Compare the2022 Lexus ISVS 2022 BMW 3 Series Sedan

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus IS have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Lexus IS 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.

The IS offers an optional Panoramic 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 IS has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. 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 IS 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 IS and the 3 Series Sedan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras 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 IS its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 75 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The 3 Series Sedan is only a standard “Top Pick” for 2021.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the IS 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 IS third among compact premium cars in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The 3 Series Sedan isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 22 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 Lexus vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in reliability, above the industry average. With 27 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 10th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus third in reliability. BMW is ranked 12th.

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

As tested in Consumer Reports the IS 300 AWD 3.5 DOHC V6 is faster than the 330i 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

The IS has 1.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the 3 Series Sedan (17.4 vs. 15.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better stopping power the IS’ front brake rotors are larger than those on the 3 Series Sedan:

The IS stops shorter than the 3 Series Sedan:

For better traction, the IS has larger standard tires than the 3 Series Sedan (235/45R18 vs. 225/45R18). The IS 350 F Sport/500’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 3 Series Sedan (F:235/40R19 & R:265/35R19 vs. F:225/35R20 & R:255/30R20).

The IS 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 IS 350 F Sport handles at .93 G’s, while the 330i xDrive pulls only .91 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The IS 350 F Sport executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the 330i xDrive (25.4 seconds @ .71 average G’s vs. 26.6 seconds @ .66 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the IS’ turning circle is 3.2 feet tighter than the 3 Series Sedan’s (34.2 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The IS AWD’s turning circle is 3.8 feet tighter than the 3 Series Sedan xDrive’s (35.4 feet vs. 39.2 feet).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than BMW. J.D. Power ranks Lexus second in service department satisfaction. With a 29% lower rating, BMW is ranked 8th.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the 3 Series Sedan, the IS offers an optional driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The IS’ standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The IS’ instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The 3 Series Sedan does not have an oil pressure gauge.

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

A power rear sunshade is optional in the IS to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the IS 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.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the IS is less expensive to operate than the 3 Series Sedan because it costs $190 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the IS than the 3 Series Sedan, including $213 less for a water pump, $468 less for a muffler, $105 less for front brake pads and $237 less for front struts.

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