Compare the2025 BMW 3 Series SedanVS 2024 Audi A3

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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.

Warranty

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 14 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.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the 3 Series Sedan third among compact premium cars in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The A3 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 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 36 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 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 With 85 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks BMW higher than Audi.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 10 places higher in reliability than Audi.

Engine

The 330i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid 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 185 more horsepower (386 vs. 201) and 177 lbs.-ft. more torque (398 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:

	330i	M340i	A3
Zero to 30 MPH	1.9 sec	n/a	2.3 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	5.4 sec	4.2 sec	6.4 sec
Zero to 80 MPH	9.1 sec	n/a	11.2 sec
Passing 45 to 65 MPH	2.8 sec	n/a	3.3 sec
Quarter Mile	14 sec	12.7 sec	15 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	98.1 MPH	110.4 MPH	91.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The 3 Series Sedan’s standard fuel tank has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the A3 Quattro’s standard fuel tank (15.6 vs. 14.5 gallons).

Transmission

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.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	330i	M340i	A3
Front Rotors	13 inches	13.7 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	13.6 inches	10.7 inches

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:

	3 Series Sedan	A3
70 to 0 MPH	151 feet	181 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	103 feet	119 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

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 330i 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.

Suspension and Handling

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 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 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).

Chassis

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 lower than the A3 (.29) 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.

Passenger Space

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.

Cargo Capacity

The 3 Series Sedan has a much larger trunk than the A3 (16.9 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.

Servicing Ease

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.

Ergonomics

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.

The BMW 3 Series Sedan has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors costs extra on the A3.

Both the 3 Series Sedan and the A3 have standard 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.

The BMW 3 Series Sedan has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Homelink® is only available on the A3 Premium Plus.

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.

Economic Advantages

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%.

Recommendations

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the 3 Series Sedan third among compact premium cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The A3 isn’t in the top three in its category.

The BMW 3 Series outsold the Audi A3/S3/RS 3 by over two to one during 2023.

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