Compare the2025 Mazda 3VS 2024 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mazda 3 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 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mazda 3 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 2 Series Gran Coupe 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 Mazda 3 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Mazda 3 has standard Whiplash Reducing Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Reducing Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Mazda 3 Turbo Premium Plus has a standard 360-Degree Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The 2 Series Gran Coupe 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.

Both the Mazda 3 and 2 Series Gran Coupe have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Mazda 3 Turbo Premium Plus has Rear Cross Traffic Braking (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The 2 Series Gran Coupe’s Cross Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Mazda 3 and the 2 Series Gran Coupe have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

The Mazda 3 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The 2 Series Gran Coupe is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

Mazda’s powertrain warranty covers the 3 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the 2 Series Gran Coupe. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the 2 Series Gran Coupe ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 55 percent more Mazda dealers than there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the 3’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, BMW is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda 2 places higher in reliability than BMW.

The Mazda 3’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 22 more horsepower (250 vs. 228) and 62 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 258) than the 228i Gran Coupe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Mazda 3 Sedan gets better mileage than the 2 Series Gran Coupe:

On the EPA test cycle the Mazda 3 Hatchback gets better mileage than the 2 Series Gran Coupe:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Mazda 3 (except Turbo)’s fuel efficiency. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Mazda 3 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine for maximum performance). The 2 Series Gran Coupe requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mazda 3 higher (7 out of 10) than the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe (3 to 7). This means the Mazda 3 produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the 2 Series Gran Coupe every 15,000 miles.

The Mazda 3 offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

The Mazda 3 stops shorter than the 2 Series Gran Coupe:

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Mazda 3’s wheelbase is 2.2 inches longer than on the 2 Series Gran Coupe (107.3 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better maneuverability, the Mazda 3’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The Mazda 3 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 300 pounds less than the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Mazda 3 Premium Hatchback is quieter than the M235i xDrive Gran Coupe:

The Mazda 3 Sedan has .9 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.6 inches more rear headroom, .7 inches more rear legroom and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the 2 Series Gran Coupe.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Mazda 3 Premium Hatchback has a standard power trunk, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer a power trunk.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Mazda 3’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Mazda 3 has standard extendable sun visors. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Mazda 3 comes in sedan and four door hatchback bodystyles; the BMW 2 Series Gran isn’t available as a four door hatchback.

Insurance will cost less for the Mazda 3 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Mazda 3 will cost $1605 to $7850 less than the 2 Series Gran Coupe over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Mazda 3 will be $17553 to $19262 less than for the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe.

The Mazda 3 has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

The Mazda 3 outsold the BMW 2 Series by almost three to one during 2023.