Lexus ES 250 vs. BMW 3 Series
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Lexus ES 250 and BMW 3 Series 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 Lexus ES 250 and the BMW 3 Series.
When we compare the Lexus ES 250's and the BMW 3 Series's specifications and ratings, the Lexus ES 250 has the advantage in the areas of new vehicle base pricing, reliability, resale value, interior volume and overall quality score. The BMW 3 Series has the advantage in the areas of fuel efficiency and base engine power. Based on this comparison of the Lexus ES 250's and the BMW 3 Series's specifications and ratings, the Lexus ES 250 is a better car than the BMW 3 Series.
Pricing: For a new model, the Lexus ES 250's price is between $45,980 and $54,994, with the BMW 3 Series priced between $49,425 and $69,475.
Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Lexus ES 250 loses 44.6 percent of its value and the BMW 3 Series loses 51.4 percent of its value. This means the Lexus ES 250 retains 6.8 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 Lexus ES 250 is 8.0 out of 10 while the BMW 3 Series' quality rating is 7.7 out of 10. This results in the Lexus ES 250 being ranked 6 out of 24 Best Luxury Midsize Cars and the BMW 3 Series being ranked 15 out of 36 Best Luxury Small Cars.
Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the Lexus ES 250 is 7.9 out of 10. For the BMW 3 Series the reliability rating is 7.3 out of 10. This gives the Lexus ES 250 a slight advantage in reliability compared to the BMW 3 Series.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Lexus ES 250’s base engine makes 203 horsepower, and the BMW 3 Series base engine makes 255 horsepower. The ES 250 is rated to deliver an average of 28 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 525 miles. The 3 Series is rated to deliver an average of 31 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 546 miles. This gives the BMW 3 Series the fuel efficiency and maximum range advantage over the Lexus ES 250. The ES 250 uses regular unleaded, and the 3 Series uses premium unleaded.
Passenger Space Comparison: The Lexus ES 250, a midsize car, has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front leg room, rear head room and rear leg room. The BMW 3 Series, a compact car, has the advantage in the areas of front head room, front shoulder room, rear shoulder room, and cargo space.
Safety Ratings: When comparing crash test ratings from NHTSA, both the Lexus ES 250 and the BMW 3 Series have the same average safety rating of 5 out of 5 Stars.
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
45980 - 54994
Starting MSRP:
42140
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
79467
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
42140 - 200195
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
49425 - 69475
Starting MSRP:
45950
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
49451
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
33000 - 79900
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
Price Range:
-
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
80683
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
43661 - 144992
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
# Good or Great Deals:
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
48859
Price Range:
38998 - 61980
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
51959
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
34107 - 95081
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
# Good or Great Deals:
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
18807
Depreciation %:
0.44630858
Resale Value $:
23333
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
0.49394848
Category Depreciation Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
0.39819597 - 0.61156182
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
Depreciation %:
Resale Value $:
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
0.51356376
Category Depreciation Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
0.34749831 - 0.55942423
Lexus ES 250 Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
8.0 / 10
Reliability:
7.9 / 10
Retained Value:
8.2 / 10
Safety:
8.0 / 10
BMW 3 Series Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
7.7 / 10
Reliability:
7.3 / 10
Retained Value:
7.7 / 10
Safety:
8.0 / 10
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Lexus ES 250
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
13.2
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
13.2
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
9.4 - 22.1
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.215
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for BMW 3 Series
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
11.0
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
11.0
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
9.5 - 20.1
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.027
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
1.5618966421388292
Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
3.0
Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
1.5 - 35.8
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
7.040631536476573
Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
2.2
Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
1.5 - 10.4
Lexus ES 250 Rankings
Ranking
1 out of / 18Ranking
2 out of / 18Ranking
3 out of / 24Ranking
