Audi S3 vs. BMW M3
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Audi S3 and BMW M3 contrasts the two cars across a broad spectrum of vehicle specifications to determine which car is better. In addition to comparing pricing and specs, iSeeCars uses all the ratings, rankings, and insights from its comprehensive analyses of each vehicle model, including calculations of reliability, safety, depreciation, value retention, and the vehicle's projected lifetime recalls (based on analyzing over 25 billion data points). This in-depth evaluation is used to identify which vehicle represents a better overall choice for shoppers who are considering both the Audi S3 and the BMW M3.
In comparing the Audi S3's and the BMW M3's specifications and ratings, the Audi S3 has the advantage in the areas of new vehicle base pricing, typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, and fuel efficiency and overall quality score. The BMW M3 has the advantage in the areas of reliability, resale value, interior volume and base engine power. Based on this comparison of the Audi S3's and the BMW M3's specifications and ratings, the two cars are fairly comparable.
Pricing: A used 2024 Audi S3 ranges from $46,971 to $58,315 while a used 2024 BMW M3 is priced between $78,841 to $140,275. For a new model, the Audi S3's price is between $53,402 and $62,353, with the BMW M3 priced between $82,655 and $124,162.
Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Audi S3 loses 42.8 percent of its value and the BMW M3 loses 42.3 percent of its value. This means the BMW M3 retains 0.5 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the Audi S3.
Quality Rating: The iSeeCars Overall Quality rating for the Audi S3 is 8.1 out of 10 while the BMW M3's quality rating is 7.7 out of 10. This results in the Audi S3 being ranked 10 out of 36 Best Luxury Small Cars and the BMW M3 being ranked 16 out of 36.
Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the Audi S3 is 6.6 out of 10. For the BMW M3 the reliability rating is 7.5 out of 10. This gives the BMW M3 a slight advantage in reliability compared to the Audi S3.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Audi S3’s base engine makes 306 horsepower, and the BMW M3 base engine makes 473 horsepower. The S3 is rated to deliver an average of 26 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 464 miles. The M3 is rated to deliver an average of 19 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 359 miles. This gives the Audi S3 the fuel efficiency and maximum range advantage over the BMW M3. Both models use premium unleaded.
Passenger Space Comparison: The BMW M3, a compact car, has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front head room, front shoulder room, front leg room, rear head room, rear shoulder room, rear leg room, and cargo space.
Safety Ratings: The Audi S3 has an average safety rating of 5 out of 5 Stars based on NHTSA's crash test ratings.
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
$53,402 - $62,353
Starting MSRP:
$47,400
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
$58,130
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
$38,800 - $98,950
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
$82,655 - $124,162
Starting MSRP:
$76,000
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
$48,375
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
$31,800 - $79,900
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
$53,116
Price Range:
$46,971 - $58,315
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
$67,794
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
$47,250 - $119,964
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
24
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
8,806
# Good or Great Deals:
6
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
$100,522
Price Range:
$78,841 - $140,275
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
$52,490
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
$35,163 - $100,522
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
54
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
9,303
# Good or Great Deals:
2
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
$20,851
Depreciation %:
44%
Resale Value $:
$26,549
Residual Value %:
56%
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
42.7%
Category Depreciation Range:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
40% - 44%
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
$33,315
Depreciation %:
43.8%
Resale Value $:
$42,685
Residual Value %:
56.2%
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
48.9%
Category Depreciation Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
33.5% - 53.5%
Audi S3 Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
8.1 / 10
Reliability:
6.6 / 10
Retained Value:
7.8 / 10
Safety:
10.0 / 10
BMW M3 Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
7.7 / 10
Reliability:
7.5 / 10
Retained Value:
7.9 / 10
Safety:
Not available
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Audi S3
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
11.1
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
11.2
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
11.1 - 13
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
1.8%
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for BMW M3
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
12.2
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
10.6
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
8.1 - 14.3
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
1.5%
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
2.2
Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
3.2
Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
2.1 - 10.4
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
5.9
Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
2.2
Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
1.2 - 14.6
Audi S3 Rankings
Ranking
