Much like its electrified SUV counterpart, the 2017 BMW 330e iPerformance plug-in hybrid (say that five times fast…) is the 3 Series of the future, like it or not.  The way fuel economy regulations are going – or the planet, for that matter – soon virtually every new vehicle will have to be battery-aided, no matter how cheap gas continues to be.  FOLLOW DAILY NEWS AUTOS ON FACEBOOK. 'LIKE' US HERE.  Interference from a certain President-elect aside, plug-in hybrids represent the way of the immediate future, and if you’re going to have a hybrid, you might as well make it one from a brand you can trust.  With that in mind, BMW has folded its 3 Series plug-in under the umbrella of their iPerformance sub-brand as an attempt to add the letter i to everything electrified that they make. No longer known as the ActiveHybrid 3, the 330e iPerformance gets the same updated treatment as all 2016-and-later 3 Series models, including new headlights and taillights, packaging options and features.  But is it still the same standard-bearer that luxury buyers (or lessees, more realistically) have come to know and love? I took the wheel for a week to find out if electrification can have a drastic effect on a tried-and-true formula or not.  There are some vehicles in the automotive world that have become the default in their segment, most through decades of consistent excellence in delivering customers what they actually want. Need an off-road capable SUV? The Jeep Wrangler is really your only choice. Is a midsize sedan more your speed? Toyota will be happy to get you into a new Camry today. Want the biggest, cushiest luxury ride possible? Two words: Range. Rover.  After just over 40 years of persistence, the BMW 3 Series has come to define what customers expect in a small, luxury sports sedan, so much so that every newcomer to the segment is instantly subjected to the BMW bar to see if it holds up.  But plug-in hybrids are a relatively new field, and converting a compact sports sedan into one was something unheard of even 10 years ago. With such a new and unique challenge, can BMW make as good a hybrid sports sedan as they make a gas-powered one?  The short answer is: absolutely, they can. In fact, it’s so hard to tell the difference between the 330e and a “regular” 3 Series that many passersby may never even notice that you’re whisking by on electric-aided power. The only differing visual cues are the “eDrive” badges on both D-pillars, an “e” next to 330 where an “i” would normally be found, and the charging port door on the front left side.  There’s nary a cue inside either, save an eDrive button below the shifter that lets you cycle between automatic, minimum and maximum electric power modes, and the charging cable bag inside the admittedly smaller trunk that’s been compromised to make room for extra batteries. This is still a 3 Series above all else, no gimmicky eco-meters and blue or green cues everywhere to remind you that you’re helping to save the planet.  It’s a tired trope, but not every hybrid is an underpowered Prius struggling to get up a hill. In fact, three of the world’s fastest cars – the McLaren P1, Ferrari LaFerrari (ugh, that name), and Porsche 918 Spyder – all use electric power to push the boundaries of four-wheeled speed.  Okay, so this BMW isn’t quite in the same class as the aforementioned trio, but it is a BMW after all, so there’s got to be some semblance of “Ultimate Driving Machine” in there. Fortunately there is, as this is one of the most enjoyable plug-in hybrids I’ve ever gotten my hands on.  Power comes from BMW’s 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder, which makes 181 horsepower on its own, the same engine found in the low-end 320i sedan. The electric drivetrain adds an extra 87 horsepower for a total net output of 248 horsepower (yes, those numbers don’t add up, but some power is lost in transition from electric to hybrid mode).  But the real star of this power equation is the torque, and as with any electricity-aided car, the final output is more than adequate. The gas engine makes 214 lb.-ft. on its own, and with an overboost capacity of 184 lb.-ft. (continuous electric torque output is 74 lb.-ft.), the total system torque output rises to 310 lb.-ft., just 22 shy of the range-topping (not including the M3) 340i. That’s good for a 0-60 mph sprint of just around 6 seconds. Not too shabby for a hairdryer.  