Compare the2023 Kia StingerVS 2022 BMW 3 Series Sedan

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia Stinger 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 Stinger 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 Stinger GT2 has a standard Surround 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 Stinger 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 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 Stinger 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 Stinger 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, plastic fuel tanks, 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.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Kia Stinger is safer than the BMW 3 Series Sedan:

	Stinger	3 Series Sedan
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	18.3%	23%
Neck Stress	137 lbs.	207 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Stinger is safer than the BMW 3 Series Sedan:

	Stinger	3 Series Sedan
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	263	305
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	36 G’s	39 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

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, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Stinger its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 80 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The 3 Series Sedan is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

Warranty

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

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Stinger 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.

There are over 2 times as many Kia dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Stinger’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 19 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 42 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 15th.

Engine

The Stinger GT-Line’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 45 more horsepower (300 vs. 255) and 17 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 294) than the 330i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Stinger GT2’s standard 3.3 turbo V6 produces 8 lbs.-ft. more torque (376 vs. 368) than the M340i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Stinger GT2 3.3 turbo V6 is faster than the 330i 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

	Stinger	3 Series Sedan
Zero to 60 MPH	4.6 sec	5.5 sec
Quarter Mile	13.1 sec	14.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	106.9 MPH	98.1 MPH

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Stinger GT-Line	Stinger GT2	330i	M340i
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	13.8 inches	13 inches	13.7 inches

The Stinger stops much shorter than the 3 Series Sedan:

	Stinger	3 Series Sedan
70 to 0 MPH	156 feet	165 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	104 feet	114 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Stinger 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.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Stinger’s wheelbase is 2.2 inches longer than on the 3 Series Sedan (114.4 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Stinger is .5 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the 3 Series Sedan.

The Stinger GT2 handles at .93 G’s, while the 330i xDrive pulls only .89 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Stinger executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.8 seconds quicker than the 330i xDrive (24.8 seconds @ .79 average G’s vs. 26.6 seconds @ .66 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Stinger’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the 3 Series Sedan’s (36.7 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The Stinger AWD’s turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the 3 Series Sedan xDrive’s (38.4 feet vs. 39.2 feet).

Chassis

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

Passenger Space

The Stinger has .6 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear legroom and .2 inches more rear shoulder room than the 3 Series Sedan.

The front step up height for the Stinger is 1 inches lower than the 3 Series Sedan (15.5” vs. 16.5”). The Stinger’s rear step up height is 1.3 inches lower than the 3 Series Sedan’s (15” vs. 16.3”).

Ergonomics

The Stinger GT2’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.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Stinger GT2 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 Kia Stinger has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Economic Advantages

The Stinger will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Stinger will retain 45.44% to 46.82% 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 Kia Stinger will be $2214 to $5714 less than for the BMW 3 Series Sedan.

Recommendations

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

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