The Lemon Index
BMW's 2.0 L single twin-scroll turbo inline-4 in the 2 Series, 3 Series, 4 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series, X1, X2, X3, X4, Z4, model years 2016–2026. Fewest owner complaints per car: the 2017. YouTube likes the 2023 best.
A safer bet: YouTube owner tone 57/100, #16 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the top third); no engine-related recall on record, 1 known issue listed below.
Reliability by year
YouTube videos are most positive about the 2023 (60) and least about the 2018 (52); neighboring years share many of the same videos, so small gaps mean little.
Owners and YouTube disagree: owner complaints favor the 2017, YouTube favors the 2023.
Owner score = the whole car's Lemon Index where this was its only engine that year; a gray dot means the model shared engines, so the number isn't this engine's alone. How we count
How each number is matched to the engine: (a) complaints filed under a version name that used only this engine that year (e.g. "335I"); (b) the model had only this engine that year, so its Lemon Index (complaints per car sold vs the average car) applies to every car with this engine; "all engines combined" = the model had several engines under one name, so its number is not this engine's alone. Owner complaints cover the whole car (brakes, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine. None of these is a failure rate. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts that name the engine or a version that used it. A video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of its generation, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars with it | Owner complaints | Complaints naming "B48" | YouTube says | Top complaint areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | BMW 3 Series 330e BMW X1 X1 xDrive28i | Index 76 (b: whole-car score; BMW X1 had only this engine) | 0 | 56 (9 videos, 7 naming 2016) | other, transmission & drivetrain, visibility/wiper |
| 2017 | BMW 3 Series 330e, 330i, 330i xDrive BMW 5 Series 530i, 530i xDrive BMW 7 Series 740e xDrive BMW X1 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i BMW 4 Series 430i, 430i xDrive BMW 2 Series 230i, 230i xDrive | Index 71 (b: whole-car score; BMW X1 had only this engine) | 5 | 56 (61 videos, 48 naming 2017) | other, transmission & drivetrain, engine |
| 2018 | BMW 3 Series 330e, 330i, 330i xDrive BMW 5 Series 530e, 530e xDrive, 530i, 530i xDrive BMW 7 Series 740e xDrive BMW X3 X3 xDrive30i BMW X1 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i BMW 4 Series 430i, 430i xDrive BMW 2 Series 230i, 230i xDrive BMW X2 X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i | Index 117 (b: whole-car score; BMW X1 had only this engine) | 2 | 52 (67 videos, 53 naming 2018) | engine, electrical, other |
| 2019 | BMW 3 Series 330i, 330i xDrive BMW 5 Series 530e, 530e xDrive, 530i, 530i xDrive BMW 7 Series 740e xDrive BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive30i BMW X3 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i BMW X1 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i BMW 4 Series 430i, 430i xDrive BMW 2 Series 230i, 230i xDrive BMW X4 X4 xDrive30i BMW X2 X2 M35i, X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i | 92 complaints (a: filed as 330i, 530e, 530i, 430i, 230i) | 1 | 54 (69 videos, 52 naming 2019) | engine, electrical, other |
| 2020 | BMW 3 Series 330i, 330i xDrive BMW 5 Series 530e, 530e xDrive, 530i, 530i xDrive BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive30i BMW X3 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30e, X3 xDrive30i BMW X1 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i BMW 4 Series 430i, 430i xDrive BMW 2 Series 228i xDrive, 230i, 230i xDrive, M235i xDrive BMW X4 X4 xDrive30i BMW X2 X2 M35i, X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i | 75 complaints (a: filed as 330i, 530i, 530e, 430i, 230i, 228i) | 0 | 56 (60 videos, 41 naming 2020) | electrical, engine, other |
| 2021 | BMW 3 Series 330e, 330e xDrive, 330i, 330i xDrive BMW 5 Series 530e, 530e xDrive, 530i, 530i xDrive BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive30i BMW X3 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30e, X3 xDrive30i BMW X1 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i BMW 4 Series 430i, 430i xDrive BMW 2 Series 228i, 228i xDrive, 230i, 230i xDrive, M235i xDrive BMW X4 X4 xDrive30i BMW X2 X2 M35i, X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i | 75 complaints (a: filed as 330e, 330i, 530i, 530e, 430i, 230i, 228i) | 1 | 59 (96 videos, 78 naming 2021) | electrical, engine, air bags |
| 2022 | BMW 3 Series 330e, 330e xDrive, 330i, 330i xDrive BMW 5 Series 530e, 530e xDrive, 530i, 530i xDrive BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive30i BMW X3 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i BMW X1 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i BMW 4 Series 430i, 430i xDrive BMW 2 Series 228i, 228i xDrive, 230i, M235i xDrive BMW X4 X4 xDrive30i BMW X2 X2 M35i, X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i | 35 complaints (a: filed as 330i, 330e, 530i, 530e, 430i, 228i, M235i, 230i) | 0 | 58 (77 videos, 61 naming 2022) | tires, other, electrical |
