Compare the2024 Audi S3VS 2024 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. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the 3 Series Sedan.

Both the S3 and 3 Series Sedan offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the S3 with Rear Cross-Traffic Assist also has Automatic Brake Activation (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The 3 Series Sedan’s Cross Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

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 and available blind spot warning systems.

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) than the 330i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The S3’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 18 more horsepower (306 vs. 288) than the 330e’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the S3 gets better mileage than the 3 Series Sedan running its gasoline engine:

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 on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The S3 has 3.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the 3 Series Sedan 330e’s standard fuel tank (14.5 vs. 10.6 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 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 3 Series Sedan’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 53.69% to 55.79% of its original price after five years, while the 3 Series Sedan only retains 51.33% to 52.95%.