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BMW 3 Series vs. Hyundai ELANTRA

iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the BMW 3 Series and Hyundai ELANTRA 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 BMW 3 Series and the Hyundai ELANTRA.

In comparing the BMW 3 Series's and the Hyundai ELANTRA's specifications and ratings, the BMW 3 Series has the advantage in the areas of reliability, overall quality score and base engine power. The Hyundai ELANTRA has the advantage in the areas of new vehicle base pricing, typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, resale value and interior volume. Based on this comparison of the BMW 3 Series's and the Hyundai ELANTRA's specifications and ratings, the Hyundai ELANTRA is a better car than the BMW 3 Series.

Pricing: A used 2024 BMW 3 Series ranges from $42,839 to $64,993 while a used 2024 Hyundai ELANTRA is priced between $21,995 to $27,989. For a new model, the BMW 3 Series's price is between $47,938 and $68,399, with the Hyundai ELANTRA priced between $22,531 and $28,639.

Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the BMW 3 Series loses 50.1 percent of its value and the Hyundai ELANTRA loses 33.4 percent of its value. This means the Hyundai ELANTRA retains 16.7 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the BMW 3 Series.

Quality Rating: The iSeeCars Overall Quality rating for the BMW 3 Series is 8.6 out of 10 while the Hyundai ELANTRA's quality rating is 8.3 out of 10. This results in the BMW 3 Series being ranked 15 out of 36 Best Luxury Small Cars and the Hyundai ELANTRA being ranked 12 out of 37 Best Small Cars.

Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the BMW 3 Series is 8.4 out of 10. For the Hyundai ELANTRA the reliability rating is 7.8 out of 10. This gives the BMW 3 Series a slight advantage in reliability compared to the Hyundai ELANTRA.

Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the BMW 3 Series’s base engine makes 255 horsepower, and the Hyundai ELANTRA base engine makes 147 horsepower.

Passenger Space Comparison: While both models are compact cars, the Hyundai ELANTRA has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front head room, front shoulder room, front leg room, rear shoulder room, rear leg room, and cargo space. The BMW 3 Series has the advantage in the area of rear head room.

Safety Ratings: When comparing crash test ratings from NHTSA, the BMW 3 Series has higher safety ratings than the Hyundai ELANTRA, with an average rating of 5 out of 5 Stars compared to 4.64 out of 5 Stars. When comparing IIHS evaluations, the Hyundai ELANTRA has the advantage with a Top Safety Pick award.

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Model & Pricing
BMW 3 Series
Hyundai ELANTRA

2024 BMW 3 Series
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BMW 3 Series for Sale

2024 Hyundai ELANTRA
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Hyundai ELANTRA for Sale

New Car Pricing

Asking Price:

47938 - 68399

Starting MSRP:

44500

Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Compact Cars)

48375

Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)

31800 - 79900

New Car Pricing

Asking Price:

22531 - 28639

Starting MSRP:

21625

Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Compact Cars)

26555

Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Compact Cars)

17795 - 45665

Used Car Pricing

Avg Used Car Price:

50648

Price Range:

42839 - 64993

Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Compact Cars)

52490

Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)

35163 - 100522

# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:

594

Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:

20760

# Good or Great Deals:

244

Used Car Pricing

Avg Used Car Price:

24763

Price Range:

21995 - 27989

Category Avg Price:
(Compact Cars)

28855

Category Avg Price Range:
(Compact Cars)

19171 - 47673

# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:

1277

Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:

14428

# Good or Great Deals:

251

5-year Depreciation

Depreciation $:

22483

Depreciation %:

0.50523662

Resale Value $:

22017

Residual Value %:

0.49476338

Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Luxury Compact Cars)

0.48947277

Category Depreciation Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)

0.33466199 - 0.53474953

5-year Depreciation

Depreciation $:

7431

Depreciation %:

0.34361936

Resale Value $:

14194

Residual Value %:

0.6563806400000001

Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Compact Cars)

0.3164027

Category Depreciation Range:
(Compact Cars)

0.24379468 - 0.4011125

BMW 3 Series Scores & Rankings

Overall Score:

8.603399 / 10

Reliability:

8.432786 / 10

Retained Value:

7.377413 / 10

Safety:

