Compare the2023 Audi S3VS 2023 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.

The S3’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.

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, 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 3 Series Sedan is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

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. 225/40R19).

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. The S3’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the 3 Series Sedan’s optional 40 series front tires.

For better maneuverability, the S3’s turning circle is 3 feet tighter than the 3 Series Sedan’s (36.4 feet vs. 39.4 feet).

The S3 is 8.6 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.

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 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

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.

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 3 Series Sedan only retains 44.47% to 45.8%.