Compare the2022 Acura ILXVS 2021 BMW 3 Series Sedan

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Acura ILX are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the ILX and the 3 Series Sedan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

Acura’s powertrain warranty covers the ILX 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than BMW covers the 3 Series Sedan. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the 3 Series Sedan ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the ILX second among small premium cars in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The 3 Series Sedan isn’t in the top three in its category.

On the EPA test cycle the ILX gets better mileage than the 3 Series Sedan:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Acura ILX uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The 3 Series Sedan requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The ILX offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

For better maneuverability, the ILX’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the 3 Series Sedan’s (36.8 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The ILX’s turning circle is 2.4 feet tighter than the 3 Series Sedan xDrive’s (36.8 feet vs. 39.2 feet).

The Acura ILX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 850 pounds less than the BMW 3 Series Sedan.

The ILX is 3.5 inches shorter than the 3 Series Sedan, making the ILX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The ILX uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Acura service is better than BMW. J.D. Power ranks Acura 6th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 1% lower rating, BMW is ranked 8th.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the ILX is less expensive to operate than the 3 Series Sedan because it costs $372 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the ILX than the 3 Series Sedan, including $412 less for a water pump, $564 less for a muffler, $89 less for front brake pads, $21 less for a starter, $239 less for front struts and $778 less for a timing belt/chain.