10.0 / 10

Hyundai ELANTRA Scores & Rankings

Overall Score:

8.292133 / 10

Reliability:

7.812252 / 10

Retained Value:

8.424148 / 10

Safety:

8.6 / 10



iSeeCars Reliability Insights for BMW 3 Series

Avg Life Expectancy (years):

10.4

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:

0.125

iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Hyundai ELANTRA

Avg Life Expectancy (years):

10.2

Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Compact Cars)

11.2

Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Compact Cars)

10.1 - 13.6

Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:

0.066



Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls

Expected Lifetime Recalls:

10.275138042698826

Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Compact Cars)

2.2

Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Compact Cars)

1.2 - 14.6

Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls

Expected Lifetime Recalls:

4.110447865370144

Typical Category Recalls:
(Compact Cars)

2.9

Category Range for Recalls:
(Compact Cars)

2.0 - 18.8

BMW 3 Series Rankings

Best Family Luxury Small Cars

5 / 36

Luxury Small Cars with the Most Legroom

10 / 36

Luxury Small Cars with the Most Horsepower

11 / 36

Best Luxury Small Cars for the Money

11 / 32

Best Luxury Small Cars for Tall People

12 / 36

Best Luxury Small Cars

15 / 36

Most Affordable Luxury Small Cars

16 / 32

Most Reliable Luxury Small Cars

19 / 36

Luxury Small Cars with Best Resale Value

20 / 36

Most Comfortable Luxury Small Cars

20 / 36

Hyundai ELANTRA Rankings

Small Cars with the Most Legroom

1 / 37

Best Small Cars for Tall People

2 / 37

Most Comfortable Small Cars

5 / 37

Best Small Cars Under $25k

5 / 13

Most Reliable Small Cars Under $25k

6 / 13

Best Small Cars for Teens

6 / 6

Safest Small Cars

7 / 37

Best Small Cars for the Money

7 / 22

Most Affordable Small Cars

7 / 22

Best Small Cars

12 / 37

Small Cars with the Most Horsepower

12 / 37

Best Gas Mileage Small Cars

14 / 37

Most Reliable Small Cars

15 / 37

Small Cars with Best Resale Value

26 / 37

Available Body Styles

Sedan

Available Body Styles

Sedan

Available Drivetrain Options

Gasoline, Plug-In Hybrid

Available Drivetrain Options

Gasoline

BMW 3 Series Trim Levels

330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive

Hyundai ELANTRA Trim Levels

Limited, N Line, SE, SEL

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:

5 years / 60000 miles

Warranty, Powertrain:

10 years / 100000 miles

Warranty, Roadside Assistance:

5 years

Safety Ratings

NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):

5 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

IIHS Safety Rating:

Not yet available

Safety Ratings

NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):

4.64 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:

Not yet available

2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

IIHS Safety Rating:

TOP SAFETY PICK

Base Drivetrain Specs

Horsepower:

255 hp @ 5000 rpm

Torque:

295 foot-lbs @ 1550 rpm

Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):

0.072 hp per pound

Base Drivetrain Specs

Horsepower:

147 hp @ 6200 rpm

Torque:

132 foot-lbs @ 4500 rpm

Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):

0.054 hp per pound

Engine Specifications

Engine Size:

2 liters

Engine Configuration:

Inline

Number of Cylinders:

4

Transmission:

Automatic

Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:

RWD / AWD

EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):


25 / 34 / 29

Range (city/hwy):

390 / 530 miles

Recommended Fuel Type:

Premium Unleaded

Engine Specifications

Engine Size:

2 liters

Engine Configuration:

Inline

Number of Cylinders:

4

Transmission:

Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT Automatic)

Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:

FWD

EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):


Not yet available

Range (city/hwy):

Not yet available

Recommended Fuel Type:

Not yet available

Standard/Optional Features

Alloy wheels:

Standard

Android Auto:

Standard

Apple CarPlay:

Standard

Bench Seats:

Standard

Bluetooth:

Standard

Internet Radio:

Standard

Keyless Entry:

Standard

Keyless Ignition:

Standard

Leather Upholstery:

Standard

Navigation System:

Standard

Paddle Shifters:

Standard

Power outlet:

Standard

Roadside assistance:

Standard

Satellite radio:

Standard

Sunroof/Moonroof:

