Compare the2022 Genesis G70VS 2022 BMW 3 Series Sedan

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Genesis G70 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.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the G70 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The G70 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The G70 Sport Prestige has a standard 360-degree Multi-view Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The 3 Series Sedan only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The G70 has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the 3 Series Sedan’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the G70 has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the 3 Series Sedan.

Both the G70 and the 3 Series Sedan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

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 standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the G70 its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 76 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The 3 Series Sedan is only a standard “Top Pick” for 2021.

The G70 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes free 24-hour roadside assistance. The 3 Series Sedan’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Genesis’ powertrain warranty covers the G70 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than BMW covers the 3 Series Sedan. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the 3 Series Sedan ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the G70 has a standard 800-amp battery. The 3 Series Sedan’s 720-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Genesis vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Genesis 7th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 18 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 20th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Genesis vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Genesis 8th in reliability, above the industry average. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 10th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Genesis vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Genesis 7 places higher in reliability than BMW.

The G70 has more powerful engines than the 3 Series Sedan:

As tested in Motor Trend the G70 3.3T 3.3 turbo V6 is faster than the 330i 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Genesis G70 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 G70 stops much shorter than the 3 Series Sedan:

The G70 has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the 3 Series Sedan; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the 3 Series Sedan don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

The G70 handles at .95 G’s, while the 330i xDrive pulls only .89 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The G70 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.7 seconds quicker than the 330i xDrive (24.9 seconds @ .77 average G’s vs. 26.6 seconds @ .66 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the G70’s turning circle is 1.1 feet tighter than the 3 Series Sedan’s (36.3 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The G70 AWD’s turning circle is 1.5 feet tighter than the 3 Series Sedan xDrive’s (37.7 feet vs. 39.2 feet).

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the G70 is quieter than the 330i (37 vs. 38 dB).

The G70 has 1.1 inches more front headroom, .6 inches more front legroom and .3 inches more front shoulder room than the 3 Series Sedan.

The G70 3.3T/Prestige/Sport’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

Consumer Reports rated the G70’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the 3 Series Sedan’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

Standard air-conditioned seats in the G70 3.3T/Prestige/Sport keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Genesis G70 Prestige/Sport has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Insurance will cost less for the G70 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the G70 will cost $1005 less than the 3 Series Sedan over a five-year period.

The G70 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the G70 will retain 47.62% to 48.09% of its original price after five years, while the 3 Series Sedan only retains 42.53% to 43.57%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Genesis G70 will be $6718 to $11643 less than for the BMW 3 Series Sedan.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Genesis G70 and the BMW 3 Series Sedan, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The G70 was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” in 2019. The 3 Series Sedan has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.

Motor Trend selected the G70 as their 2019 Car of the Year. The 3 Series Sedan has never been chosen.