Compare the2024 BMW 3 Series SedanVS 2023 Audi A3

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 3 Series Sedan are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The A3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The 3 Series Sedan has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The A3 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The 3 Series Sedan offers an optional Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The A3 doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The 3 Series Sedan offers an optional Surround View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The A3 only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The 3 Series Sedan’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The A3 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the 3 Series Sedan and the A3 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 all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 3 Series Sedan for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the A3.

There are over 15 percent more BMW dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the 3 Series Sedan’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the 3 Series Sedan’s reliability 30 points higher than the A3.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 29 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Audi.

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 Audi 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, Audi is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW third in overall reliability. Audi is ranked 6th.

The 330i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 54 more horsepower (255 vs. 201) and 74 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 221) than the A3’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The M340i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 181 more horsepower (382 vs. 201) and 148 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 221) than the A3’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the BMW 3 Series Sedan is faster than the Audi A3:

The 3 Series Sedan has 2.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the A3 FWD’s standard fuel tank (15.6 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The 3 Series Sedan has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the A3 Quattro’s standard fuel tank (15.6 vs. 14.5 gallons).

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the BMW 3 Series Sedan, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the A3.

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 A3 doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the 3 Series Sedan’s brake rotors are larger than those on the A3:

The 3 Series Sedan’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the A3 are solid, not vented.

The 3 Series Sedan stops much shorter than the A3:

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 A3’s optional 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the 3 Series Sedan has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the A3. The 3 Series Sedan’s optional 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels optional on the A3.

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 A3 doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 3 Series Sedan’s wheelbase is 8.7 inches longer than on the A3 (112.2 inches vs. 103.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the 3 Series Sedan is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 2.1 inches wider in the rear than the track on the A3.

The 330i handles at .99 G’s, while the A3 Premium Plus Quattro pulls only .89 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The M340i executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the A3 Premium Plus Quattro (25 seconds @ .77 average G’s vs. 26.3 seconds @ .66 average G’s).

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 significantly lower than the A3 (.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 A3 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The 3 Series Sedan has 1.9 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom, 1.2 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom and 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the A3.

The 3 Series Sedan has a much larger trunk than the A3 (13 vs. 10.9 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the 3 Series Sedan’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The A3 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the 3 Series offers cargo security. The A3’s non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

The engine in the 3 Series Sedan is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the A3. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Audi. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 1% lower rating, Audi is ranked 8th.

The 3 Series Sedan offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The A3 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

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 A3 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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 A3 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.

The 3 Series Sedan’s sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows. The A3’s visors are fixed into the windshield header.

Both the 3 Series Sedan and the A3 offer available heated front seats. The 3 Series Sedan also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the A3.

On extremely cold winter days, the 3 Series Sedan’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The A3 doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW 3 Series has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the A3.

The 3 Series Sedan’s optional Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The A3’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

The 3 Series Sedan will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the 3 Series Sedan will retain 51.33% to 52.95% of its original price after five years, while the A3 only retains 48.11% to 50.83%.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the BMW 3 Series Sedan and the Audi A3, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The BMW 3 Series outsold the Audi A3/S3/RS 3 by over three to one during 2022.