Compare the2022 Audi S3VS 2022 BMW 3 Series Sedan

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi S3 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 S3 and 3 Series Sedan have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The S3 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The 3 Series Sedan’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the S3. But it costs extra on the 3 Series Sedan.

Both the S3 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, 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, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The Audi S3’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 S3’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 51 more horsepower (306 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 Audi S3 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 S3 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 S3’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the 3 Series Sedan:

For better traction, the S3’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 3 Series Sedan (235/35R19 vs. 225/35R20).

The S3’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 330i’s standard 45 series tires.

For better maneuverability, the S3’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the 3 Series Sedan’s (36.4 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The S3’s turning circle is 2.8 feet tighter than the 3 Series Sedan xDrive’s (36.4 feet vs. 39.2 feet).

The S3 is 8.4 inches shorter than the 3 Series Sedan, making the S3 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The S3 has a 3500 lbs. towing capacity. The 3 Series Sedan has no towing capacity.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The S3 Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Audi S3 Premium Plus/Prestige has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The S3’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.