Compare the2025 BMW 3 Series SedanVS 2025 Honda Accord

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

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 Accord doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The 3 Series Sedan has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Accord doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The 3 Series Sedan offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Accord doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The 3 Series Sedan offers an optional Surround View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Accord 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 3 Series Sedan and the Accord have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The 3 Series Sedan comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Accord’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The 3 Series Sedan’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Accord’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 3 Series Sedan for 1 year and 12000 miles longer than Honda pays for maintenance for the Accord (3/36,000 vs. 2/24,000).

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the 3 Series Sedan has a standard 720-amp battery. The Accord’s 450-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

The battery on the 3 Series Sedan is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the 3 Series Sedan’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Accord’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

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

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 Honda With 16 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks BMW higher than Honda.

The 330i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 63 more horsepower (255 vs. 192) and 103 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 192) than the Accord’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The 330i’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 51 more horsepower (255 vs. 204) and 48 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 247) than the Accord Hybrid’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The M340i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 182 more horsepower (386 vs. 204) and 151 lbs.-ft. more torque (398 vs. 247) than the Accord Hybrid’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the BMW 3 Series Sedan is faster than the Honda Accord:

	330i	M340i	Accord turbo 4 cyl.	Accord Hybrid
Zero to 60 MPH	5.4 sec	4.2 sec	7.9 sec	6.8 sec
Quarter Mile	14 sec	12.7 sec	16.1 sec	15.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	98.1 MPH	110.4 MPH	87.9 MPH	88.2 MPH

Both the 3 Series Sedan and the Accord have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All 3 Series Sedans have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. A disable switch for start/stop is only offered on the Accord 1.5T.

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 Accord doesn’t offer launch control.

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

	330i	M340i	Accord	Accord Hybrid
Front Rotors	13 inches	13.7 inches	11.5 inches	12.3 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	13.6 inches	11.1 inches	11.1 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 Accord are solid, not vented.

The 3 Series Sedan stops much shorter than the Accord:

	3 Series Sedan	Accord
70 to 0 MPH	151 feet	184 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	103 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	147 feet	Consumer Reports

The 330i’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Accord LX/SE/EX-L’s standard 50 series tires. The 3 Series Sedan’s optional 255/35R19 rear tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Accord Sport/Touring’s 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 Accord LX/SE/EX-L.

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 Accord doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The 3 Series Sedan 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 Accord’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The 3 Series Sedan’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52.1% to 47.9%) than the Accord’s (59% to 41%). This gives the 3 Series Sedan more stable handling and braking.

The 330i handles at .99 G’s, while the Accord pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The M340i executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.9 seconds quicker than the Accord Sport-L Hybrid (25 seconds @ .77 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the 3 Series RWD’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the Accord’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

The 3 Series Sedan is 9.8 inches shorter than the Accord, making the 3 Series Sedan easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the 330i is quieter than the Accord:

	3 Series Sedan	Accord
At idle	38 dB	40 dB
Full-Throttle	74 dB	76 dB
70 MPH Cruising	69 dB	69 dB

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the 3 Series Sedan’s trunk lid uses concealed beam hinges that don’t intrude into the trunk. Its intrusive beam hinge reduces the Accord’s useful trunk space.

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

The 3 Series Sedan’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The Accord’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the 3 Series Sedan offers an optional power trunk, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or optionally by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Accord doesn’t offer a power trunk.

The 3 Series Sedan uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Accord uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

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

The power windows standard on both the 3 Series Sedan and the Accord have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the 3 Series Sedan is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Accord prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The 3 Series Sedan’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Accord’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the 3 Series Sedan the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Accord can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The 3 Series Sedan’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Accord’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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 Accord 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 standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Honda only offers heated mirrors on the Accord EX-L/Touring.

The 3 Series Sedan’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Accord offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the BMW 3 Series Sedan and Honda Accord offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The 3 Series Sedan features standard power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Accord’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

The 3 Series Sedan has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Accord SE/Sport/EX-L/Touring.

Compared to the Honda Accord, the BMW 3 Series Sedan eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its standard integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

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. Only the Accord Sport/EX-L/Touring offers wireless charging.

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 Accord doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the BMW 3 Series Sedan and the Honda Accord, 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 Accord isn’t in the top three.