Standard

Voice Recognition:

Standard

Adaptive Cruise Control:

Available

Automatic Parking:

Available

Heated Seats

Available

Heated Steering Wheel:

Available

Parking Sensors:

Available

Power Lift Gate:

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

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

Bench Seats:

Standard

Bluetooth:

Standard

Internet Radio:

N/A

Keyless Entry:

Standard

Keyless Ignition:

Available

Leather Upholstery:

Available

Navigation System:

Available

Paddle Shifters:

Available

Power outlet:

Standard

Roadside assistance:

Available

Satellite radio:

Available

Sunroof/Moonroof:

Available

Voice Recognition:

Standard

Adaptive Cruise Control:

Available

Automatic Parking:

N/A

Heated Seats

Available

Heated Steering Wheel:

N/A

Parking Sensors:

Available

Power Lift Gate:

Available

Wifi:

N/A

Wireless Smartphone Charging:

Available

Air Suspension:

N/A

Captain's seat:

N/A

Cooled/Ventilated Seats:

N/A

Front Bench Seats:

N/A

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

Driver Attention Monitoring:

Standard

Forward Collision Warning:

Standard

Pedestrian Detection:

Standard

Rear Seat Reminder:

Standard

360-Degree Camera:

N/A

Blind Spot Monitoring:

N/A

Lane Departure Warning:

N/A

Lane Keeping Assist:

N/A

Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:

N/A

Safety Features

Backup camera:

Standard

Driver Attention Monitoring:

Standard

Forward Collision Warning:

Standard

Pedestrian Detection:

Standard

Rear Seat Reminder:

Standard

360-Degree Camera:

Available

Blind Spot Monitoring:

Standard

Lane Departure Warning:

Standard

Lane Keeping Assist:

Standard

Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:

Standard

Interior Dimensions

Front Head Room:

38.7 inches

Front Leg Room:

42 inches

Front Shoulder Room:

56 inches

Rear Head Room:

37.6 inches

Rear Leg Room:

35.2 inches

Rear Shoulder Room:

54.6 inches

Cargo Space:

13 cubic feet

Overall Interior Volume:

94.0 cubic feet

Interior Dimensions

Front Head Room:

40.6 inches

Front Leg Room:

42.3 inches

Front Shoulder Room:

56.5 inches

Rear Head Room:

37.3 inches

Rear Leg Room:

38 inches

Rear Shoulder Room:

55.6 inches

Cargo Space:

14.2 cubic feet

Overall Interior Volume:

99.4 cubic feet

Exterior Dimensions

Curb Weight:

3536 lbs

Width:

81.4 inches

Height:

56.8 inches

Length:

185.9 inches

Wheelbase:

112.2 inches

Ground Clearance:

5.6 inches

Exterior Dimensions

Curb Weight:

2725 lbs

Width:

71.9 inches

Height:

55.7 inches

Length:

184.1 inches

Wheelbase:

107.1 inches

Ground Clearance:

5.3 inches

Standard Wheel/Tire Information

Wheel Size:

18.0 x 7.5 inches

Wheel Type:

aluminum alloy

Tire Size:

225/45R18

Standard Wheel/Tire Information

Wheel Size:

15.0 x 6.0 inches

Wheel Type:

aluminum alloy

Tire Size:

195/65R15

Exterior Colors

Black

Black Sapphire Metallic / Jet Black

Blue

Phytonic Blue Metallic / Portimao Blue Metallic / Tanzanite Blue II Metallic

Gray

Brooklyn Grey Metallic / Dravit Grey Metallic / Skyscraper Grey Metallic

Red

Melbourne Red Metallic

White

Alpine White / Mineral White Metallic

Exterior Colors

Black

Abyss Black Pearl

Blue

Intense Blue Pearl

Gray

Amazon Gray Pearl / Ecotronic Gray Pearl / Fluid Metal Metallic

Red

Ultimate Red Pearl

White

Serenity White Pearl

Interior Colors

Beige

Canberra Beige

Black

Black / Black w/ Blue Contrast Stitching

Brown

Cognac / Mocha

Gray

Oyster

Red

Tacora Red

Interior Colors

Beige

Not available

Black

Black

Brown

Not available

Gray

Gray

Red

Not available

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