Compare the2022 BMW 3 Series SedanVS 2021 Volkswagen Arteon

The 3 Series Sedan’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Arteon doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The 3 Series Sedan’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Arteon doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the 3 Series Sedan and the Arteon have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the 3 Series Sedan the rating of “Top Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 121 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Arteon has not been fully tested, yet.

The 3 Series Sedan’s corrosion warranty is 5 years and unlimited miles longer than the Arteon’s (12/unlimited vs. 7/100,000).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 3 Series Sedan for 1 year and 16000 miles longer than Volkswagen pays for maintenance for the Arteon (3/36,000 vs. 2/20,000).

The battery on the 3 Series Sedan is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the 3 Series Sedan’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Arteon’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the 3 Series Sedan’s reliability 24 points higher than the Arteon.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW 10th in reliability, above the industry average. With 55 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 28th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 12 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

The 330i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 36 lbs.-ft. more torque (294 vs. 258) than the Arteon’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The M340i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 114 more horsepower (382 vs. 268) and 110 lbs.-ft. more torque (368 vs. 258) than the Arteon’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the BMW 3 Series Sedan is faster than the Volkswagen Arteon:

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

Regenerative brakes improve the 3 Series Sedan’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Arteon doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the BMW 3 Series Sedan higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the Volkswagen Arteon (3). This means the 3 Series Sedan produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Arteon every 15,000 miles.

The 3 Series Sedan’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Arteon doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the M340i’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Arteon:

The 3 Series Sedan’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Arteon are solid, not vented.

The 3 Series Sedan stops much shorter than the Arteon:

The 3 Series Sedan’s optional 255/30R20 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 30 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Arteon SEL Premium R-Line’s 35 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the 3 Series Sedan can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Arteon doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The 330i handles at .95 G’s, while the Arteon SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The M340i executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.9 seconds quicker than the Arteon SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion (25 seconds @ .77 average G’s vs. 26.9 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the 3 Series Sedan’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the Arteon’s (37.4 feet vs. 39 feet).

The 3 Series Sedan is 5.9 inches shorter than the Arteon, making the 3 Series Sedan easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the BMW 3 Series Sedan amounts to more than styling. The 3 Series Sedan has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .26 Cd. That is lower than the Arteon (.29) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the 3 Series Sedan get better fuel mileage.

The front grille of the 3 Series Sedan uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Arteon doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The 3 Series Sedan has .8 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom and .5 inches more rear headroom than the Arteon.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the 3 Series Sedan’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Arteon doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the 3 Series offers cargo security. The Arteon’s hatchback body style and non-lockable folding seat defeat cargo security.

The engine in the 3 Series Sedan is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Arteon. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Volkswagen. J.D. Power ranks BMW 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 43% lower rating, Volkswagen is ranked 27th.

The 3 Series Sedan offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Arteon doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The 3 Series Sedan’s available Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Arteon SEL Premium R-Line’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the BMW 3 Series Sedan and the Volkswagen Arteon, based on reliability, safety and performance.