg

[@biddyboy1570]

@@WelshBMWandAudiDriver my 335d was the same. Great engine. I don't drive as many miles anymore and missed the sound so we with the "i" this time. Probably be the last straight 6 I'll own. Going to enjoy it.

[@jrushen4235]

First class review. Outstanding piece of work.

[@davidbillberg2203]

Nice comparison! I prefer petrol.

[@bdamjan]

Great comparison, but as all of you testing cars nowadays, you forgot to check mpg at 100mph, which is normal travelling speed for us on EU motorways. My 340i is at 18.5 mpg, I would like to know what the number is for 340d Touring, since I would like to change my car for a newer one. Can't get the 340d for a test anywhere.

[@gw7624]

Loved the MPG test, I've been waiting for someone to do a real world comparison like this for ages now. Quite shocked by the result - I expected 10-15% difference, max. For anyone interested, the 34% difference in MPG and the assumed 15% difference in fuel price equates to the M340d costing ~14% less per mile to run.

[@bh4560]

So how much is that in pounds per week or month?

[@gw7624]

@@bh4560 If you were to spend £100 per week on petrol for the 340i, the 340d would cost you 100 * 0.86 = £86 per week assuming the same mileage and driving style/conditions.

[@bh4560]

@@gw7624 awe that's great. Thanks for the prompt response. Two incredible cars. 😍

[@biddyboy1570]

I think the unsurprising conclusion is; if you are doing lots of miles, get the D. Other than that get the "i" just for the sound.

[@ahlsn7346]

In real world the fuel cost is negligible to total owner cost of these cars. Get the one that drives the best.

[@harperium_3276]

You should do an X3M vs X5M video! Great video as always

[@RobBoothAutomotive]

First review of yours I've watched in a few months, due to work. Presenting is just getting better and better - excellent comparison review. Re acceleration, it would be interesting to see which car developed the most accelerative G-force. Wouldn't surprise me if it was the diesel.

[@Fa-uk5fb]

I just bought a 340d m sport 2024. Absolutely beautiful Had a 340d 2019 which gave me 40+ mpg

[@olicool11]

excellent timing, I'm currently deliberating this exact problem, It's really hard to choose!

[@KevinWillox]

I do a lot of miles in my M340i. Roughly 25k a year. I am averaging on a long drive of around 160 miles 40mpg. Thats just normal driving in comfort mode. For such a capable car that can switch from a family cruiser to a sport monster thats pretty decent mpg.

[@fifieuskadi]

Very good video Joe, as always. It's clear, objective and pro. Thanks for this.

[@ales5918]

The sound of the B58 alone, makes it an easy choice for me. I have had diesels and they are impressive. But never fun.

[@i.c.d.-videos1901]

Great video with a lot of details. I would take the 340D, mainly because of the mileage I drive each year.👍🏻

[@silimarina.]

have you taken into consideration the depreciation also? People start to move from diesel to petrol. Diesel already lost a huge % of the market share. Now it's around 30%, but 10 years ago it was around +50%. So you may find that when you take in consideration the resale value, the difference to be equal or even worse vs a petrol car.

[@i.c.d.-videos1901]

@@silimarina. Hello, In short, yes I have considered resale values. You are correct that the market of diesel cars sales is shrinking due to many factors. If you driver over 10,000 miles a year then the savings in fuel costs should start to add up. A trend seen so far in 2023 is the cost of diesel fuel growing / gapping when compared to petrol. If this continues then the petrol would be a more positive choice financially.

[@stevepearce6423]

Great video Joe. I did back to back tests when buying mine thanks to a good friend and dealer. I went petrol, having had years of diesels I’m so glad I did, performance, handling and sound was more obvious to me. I do less mileage these days also . I do get great economy and with 25k on clock now it’s even better. Agree tho there isn’t a wrong choice here

[@jimmyharris3238]

Great video Jo 👏👏 I’m looking @ both these cars @ the minute but do around 20k a year so the m340d is 👌

[@alastaircunningham6551]

Loved this. It’s been my genuine question for a year, after I swapped my G31 530d out for something else 😢 Looking forward to the M340d Touring I’ll buy in the next few months and keep it for 20 years + you’re not going to get something that good again (rightly or wrongly)