Compare the2022 Volkswagen ArteonVS 2022 BMW 3 Series Sedan

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volkswagen Arteon 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 Arteon SEL Premium has a standard Overhead View Camera 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 Arteon 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. 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 Arteon 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 Arteon 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, 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 and lane departure warning systems.

There are over 82 percent more Volkswagen dealers than there are BMW dealers, which make it much easier should you ever need service under the Arteon’s warranty.

The Volkswagen Arteon’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the 3 Series Sedan’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

The Arteon’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 45 more horsepower (300 vs. 255) and 1 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 294) than the 330i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Volkswagen Arteon 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 Arteon has 1.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the 3 Series Sedan (17.4 vs. 15.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Arteon 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 stopping power the Arteon’s standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the 3 Series Sedan:

The Arteon stops shorter than the 3 Series Sedan:

For better traction, the Arteon has larger tires than the 3 Series Sedan (245/45R18 vs. 225/45R18). The Arteon’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 3 Series Sedan (245/45R18 vs. 225/35R20).

The Arteon 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 Arteon SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion handles at .90 G’s, while the 330i xDrive pulls only .89 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Arteon has .5 inches more front shoulder room, 5 inches more rear legroom and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the 3 Series Sedan.

The Arteon has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The 3 Series Sedan has no towing capacity.

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

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Arteon SEL Premium 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.

The Arteon SEL Premium has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the 3 Series Sedan.

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

The Arteon SEL Premium’s Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Insurance will cost less for the Arteon owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Arteon will cost $3470 to $9845 less than the 3 Series Sedan over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Volkswagen Arteon will be $4877 to $17150 less than for the BMW 3 Series Sedan.

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