BMW 3 Series vs. Mercedes-Benz A-Class
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz A-Class 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 Mercedes-Benz A-Class.
In comparing the BMW 3 Series's and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class's specifications and ratings, the BMW 3 Series has the advantage in the areas of fuel efficiency, interior volume and base engine power. The Mercedes-Benz A-Class has the advantage in the areas of typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, and resale value. Based on this comparison of the BMW 3 Series's and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class's specifications and ratings, the BMW 3 Series is a better car than the Mercedes-Benz A-Class.
Pricing: A used 2022 BMW 3 Series ranges from $25,999 to $47,717 while a used 2022 Mercedes-Benz A-Class is priced between $23,395 to $32,340.
Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the BMW 3 Series loses 51.4 percent of its value and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class loses 45.5 percent of its value. This means the Mercedes-Benz A-Class retains 5.9 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the BMW 3 Series.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the BMW 3 Series’s base engine makes 255 horsepower, and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class base engine makes 188 horsepower. The 3 Series is rated to deliver an average of 30 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 562 miles. The A-Class is rated to deliver an average of 28 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 473 miles. This gives the BMW 3 Series the fuel efficiency and maximum range advantage over the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. Both models use premium unleaded.
Passenger Space Comparison: The BMW 3 Series, a compact car, has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front shoulder room, front leg room, rear head room, rear shoulder room, rear leg room, and cargo space. The Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a subcompact car, has the advantage in the area of front head room.
Safety Ratings: The BMW 3 Series has an average safety rating of 5 out of 5 Stars based on NHTSA's crash test ratings.
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
-
Starting MSRP:
41450
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
46042
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
27300 - 76200
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
-
Starting MSRP:
33950
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
50950
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
33950 - 92500
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
33564
Price Range:
25999 - 47717
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
38447
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
24836 - 75567
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
355
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
45842
# Good or Great Deals:
194
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
28271
Price Range:
23395 - 32340
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
45251
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
28271 - 74859
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
175
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
37716
# Good or Great Deals:
91
BMW 3 Series Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
7.7 / 10
Reliability:
7.3 / 10
Retained Value:
7.7 / 10
Safety:
8.0 / 10
Mercedes-Benz A-Class Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
Not available
Reliability:
Not available
Retained Value:
8.1 / 10
Safety:
Not available
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for BMW 3 Series
Remaining Life Expectancy (years):
8.0
Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
9.2
Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
6.5 - 17.1
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.027
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Mercedes-Benz A-Class
Remaining Life Expectancy (years):
Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
10.6
Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
10.4 - 10.9
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
7.8240935219959145
Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
2.5
Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
1.0 - 10.7
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
2.110118008329041
Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
2.7
Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
2.1 - 9.2
BMW 3 Series Rankings
Ranking
4 out of / 35Ranking
7 out of / 35Ranking
8 out of / 35Ranking
9 out of / 35Ranking
9 out of / 30Ranking
12 out of / 35Ranking
14 out of / 35Ranking
14 out of / 35Ranking
15 out of / 35Ranking
15 out of / 30Ranking
21 out of / 35Ranking
21 out of / 35Mercedes-Benz A-Class Rankings
Ranking
4 out of / 35Ranking
11 out of / 35Ranking
13 out of / 35Ranking
24 out of / 35Ranking
35 out of / 35Available 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
Mercedes-Benz A-Class Trim Levels
A 220, A 220 4MATIC
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 / 50000 miles
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
5 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
Not yet available
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
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:
188 hp @ 5800 rpm
Torque:
221 foot-lbs @ 1600 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.057 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):
26 / 36 / 30
Range (city/hwy):
406 / 562 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Premium Unleaded
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
FWD / AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
24 / 35 / 28
Range (city/hwy):
324 / 473 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Premium Unleaded
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
Heated Seats
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Parking Sensors:
Available
Power Lift Gate:
Available
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
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
Wifi:
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:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Standard
Navigation System:
Available
Paddle Shifters:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Available
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Available
Heated Seats
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Parking Sensors:
Available
Power Lift Gate:
N/A
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
N/A
Air Suspension:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
Available
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Available
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
Wifi:
Standard
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Driver Attention Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
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
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Driver Attention Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
N/A
Lane Keeping Assist:
N/A
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
N/A
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
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:
40.3 inches
Front Leg Room:
41.8 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
55.1 inches
Rear Head Room:
37.2 inches
Rear Leg Room:
33.9 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
54 inches
Cargo Space:
8.6 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
90.7 cubic feet
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3560 lbs
Width:
81.4 inches
Height:
56.8 inches
Length:
185.7 inches
Wheelbase:
112.2 inches
Ground Clearance:
5.4 inches
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3285 lbs
Width:
78.4 inches
Height:
56.9 inches
Length:
179.1 inches
Wheelbase:
107.4 inches
Ground Clearance:
4.3 inches
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
18.0 x 7.5 inches
Wheel Type:
painted aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
225/45R18
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
17.0 x 6.5 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
205/55R17
Exterior Colors
Black
Black Sapphire Metallic / Jet Black
Blue
Phytonic Blue Metallic / Portimao Blue Metallic / Tanzanite Blue II Metallic
Gray
Dravit Grey Metallic / Mineral Grey Metallic / Oxide Grey Metallic
Orange
Sunset Orange Metallic
Red
Aventurin Red Metallic / Melbourne Red Metallic
White
Alpine White / Mineral White Metallic
Gold
Not available
Silver
Not available
Exterior Colors
Black
Cosmos Black Metallic / Night Black
Blue
Denim Blue Metallic
Gray
Mountain Grey Metallic
Orange
Not available
Red
Patagonia Red Metallic
White
Digital White Metallic / Polar White
Gold
Rose Gold Metallic
Silver
Iridium Silver Metallic
Interior Colors
Beige
Canberra Beige
Black
Black / Black w/ Blue Contrast Stitching
Brown
Cognac / Mocha
Gray
Oyster
Red
Tacora Red
Interior Colors
Beige
Macchiato Beige
Black
Black / Black w/ Red Stitching
Brown
Bahia Brown
Gray
Neva Grey/Black / Titanium Grey/Black
Red
Classic Red/Black