Of course, as BMWs do, this 3 Series is a blast to throw around a corner as well, with excellent balance for a four-door car and minimal body roll. The steering rack is a bit light on center, and doesn’t provide much feedback regardless of driving mode, but the 330e will still go exactly where you point it every time. This is no M3, though, but the time-tested idea that you can have as much fun in a cheap 3 Series as you can in an M car still rings true.  Even though it’ll almost outrun a 340i – which packs a turbocharged straight-six, mind you – the 330e won’t break the bank at the pump, or the charging station for that matter. But don’t expect to see Prius-level efficiency gains, especially if you drive this thing like a BMW.  The 7.6 kWh lithium ion battery pack takes up space in the cargo area, reducing trunk space to 13 cubic feet, but is still wide and long enough to fit two large suitcases side by side, barely. The batteries also at about 353 pounds to the overall weight, which isn’t a heinous inflation, but that means you’re essentially dragging around two extra adults when the battery is out of juice, a serious tax on the small four-cylinder.  On a full charge, which BMW says takes 6 or 7 hours using a conventional home outlet or as low as 2.5 hours on a fast charger (one of which is available through BMW for $1,100), the electric powertrain can motivate the 330e for 14 miles at a speed of up to 75 mph. That’s enough to putter around a city or for some peoples’ relatively short commutes, and if you can plug the car in at work, you’re sitting pretty.  BMW’s iPerformance system can also use your programmed GPS route to figure out the most efficient way to drive on your journey. For example, it can put the car in Save Battery mode (as opposed to Auto eDrive which designates for you and Max eDrive which is all-electric) while on the highway portion of your route so you have more electric power when you go gas-free in a city for the biggest efficiency gains.  Unfortunately, when the gas engine is asked to do duty as well, the extra weight of the batteries helps to overtax the little four-cylinder, so I only averaged about 30 mpge in combined driving, though BMW claims the 330e will do 72 mpge on a full charge. That’s a big drop, and has a lot to do with the range of driving. If you surpass the 14 miles, the gas engine starts to bear a greater load, and can bring the overall average way down, even though you started the journey gas-free.  As it stands, that’s only 8 or 9 mpg (equivalent, mpge is calculated to account for kilowatt-hours of energy) more efficient in combined driving than a 320i sedan. Yes, you get increased performance and the ability to go gas-free, but for $10,000-$15,000 more expensive, will the gas money saved be worth it? Not if prices stay this low for a while longer…  Speaking of dollars and sense, my test car for the week rang in at $60,245 (including $995 destination charge). That’s with over $15,000 worth of options and fees, from the paint and leather to driving assistance features like blind spot detection, adaptive cruise control, surround-view cameras and a head-up display. For comparison, a 320i xDrive would run you only $45,000 with similar features.  Fortunately, the 330e benefits from being tax credit eligible thanks to its electric drivetrain, and that translates to about $4,000 from the federal government and various additional amounts depending on the state you reside in, but that’s still about $10,000 more for a relatively small fuel economy gain.  The other value issue with the 330e is with its competition, or rather the strides the competition has made in terms of quality while BMW has kept the same model around for years. The Audi A4, Jaguar XE, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class all feel newer and nicer than the plastic-laden 3 Series, and while a new Bimmer is due in the next year or so, the gap is starting to become very noticeable.  However, if you’re the type to dwell in the future instead of the here and now, this could be the perfect time to snatch up a hybrid 3 Series. Incentives are high, and BMW dealerships are likely to be scrambling to sell (or more likely lease) them away because gas remains cheap and Americans can’t stop buying SUVs. Opt for a plug-in now, and you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank when the price per gallon inevitably shoots back up.  And as far as plug-ins go, you could do much worse than the “Ultimate Driving Machine.”  Did you find this article helpful? 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The 2017 330e adds 14 miles of all-electric range and hybrid benefits to the 3 Series, and thankfully, it remains true to BMW’s character.