Compare the2024 BMW i5VS 2024 Tesla Model 3

The i5’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Model 3 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

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 i5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The i5 offers an optional Surround View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model 3 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.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the i5’s standard Cross Traffic Warning uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Brake Intervention automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The i5 has standard BMW Assist, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the i5 and the Model 3 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

The BMW i5 weighs 886 to 1356 pounds more than the Tesla Model 3. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the i5 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for tire rotations, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Tesla doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Model 3.

There are over 2 times as many BMW dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the i5’s warranty.

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 Tesla vehicles. With 65 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Tesla.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 5 places higher in reliability than Tesla.

The i5 eDrive40’s standard electric motor produces 78 more horsepower (335 vs. 257) and 29 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 266) than the Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive’s standard electric motor. The i5 M60’s standard electric motors produces 199 more horsepower (593 vs. 394) and 209 lbs.-ft. more torque (586 vs. 377) than the Model 3 Long Range’s standard electric motors.

The i5 can travel longer on a full charge than the Model 3 on a full charge:

The i5’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 Model 3 doesn’t offer launch control.

For better traction, the i5 has larger standard tires than the Model 3 (245/45R19 vs. 235/45R18). The i5’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model 3 (F:245/40R20 & R:275/35R20 vs. 235/45R18).

The i5’s optional 245/35R21 front and 275/30R21 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Model 3’s optional 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the i5 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Model 3. The i5’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the Model 3.

The i5 has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Model 3; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The i5 offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Model 3 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The i5 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Tesla doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Model 3.

The i5 offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Model 3’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the i5’s wheelbase is 4.7 inches longer than on the Model 3 (117.9 inches vs. 113.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the i5 is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Model 3.

The i5 has 2.5 inches more front shoulder room, 2 inches more rear legroom and 2.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model 3.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the i5 offers cargo security. The Model 3’s non-lockable folding seat defeats cargo security.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the i5’s trunk can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

A Condition-Based Service Display is standard on the i5 to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for brake fluid replacement and vehicle inspections based on actual driving conditions. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Tesla doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Model 3.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Model 3, the i5 has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The i5 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The i5’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Model 3’s passenger power window switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the i5 offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Model 3 doesn’t offer cornering lights. The i5 also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The i5’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model 3 doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are optional in the i5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The i5 offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Model 3.