Compare the2023 Subaru WRX VS 2023 BMW 3 Series Sedan

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru WRX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Subaru WRX 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 WRX 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the WRX. But it costs extra on the 3 Series Sedan.

Both the WRX and the 3 Series Sedan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors 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, with its optional 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 WRX its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 112 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The 3 Series Sedan is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the WRX 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the 3 Series Sedan. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the 3 Series Sedan ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 80 percent more Subaru dealers than there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the WRX’s warranty.

The WRX’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 16 more horsepower (271 vs. 255) than the 330i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the WRX lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability (That’s why Porsche uses boxer engines.). The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru WRX 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 WRX has a gallon more fuel capacity than the 3 Series Sedan (16.6 vs. 15.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The WRX offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and fuel economy. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

The WRX offers an optional continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a CVT.

The WRX stops much shorter than the 3 Series Sedan:

	WRX	3 Series Sedan
70 to 0 MPH	153 feet	165 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	124 feet	129 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	130 feet	135 feet	Consumer Reports

For better traction, the WRX has larger standard tires than the 3 Series Sedan (235/45R17 vs. 225/45R18). The WRX’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 3 Series Sedan (245/40R18 vs. 225/40R19).

The WRX Limited handles at .95 G’s, while the 330i xDrive pulls only .89 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The WRX Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.8 seconds quicker than the 330i xDrive (24.8 seconds @ .75 average G’s vs. 26.6 seconds @ .66 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the WRX’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the 3 Series Sedan’s (36.74 feet vs. 39.4 feet).

The Subaru WRX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 450 pounds less than the BMW 3 Series Sedan.

The WRX has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front legroom, .7 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear legroom and 1 inch more rear shoulder room than the 3 Series Sedan.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the WRX Premium/Limited/GT’s exterior PIN entry system. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its BMW Assist can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

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