Compare the2023 Cadillac CT5VS 2023 BMW 3 Series Sedan

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Cadillac CT5 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 CT5 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 CT5’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the 3 Series Sedan.

The CT5 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 CT5 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 CT5 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, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Cadillac CT5 is safer than the BMW 3 Series Sedan:

	CT5	3 Series Sedan
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Compression	5 lbs.	32 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	25%	33%
Neck Stress	144 lbs.	170 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	93/36 lbs.	200/338 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 Cadillac CT5 is safer than the BMW 3 Series Sedan:

	CT5	3 Series Sedan
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	233 lbs.	252 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	93	305
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	240	270
Spine Acceleration	35 G’s	39 G’s

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

Warranty

Cadillac’s powertrain warranty covers the CT5 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.

There are over 60 percent more Cadillac dealers than there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CT5’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac above average in initial quality. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW 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 Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac above average in long-term dependability. With 24 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, BMW is rated lower.

Engine

The CT5’s optional 3.0 turbo V6 produces 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (405 vs. 368) than the M340i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Cadillac CT5 turbo V6 is faster than the 330i 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

	CT5	3 Series Sedan
Zero to 60 MPH	4.8 sec	5.2 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	11.8 sec	13.9 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	5.7 sec	6.4 sec
Quarter Mile	13.3 sec	13.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	106 MPH	100 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the CT5 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder RWD gets better fuel mileage than the M340i RWD (23 city/33 hwy vs. 23 city/31 hwy).

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the CT5’s fuel efficiency. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The CT5 has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the 3 Series Sedan (17.5 vs. 15.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The CT5 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Cadillac CT5, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the 3 Series Sedan.

Brakes and Stopping

The CT5 stops shorter than the 3 Series Sedan:

	CT5	3 Series Sedan
60 to 0 MPH	127 feet	129 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CT5 has larger standard tires than the 3 Series Sedan (245/45R18 vs. 225/45R18). The CT5’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 3 Series Sedan (255/35R20 vs. 225/40R19).

The CT5’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 3 Series Sedan’s optional 40 series front tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CT5 offers optional 20-inch wheels. The 3 Series Sedan’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

The CT5 has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CT5’s wheelbase is 3.8 inches longer than on the 3 Series Sedan (116 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CT5 is .5 inches wider in the front and 1.6 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the 3 Series Sedan.

The CT5 Sport executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the 330i xDrive (26.2 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 26.6 seconds @ .66 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The CT5 has .3 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front legroom, .7 inches more front shoulder room, 2.7 inches more rear legroom and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the 3 Series Sedan.

Towing

The CT5 has a 1000 lbs. towing capacity. The 3 Series Sedan has no towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Cadillac service is better than BMW. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac second in service department satisfaction. With a 14% lower rating, BMW is ranked 7th.

Ergonomics

The CT5 Premium Luxury/Sport’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.

The CT5’s 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 CT5’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the 3 Series Sedan’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

Optional air-conditioned seats in the CT5 Premium Luxury/Sport 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 CT5 Premium Luxury/Sport offers optional 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 Cadillac CT5 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the 3 Series Sedan.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the CT5 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the CT5 will cost $230 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 Cadillac CT5 will be $740 to $11856 less than for the BMW 3 Series Sedan.