FuelFacts

2004 BMW 330xi MPG & Specs — Real-World vs EPA, All Trims

Every gas trim of this model takes premium.

19–21
MPG combined (16–18 city / 23–27 hwy)
$3,343–$3,695
est. fuel / year (today's prices, 15k mi)
Premium
gas type

Is the 2004 BMW 330xi good on gas?

At up to 21 MPG combined, the 2004 BMW 330xi is worse than average for a Compact Cars — that class averages about 24.1 MPG across 6,481 EPA-tested versions, so it's on the thirsty side for its size.

Real-world MPG vs the EPA number

The EPA figures above come from a standardized dynamometer test, not the open road — real-world MPG typically runs a bit lower depending on your driving, climate and terrain. That's true of every car on this site, old or new.

This 2004 model was originally EPA-tested under the pre-2008 2-cycle method, which didn't account for highway speeds over 60 mph, air-conditioner use, or cold starts. When EPA overhauled the test for model year 2008, city ratings fell by about 12% and highway by about 8% on average industry-wide — and EPA retroactively adjusted every 1984-2007 rating to the stricter standard so old and new cars could be compared fairly. The MPG above is already on that modern scale — the window sticker on this car when it was new likely showed a higher, pre-2008-method number.

At today's AAA national average price — $4.68/gal for premium gas as of 2026-07-05 — the most efficient trim runs about $3,343/year (roughly $279/month, about $22.29 per 100 miles) at the EPA's assumed 15,000 miles/year, using an estimated 714 gallons a year. We don't estimate a cost-per-fill since exact tank size isn't in the public EPA dataset, but the per-100-mile figure scales to any tank. Current national average gas prices →

2004 BMW 330xi trims & fuel economy

Trim (engine / transmission)FuelMPGFuel/yr (today's price)
3.0L 6-cyl, 6-spd manual, AWDPREMIUM21$3,343
3.0L 6-cyl, S5 automatic, AWDPREMIUM19$3,695
Where the EPA lists premium, that’s the fuel the maker specified for the mileage test — many such engines run on regular with slightly less power/MPG. Whether premium is required or just recommended is an owner’s-manual detail the EPA dataset omits, so we don’t guess it.

2004 BMW 330xi specs

What the EPA test-car listings record for this model year — every combination sold is a row in the trims table above.

Engine options3.0L 6-cyl
Transmission6-spd manual · S5 automatic
Drive typeAWD
EPA body classCompact Cars
FuelPremium

Other years of the BMW 330xi

2006 BMW 330xi2005 BMW 330xi2003 BMW 330xi2002 BMW 330xi2001 BMW 330xi

Similar cars (Compact Cars)

2004 Daewoo Kalos2004 Oldsmobile Alero2004 Hyundai Elantra2004 Kia Spectra 1.8L2004 Daewoo Lacetti2004 Subaru Legacy/Outback AWD

Cars that take premium · Cheapest cars to fuel · Where fuel grade depends on the trim · Fuel guides

2 trim(s) · EPA FuelEconomy.gov data retrieved 2026-07-24 · fuel prices AAA national average as of 2026-07-05.