Compare the2023 Audi S3VS 2023 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe

The S3’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

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 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the S3 and 2 Series Gran Coupe 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 2 Series Gran Coupe’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 2 Series Gran Coupe.

Both the S3 and the 2 Series Gran Coupe 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.

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, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the S3 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 101 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The 2 Series Gran Coupe is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

The Audi S3’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the 2 Series Gran Coupe’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 78 more horsepower (306 vs. 228) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 258) than the 228i Gran Coupe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The S3’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 5 more horsepower (306 vs. 301) than the M235i xDrive Gran Coupe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

The S3 has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the 2 Series Gran Coupe (14.5 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

For better stopping power the S3’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the 2 Series Gran Coupe:

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 2 Series Gran Coupe’s standard 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the S3 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the 2 Series Gran Coupe.

For better maneuverability, the S3’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s (36.4 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The S3 has .9 inches more rear headroom and .8 inches more rear legroom than the 2 Series Gran Coupe.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the S3 has a standard 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 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer a power trunk, so its trunk has to be closed manually.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the S3 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

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 S3’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

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 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield, the S3 has standard extendable sun visors. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The S3 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the S3 will retain 50.76% to 50.94% of its original price after five years, while the 2 Series Gran Coupe only retains 47.21% to 48.43%.