Compare the2023 BMW 3 Series SedanVS 2022 Nissan Maxima

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The 3 Series Sedan’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Maxima doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The 3 Series Sedan has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Maxima doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The 3 Series Sedan offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Maxima doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Both the 3 Series Sedan and the Maxima 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, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

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

	3 Series Sedan	Maxima
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	145	252
Neck Injury Risk	23%	25%
Neck Stress	207 lbs.	289 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	201/230 lbs.	359/238 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	252	290
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Compression	74 lbs.	91 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	200/338 lbs.	448/311 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 BMW 3 Series Sedan is safer than the Nissan Maxima:

	3 Series Sedan	Maxima
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	107	119
Chest Movement	.8 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	179 lbs.	225 lbs.
Hip Force	252 lbs.	337 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	15 inches
HIC	270	275
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	41 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 front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the 3 Series Sedan its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 122 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Maxima is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Warranty

The 3 Series Sedan comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Maxima’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The 3 Series Sedan’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Maxima’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 3 Series Sedan for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Maxima.

Reliability

The battery on the 3 Series Sedan is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the 3 Series Sedan’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Maxima’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in initial quality. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Nissan is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 1 place higher in reliability than Nissan.

Engine

The 330i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 33 lbs.-ft. more torque (294 vs. 261) than the Maxima’s 3.5 DOHC V6. The M340i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 82 more horsepower (382 vs. 300) and 107 lbs.-ft. more torque (368 vs. 261) than the Maxima’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the BMW 3 Series Sedan is faster than the Nissan Maxima:

	330i	M340i	Maxima
Zero to 60 MPH	5.1 sec	3.8 sec	5.9 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	13.8 sec	9.4 sec	14.1 sec
Quarter Mile	13.8 sec	12.3 sec	14.4 sec
Top Speed	155 MPH	n/a	135 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the 3 Series Sedan gets better mileage than the Maxima:

			MPG
3 Series Sedan
	RWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/34 hwy
		3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/31 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/33 hwy
		3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/32 hwy
Maxima
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/30 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the 3 Series Sedan’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Maxima doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the 3 Series Sedan’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Maxima doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the BMW 3 Series Sedan higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the Nissan Maxima (3). This means the 3 Series Sedan produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Maxima every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The 3 Series Sedan’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Maxima doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	330i	M340i	Maxima
Front Rotors	13 inches	13.7 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	13.6 inches	12.13 inches

The 3 Series Sedan stops much shorter than the Maxima:

	3 Series Sedan	Maxima
70 to 0 MPH	151 feet	168 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	103 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	141 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The 3 Series Sedan’s optional 255/35R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Maxima SR/Platinum’s 40 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the 3 Series Sedan can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Maxima doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The 3 Series Sedan has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Maxima’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The 3 Series Sedan offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Maxima’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 3 Series Sedan’s wheelbase is 2.9 inches longer than on the Maxima (112.2 inches vs. 109.3 inches).

The 3 Series Sedan’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (51.3% to 48.7%) than the Maxima’s (60.9% to 39.1%). This gives the 3 Series Sedan more stable handling and braking.

The 330i handles at .95 G’s, while the Maxima Platinum pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The M340i executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2 seconds quicker than the Maxima Platinum (25 seconds @ .77 average G’s vs. 27 seconds @ .67 average G’s).

Chassis

The 3 Series Sedan is 6.9 inches shorter than the Maxima, making the 3 Series Sedan easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the BMW 3 Series Sedan amounts to more than styling. The 3 Series Sedan has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .26 Cd. That is lower than the Maxima (.29 to .3) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the 3 Series Sedan get better fuel mileage.

The front grille of the 3 Series Sedan uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Maxima doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The 3 Series Sedan has .9 inches more rear headroom and 1 inch more rear legroom than the Maxima.

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the 3 Series Sedan easier. The 3 Series Sedan’s trunk lift-over height is 26.7 inches, while the Maxima’s liftover is 28.8 inches.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the 3 Series Sedan’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Maxima doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the 3 Series Sedan offers an optional power trunk, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or optionally by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Maxima doesn’t offer a power trunk.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the 3 Series Sedan is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Maxima. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Nissan. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 17% lower rating, Nissan is ranked 18th.

Ergonomics

The 3 Series Sedan offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Maxima doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The 3 Series Sedan’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Maxima’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the 3 Series Sedan and the Maxima have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the 3 Series Sedan is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Maxima prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The 3 Series Sedan’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Maxima’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The 3 Series Sedan’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Maxima’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The 3 Series Sedan’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Maxima’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the 3 Series Sedan has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Maxima doesn’t offer cornering lights. The 3 Series Sedan also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW 3 Series offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Maxima doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The 3 Series Sedan M340i’s optional Automatic Parking Assistant can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Maxima doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the 3 Series Sedan is less expensive to operate than the Maxima because typical repairs cost less on the 3 Series Sedan than the Maxima, including $188 less for a fuel pump.

Recommendations

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

The BMW 3 Series outsold the Nissan Maxima by over three to one during the 2021 model year.

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