| 2023 | BMW 3 Series 330e, 330e xDrive, 330i, 330i xDrive BMW 5 Series 530e, 530e xDrive, 530i, 530i xDrive BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive30i BMW X3 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i BMW X1 X1 xDrive28i BMW 4 Series 430i, 430i xDrive BMW 2 Series 228i, 228i xDrive, 230i, 230i xDrive, M235i xDrive BMW X4 X4 xDrive30i BMW X2 X2 M35i, X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i | Index 280 (b: whole-car score; BMW X1 had only this engine) | 0 | 60 (77 videos, 61 naming 2023) | brakes, stability control, electrical |
| 2024 | BMW 3 Series 330e, 330e xDrive, 330i, 330i xDrive BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive30i BMW X3 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i BMW X1 X1 M35i, X1 xDrive28i BMW 4 Series 430i, 430i xDrive BMW 2 Series 228i, 228i xDrive, 230i, 230i xDrive, M235i xDrive BMW X4 X4 xDrive30i BMW X2 X2 M35i | Index 128 (b: whole-car score; BMW X1 had only this engine) | 0 | 59 (49 videos, 34 naming 2024) | brakes, other, stability control |
| 2025 | BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive30i BMW X1 X1 M35i, X1 xDrive28i BMW X4 X4 xDrive30i BMW X2 X2 M35i | Index 102 (b: whole-car score; BMW X1 had only this engine) | 0 | 56 (10 videos, 8 naming 2025) | electrical, transmission & drivetrain, brakes |
| 2026 | BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive30i BMW X1 X1 M35i, X1 xDrive28i BMW X2 X2 M35i | 1 complaints (b: only engine in BMW X1; no sales data, so no per-car score) | 0 | not enough videos | brakes |
Known issues on record
- US cars get the B46, a low-emissions (SULEV) version that the article calls essentially identical to the B48.
According to Wikipedia's BMW B48 / B46 article and its sources.
Every US version with this engine
| Model and version | Years | Power |
|---|---|---|
| BMW 3 Series 330e | 2016–24 | — |
| BMW 3 Series 330i | 2017–18 | 248 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW 3 Series 330i xDrive | 2017–18 | 248 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW 3 Series 330i | 2019–22 | 255 hp · 295 lb-ft |
| BMW 3 Series 330i xDrive | 2019–22 | 255 hp · 295 lb-ft |
| BMW 3 Series 330e xDrive | 2021–24 | — |
| BMW 3 Series 330i | 2023–24 | — |
| BMW 3 Series 330i xDrive | 2023–24 | — |
| BMW 5 Series 530i | 2017–23 | 248 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW 5 Series 530i xDrive | 2017–23 | 248 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW 5 Series 530e | 2018–23 | — |
| BMW 5 Series 530e xDrive | 2018–23 | — |
| BMW 7 Series 740e xDrive | 2017–19 | — |
| BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive30i | 2019–26 | 255 hp · 295 lb-ft |
| BMW X3 X3 xDrive30i | 2018–24 | 248 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW X3 X3 sDrive30i | 2019–24 | 248 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW X3 X3 xDrive30e | 2020–21 | — |
| BMW X1 X1 xDrive28i | 2016–22 | 228 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW X1 X1 sDrive28i | 2017–22 | 228 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW X1 X1 xDrive28i | 2023–26 | 241 hp · 295 lb-ft |
| BMW X1 X1 M35i | 2024–26 | 312 hp · 295 lb-ft |
| BMW 4 Series 430i | 2017–20 | 248 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW 4 Series 430i xDrive | 2017–20 | 248 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW 4 Series 430i | 2021–24 | 255 hp · 295 lb-ft |
| BMW 4 Series 430i xDrive | 2021–24 | 255 hp · 295 lb-ft |
| BMW 2 Series 230i | 2017–21 | 248 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW 2 Series 230i xDrive | 2017–21 | 248 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW 2 Series 228i xDrive | 2020–24 | 228 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW 2 Series M235i xDrive | 2020–24 | 302 hp · 332 lb-ft |
| BMW 2 Series 228i | 2021–24 | 228 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW 2 Series 230i | 2022–24 | — |
| BMW 2 Series 230i xDrive | 2023–24 | — |
| BMW X4 X4 xDrive30i | 2019–25 | 248 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW X2 X2 sDrive28i | 2018–23 | 228 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW X2 X2 xDrive28i | 2018–23 | 228 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW X2 X2 M35i | 2019–23 | 302 hp · 332 lb-ft |
| BMW X2 X2 M35i | 2024–26 | 312 hp · 295 lb-ft |
Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Engine and power: Wikipedia, BMW B48 / B46 (BMW ratings; US figures can differ by a few hp).
Quick answers
What cars have the BMW B48 / B46 engine?
In the US: the 2 Series, 3 Series, 4 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series, X1, X2, X3, X4, Z4, model years 2016–2026. See the version table for each one.
Is the B48 reliable?
Mostly yes. YouTube owner tone 57/100, #16 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the top third); no engine-related recall on record, 1 known issue listed below. Where this was the only engine in the model, the 2017 had the fewest owner complaints per car (Index 71) and the 2023 the most (Index 280), counting complaints about any part of the car. Government complaints are filed by model and year, not engine, and they cover the whole car, so none of these numbers is an engine failure rate. We only credit a number to this engine where the version name or the model year leaves no doubt. Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the B48 make?
BMW rated it at 228 to 312 hp in US versions, depending on the car and year.