8 out of / 36Ranking
9 out of / 36Ranking
10 out of / 36Ranking
15 out of / 36Ranking
18 out of / 31Ranking
19 out of / 36Ranking
23 out of / 36Ranking
32 out of / 36Ranking
34 out of / 36BMW M3 Rankings
Ranking
1 out of / 3Ranking
1 out of / 2Ranking
3 out of / 36Ranking
3 out of / 36Ranking
5 out of / 36Ranking
8 out of / 36Ranking
12 out of / 36Ranking
12 out of / 12Ranking
13 out of / 36Ranking
16 out of / 36Ranking
29 out of / 31Available Body Styles
Sedan
Available Body Styles
Sedan
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Audi S3 Trim Levels
2.0T quattro Premium, 2.0T quattro Premium Plus, 2.0T quattro Prestige
BMW M3 Trim Levels
Base, Competition, Competition xDrive, CS
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
4 years
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
4 years
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
Not yet available
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
Not yet available
2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
Not yet available
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
306 hp @ 5450 rpm
Torque:
295 foot-lbs @ 3000 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.087 hp per pound
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
473 hp @ 6250 rpm
Torque:
406 foot-lbs @ 2650 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.123 hp per pound
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
23 / 32 / 26
Range (city/hwy):
334 / 464 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Premium Unleaded
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
3 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
6
Transmission:
Manual
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
RWD / AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
16 / 23 / 19
Range (city/hwy):
250 / 359 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Premium Unleaded
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Automatic Parking:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Heated Seats
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Standard
Paddle Shifters:
Standard
Parking Sensors:
Standard
Power Lift Gate:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Available
Internet Radio:
Available
Navigation System:
Available
Satellite radio:
Available
Wifi:
Available
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Heated Steering Wheel:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Roof Rack:
N/A
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Automatic Parking:
Available
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Heated Seats
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Standard
Paddle Shifters:
Available
Parking Sensors:
Standard
Power Lift Gate:
Available
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Available
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Available
Internet Radio:
Standard
Navigation System:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Standard
Wifi:
Standard
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Standard
Air Suspension:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Available
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Massage Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Roof Rack:
N/A
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Available
Lane Keeping Assist:
Available
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Available
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Lane Keeping Assist:
N/A
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Driver Attention Monitoring:
Standard
Rear Seat Reminder:
Standard
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
36.8 inches
Front Leg Room:
41.2 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
54.8 inches
Rear Head Room:
36.6 inches
Rear Leg Room:
35.2 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
53 inches
Cargo Space:
8.3 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
87.0 cubic feet
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
40.6 inches
Front Leg Room:
41.6 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
56 inches
Rear Head Room:
37.8 inches
Rear Leg Room:
35.6 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
54.6 inches
Cargo Space:
13 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
95.0 cubic feet
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3527 lbs
Width:
78.1 inches
Height:
55.7 inches
Length:
177.3 inches
Wheelbase:
103.6 inches
Ground Clearance:
Not yet available
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3840 lbs
Width:
81.4 inches
Height:
56.4 inches
Length:
189.1 inches
Wheelbase:
112.5 inches
Ground Clearance:
4.7 inches
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
18.0 x 8.0 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
225/40R18
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
18.0 x 9.5 inches
Wheel Type:
painted aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
275/40R18
Exterior Colors
Black
Mythos Black Metallic
Blue
Navarra Blue Metallic / Turbo Blue
Gray
Daytona Gray Pearl Effect
Red
Tango Red Metallic
White
Glacier White Metallic / Ibis White
Yellow
Python Yellow Metallic
Green
Not available
Exterior Colors
Black
Black Sapphire Metallic
Blue
Frozen Portimao Blue Metallic / Portimao Blue Metallic / Tanzanite Blue II Metallic
Gray
Brooklyn Grey Metallic / Dravit Grey Metallic / Frozen Pure Grey II Metallic / Skyscraper Grey Metallic
Red
Aventurin Red Metallic / Toronto Red Metallic
White
Alpine White / Frozen Brilliant White Metallic
Yellow
Sao Paulo Yellow
Green
Isle of Man Green Metallic
Interior Colors
Black
Black w/ Rock Gray Stitching
Gray
Steel Gray w/ Anthracite Stitching
Blue
Not available
Brown
Not available
Orange
Not available
Red
Not available
White
Not available
Interior Colors
Black
Black
Gray
Silverstone/Black
Blue
Fjord Blue/Black / Yas Marina Blue/Black w/ Yellow Accent
Brown
Tartufo
Orange
Kyalami Orange/Black
Red
Fiona Red/Black
White
Ivory White