3 out of / 24Ranking
4 out of / 24Ranking
6 out of / 24Ranking
6 out of / 24Ranking
11 out of / 24Ranking
19 out of / 24Ranking
24 out of / 24BMW 3 Series Rankings
Ranking
5 out of / 36Ranking
10 out of / 36Ranking
11 out of / 36Ranking
11 out of / 32Ranking
12 out of / 36Ranking
15 out of / 36Ranking
16 out of / 32Ranking
19 out of / 36Ranking
20 out of / 36Ranking
20 out of / 36Available Body Styles
Sedan
Available Body Styles
Sedan
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Lexus ES 250 Trim Levels
Base, F SPORT Design, Luxury, Ultra Luxury
BMW 3 Series Trim Levels
330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
6 years / 70000 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
2026 NHTSA Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
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
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
203 hp @ 6500 rpm
Torque:
184 foot-lbs @ 4000 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.054 hp per pound
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
255 hp @ 4700 rpm
Torque:
295 foot-lbs @ 1600 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.070 hp per pound
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2.5 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
24 / 33 / 28
Range (city/hwy):
382 / 525 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Regular Unleaded
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):
28 / 35 / 31
Range (city/hwy):
437 / 546 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Premium Unleaded
Standard/Optional Features
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Standard
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
Paddle Shifters:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Standard
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Wifi:
Standard
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Available
Heated Seats
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Navigation System:
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
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
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Available
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
Paddle Shifters:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Standard
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Wifi:
Standard
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
N/A
Heated Seats
Standard
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Navigation System:
Standard
Parking Sensors:
Available
Power Lift Gate:
Available
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Standard
Air Suspension:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
Available
Captain's seat:
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
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Lane Keeping Assist:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
Available
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Available
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Available
Lane Keeping Assist:
Available
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Available
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Driver Attention Monitoring:
Standard
Rear Seat Reminder:
Standard
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
37.5 inches
Front Leg Room:
42.4 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
55.9 inches
Rear Head Room:
37.8 inches
Rear Leg Room:
39.2 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
54.3 inches
Cargo Space:
13.9 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
99.9 cubic feet
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:
16.9 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
94.0 cubic feet
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3780 lbs
Width:
73.4 inches
Height:
57.1 inches
Length:
195.9 inches
Wheelbase:
113 inches
Ground Clearance:
Not yet available
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3644 lbs
Width:
81.4 inches
Height:
56.8 inches
Length:
185.9 inches
Wheelbase:
112.2 inches
Ground Clearance:
5.6 inches
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
17.0 x 7.5 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
215/55R17
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
18.0 x 7.5 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
225/45R18
Exterior Colors
Beige
Moonbeam Beige Metallic
Black
Caviar / Obsidian
Blue
Nightfall Mica
Gray
Cloudburst Gray
Green
Sunlit Green
Red
Matador Red Mica
Silver
Iridium
White
Eminent White Pearl
Exterior Colors
Beige
Not available
Black
Black Sapphire Metallic / Jet Black
Blue
Arctic Race Blue Metallic / Frozen Portimao Blue II Metallic / Portimao Blue Metallic / Tanzanite Blue II Metallic
Gray
Brooklyn Grey Metallic / Dravit Grey Metallic / Frozen Pure Grey Metallic / Skyscraper Grey Metallic
Green
Not available
Red
Vegas Red Metallic
Silver
Not available
White
Alpine White / Mineral White Metallic
Interior Colors
Black
Black w/ Open-Pore Black Wood Trim / Black w/ Striated Black Film Trim
Brown
Acorn w/ Open-Pore Black Wood Trim / Acorn w/ Striated Black Film Trim / Palomino w/ Open-Pore Brown Walnut Trim / Palomino w/ Striated Black Film Trim
White
Macadamia w/ Ash Bamboo Trim
Beige
Not available
Gray
Not available
Red
Not available
Interior Colors
Black
Black / Black w/ Blue Contrast Stitching
Brown
Cognac / Mocha
White
Not available
Beige
Canberra Beige
Gray
Oyster
Red
Tacora Red
