BMW M3 vs. BMW M6
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the BMW M3 and BMW M6 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 M3 and the BMW M6.
In comparing the BMW M3's and the BMW M6's specifications and ratings, the BMW M3 has the advantage in the areas of fuel efficiency and resale value. The BMW M6 has the advantage in the areas of typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, interior volume and base engine power. Based on this comparison of the BMW M3's and the BMW M6's specifications and ratings, the BMW M6 is a better car than the BMW M3.
Pricing: A used 2018 BMW M3 ranges from $43,631 to $64,965 while a used 2018 BMW M6 is priced between $42,950 to $59,995.
Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the BMW M3 loses 42.3 percent of its value and the BMW M6 loses 56 percent of its value. This means the BMW M3 retains 13.7 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the BMW M6.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the BMW M3’s base engine makes 425 horsepower, and the BMW M6 base engine makes 552 horsepower. The M3 is rated to deliver an average of 20 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 395 miles. The M6 is rated to deliver an average of 16 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 422 miles.This gives the BMW M3 the advantage in fuel efficiency and the BMW M6 the advantage in maximum range. Both models use premium unleaded.
Passenger Space Comparison: The BMW M6 has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front head room, front shoulder room, front leg room, rear leg room, and cargo space. The BMW M3, a compact car, has the advantage in the areas of rear head room and rear shoulder room.
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
-
Starting MSRP:
$66,500
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
$42,046
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
$28,100 - $66,500
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
-
Starting MSRP:
$119,800
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
$57,329
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
$24,990 - $119,800
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
$53,876
Price Range:
$43,631 - $64,965
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
$26,145
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
$18,855 - $53,876
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
54
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
53,141
# Good or Great Deals:
6
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
$50,783
Price Range:
$42,950 - $59,995
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
$31,667
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
$18,314 - $65,017
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
9
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
49,590
# Good or Great Deals:
0
BMW M3 Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
7.7 / 10
Reliability:
7.5 / 10
Retained Value:
7.9 / 10
Safety:
Not available
BMW M6 Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
Not available
Reliability:
Not available
Retained Value:
7.0 / 10
Safety:
Not available
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for BMW M3
Remaining Life Expectancy (years):
6.2
Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
5.1
Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
2.1 - 8.4
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
1.5%
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for BMW M6
Remaining Life Expectancy (years):
Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
5.4
Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
2 - 8.6
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
2.6
Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
2.6
Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
1.4 - 14.4
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
3.9
Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
1.9
Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
1 - 27.9
BMW 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 / 31BMW M6 Rankings
Ranking
4 out of / 29Ranking
6 out of / 29Ranking
21 out of / 29Available Body Styles
Sedan
Available Body Styles
Convertible, Sedan
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
BMW M3 Trim Levels
Base, CS
BMW M6 Trim Levels
Not yet available
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):
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
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:
425 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque:
406 foot-lbs @ 1850 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.119 hp per pound
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
552 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque:
502 foot-lbs @ 1500 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.125 hp per pound
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
3 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
6
Transmission:
Manual
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
RWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
17 / 25 / 20
Range (city/hwy):
269 / 395 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Premium Unleaded
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
4.4 liters
Engine Configuration:
V
Number of Cylinders:
8
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
RWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
14 / 20 / 16
Range (city/hwy):
295 / 422 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Premium Unleaded
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Heated Seats
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Standard
Navigation System:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Parking Sensors:
Available
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Available
Wifi:
Available
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Adaptive Cruise Control:
N/A
Air Suspension:
N/A
Android Auto:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Internet Radio:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Paddle Shifters:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Power Lift Gate:
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Roof Rack:
N/A
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Bench Seats:
N/A
Bluetooth:
Standard
Heated Seats
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Standard
Navigation System:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Parking Sensors:
Standard
Sunroof/Moonroof:
N/A
Wifi:
Standard
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control:
N/A
Air Suspension:
N/A
Android Auto:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Available
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Internet Radio:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Paddle Shifters:
Standard
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Power Lift Gate:
N/A
Quad Seats:
Standard
Roof Rack:
N/A
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Blind Spot Monitoring:
N/A
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Forward Collision Warning:
N/A
Lane Departure Warning:
N/A
Lane Keeping Assist:
N/A
Pedestrian Detection:
N/A
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
N/A
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Blind Spot Monitoring:
N/A
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Forward Collision Warning:
N/A
Lane Departure Warning:
N/A
Lane Keeping Assist:
N/A
Pedestrian Detection:
N/A
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
N/A
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
40.3 inches
Front Leg Room:
42 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
55.1 inches
Rear Head Room:
37.7 inches
Rear Leg Room:
35.1 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
55.1 inches
Cargo Space:
12 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
96.2 cubic feet
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
40.6 inches
Front Leg Room:
42.1 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
56.7 inches
Rear Head Room:
37 inches
Rear Leg Room:
35.3 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
54.6 inches
Cargo Space:
16.2 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
97.0 cubic feet
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3575 lbs
Width:
80.2 inches
Height:
56.1 inches
Length:
184.5 inches
Wheelbase:
110.7 inches
Ground Clearance:
4.7 inches
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
4430 lbs
Width:
82.9 inches
Height:
54.9 inches
Length:
197.5 inches
Wheelbase:
116.7 inches
Ground Clearance:
4.3 inches
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
18.0 x 9.0 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
255/40R18
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
20.0 x 9.5 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
265/35ZR20
Exterior Colors
Black
Azurite Black Metallic / Black Sapphire Metallic
Blue
Tanzanite Blue Metallic / Yas Marina Blue Metallic
Brown
Smoked Topaz Metallic
Gray
Mineral Grey Metallic
Orange
Sakhir Orange II Metallic
Silver
Champagne Quartz Metallic / Silverstone Metallic
White
Alpine White / Mineral White Metallic
Yellow
Austin Yellow Metallic
Exterior Colors
Black
Black Sapphire Metallic / Citrin Black Metallic / Ruby Black Metallic
Blue
San Marino Blue Metallic / Tanzanite Blue Metallic
Brown
Frozen Bronze Metallic
Gray
Moonstone Metallic / Singapore Gray Metallic / Space Gray Metallic
Orange
Sakhir Orange Metallic
Silver
Silverstone Metallic
White
Alpine White / Frozen Brilliant White Metallic
Yellow
Not available
Interior Colors
Beige
Sonoma Beige
Black
Black
Brown
Amaro Brown / Cohiba Brown/Black / Golden Brown / Nutmeg
Gray
Anthracite/Black / Silverstone
Orange
Sakhir Orange/Black
Red
Sakhir Orange/Black
White
Opal White
Interior Colors
Beige
Champagne
Black
Black
Brown
Amaro Brown / Aragon Brown / Canyon Brown
Gray
Platinum/Black / Silverstone
Orange
Sakhir Orange/Black
Red
Sakhir Orange/Black
White
Opal White / Opal White/Amaro Brown
