What is the best BMW 323i for fuel economy?

The strongest year was 1999 at 21 mpg combined, against 19 mpg in 2000. That is a 2 mpg spread across the nameplate's history.

How much does a BMW 323i cost to fuel each year?

At 11,500 miles a year the 2000 model uses between 548 and 605 gallons, or $1,917 to $2,118 at $3.50 a gallon.

What does the BMW 323i emit?

EPA reports 423.1904761904762 to 467.7368421052632 grams of tailpipe CO2 per mile for the 2000 model year, or about 4.9 to 5.4 tons over a year of driving.

BMW 323i MPG by year — every rating on record

The BMW 323i has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 2 model years, from 1999 to 2000. Across those years its best rated version returned 21 mpg (1999) and its thirstiest returned 19 mpg (2000). The EPA record holds 5 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Compact Cars.

21best combined mpg (1999)

19worst combined mpg (2000)

21latest year best (2000)

5configurations on record

Year-by-year EPA ratings

Model year	Configurations	Best combined	Worst combined	Class rank that year	Drivetrains	Fuel	EPA class
1999	2	21 mpg	20 mpg	#37 of 50 (27th pct)	Rear-Wheel Drive	Regular	Compact Cars
2000	3	21 mpg	19 mpg	#31 of 50 (39th pct)	Rear-Wheel Drive	Premium	Compact Cars

Where it has stood in its class

Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The BMW 323i placed highest in 2000 at #31 of 50, and lowest in 1999 at #37 of 50. It spent 0 of its 2 ranked years in the top half of its class.

Every configuration on record

All 5 configurations EPA lists for this nameplate, newest first.

Year	Configuration	Engine detail	City	Highway	Combined	Gallons/yr	Barrels/yr	EPA fuel cost/yr	CO2 g/mi	GHG
2000	2.5L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 5-spd Premium	2.5L 6-cyl	17	25	19	605.3	15.7	$4,100	467.7368421052632	n/a
2000	2.5L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 5-spd Premium	2.5L 6-cyl	17	26	20	575.0	14.9	$3,900	444.35	n/a
2000	2.5L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium	2.5L 6-cyl	18	26	21	547.6	14.2	$3,700	423.1904761904762	n/a
1999	2.5L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 5-spd Regular	2.5L 6-cyl	17	26	20	575.0	14.9	$3,100	444.35	n/a
1999	2.5L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular	2.5L 6-cyl	18	26	21	547.6	14.2	$2,950	423.1904761904762	n/a

What 323i fuel costs over a year

At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 2000 BMW 323i burns 548 to 605 gallons depending on configuration. Below is what that costs at three pump prices, and how much more the thirstiest configuration costs than the most efficient one.

Pump price	Most efficient	Thirstiest	Spread
$3.00/gal	$1,643	$1,816	$173
$3.50/gal	$1,917	$2,118	$202
$4.00/gal	$2,190	$2,421	$231

EPA’s own estimate for the 2000 model year is $3,700 to $4,100 a year in fuel, or $8,250 more than the average new vehicle over five years.

How it compares with other Compact Cars

Across the 498 nameplates EPA classifies as Compact Cars, the median best combined rating is 26 mpg. At 21 mpg the BMW 323i is 5 mpg below the median, which is worth about $369 a year at $3.50 a gallon.

All Compact Cars rankings — every nameplate in the class, best to worst.

Other BMW nameplates

Every BMW model compared → — all nameplates ranked by best combined rating, with what each one costs a year.