Compare the2025 Audi A3VS 2025 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe

The A3’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi A3 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.

Both the A3 and 2 Series Gran Coupe have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The A3 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 2 Series Gran Coupe’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 A3. But it costs extra on the 2 Series Gran Coupe.

Both the A3 and the 2 Series Gran Coupe have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear 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, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The Audi A3’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 1 place higher in reliability than BMW.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi A3 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The M235 requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The A3 has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the 2 Series Gran Coupe (14.5 vs. 12.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi A3 higher (7 out of 10) than the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe (3 to 7). This means the A3 produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the 2 Series Gran Coupe every 15,000 miles.

For better maneuverability, the A3’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s (36.4 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

The Audi A3 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 100 to 200 pounds less than the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the A3 has a standard 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 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer a power trunk, so its trunk has to be closed manually.

The A3 has a 3461 lbs. towing capacity. The 2 Series Gran Coupe has no towing capacity.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the A3 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The 2 Series Gran Coupe 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 A3 Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield, the A3 has standard extendable sun visors. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi A3, based on reliability, safety and performance.