Comparing the BMW 3 Series vs Audi A4: Which is Better?

The fifth generation Audi A4 Saloon is a smart looking car - but that didn’t stop Audi from giving it a major facelift for 2020. The 2020 A4’s body panels are mostly new, with the exception being the hood, roof and trunk of the car. The new front end sports a wider, lower grille that gives the car a more aggressive look, with large air intakes to either side. Angular, clustered LED headlights and taillights complement this, as does the new sheet-metal design, which replaces the fairly conservative ‘blocky’ panels of last year’s model. Opt for the highly regraded S Line trim and you'll receive an even sportier exterior styling pack.

Nothing changes in this year’s BMW 3 Series Saloon. It sports the same, smaller kidney grilles you’ll find on last year’s model, complemented by large air intakes to either side. The front end of the car still feels much more aggressively sculpted than that of the A4, but the latter’s latest visual update has, in our mind, put the two on a par when it comes down to looks. 

The small luxury saloon is a competitive vehicle class that demands the perfect balance between comfort, practicality and sports car handling. 

This is something that Audi excels at. The A4 has precise steering and, with quattro technology incorporated, unflappable cornering. Yet even with its sporty handling, the A4 does a fine job of soaking up lumps and bumps at lower speeds. The seven-speed S-tronic automatic gearbox can feel a little slow to respond at first, but it’s otherwise a joy to drive. 

The 3 Series is a similar story - steering is light and precise in comfort mode, but flicking the sport switch will turn up the heat, giving you just enough resistance in the steering wheel to really draw you in. There’s minimal body lean in both cars, but you’ll find you have more fun cornering in the rear-wheel-drive 3 Series than in the front-wheel-drive A4. If you’re looking for something a little more ‘planted’ however, you can always opt for xDrive (BMW’s four-wheel-drive equivalent). 

The eight-speed automatic gearbox also feels a little slow in the 3 Series, though it’s faster than rivals like the Jaguar XE, if not quite as responsive as the Audi or the Mercedes C Class. Unfortunately, the chassis is a little bit stiff in the BMW. This means that any imperfections in the road surface tend to make themselves known to the occupants, in spite of the lovely plush seats. 

Both cars come with the basics: anti-lock braking (ABS), side-curtain airbags and traction control. The A4 takes things a step further offering a rear camera, parking sensors and a forward-collision warning system with automatic braking as standard where they are optional on the 3 Series. As for other optional safety features, both models offer lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, cruise control and a blind spot monitoring system.

Audi’s interiors are second to none and the A4 is no different. Trim panels are robust and the mixture of leather seats and Alcantara and metal panelling feels positively luxurious. The 2020 redesign sees largely the same interior, with the addition of a new, larger central 10.1-inch infotainment screen angled slightly towards the driver. Audi’s signature 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit display makes navigating a doddle, with the option to position your satellite navigation system directly behind the steering wheel. If you're into your gizmos, you'll have to consider the optional Audi Tech Pack.

The BMW 3 Series Saloon has a generally well-designed cabin, though it offers no stand-out features. It’s got synthetic leather upholstery, which can be upgraded to Vernasca leather upholstery for a bit extra. If you’re a bit more old-school, you’ll appreciate the classic rotary dial to operate the car’s infotainment system. The driver’s binnacle is, however, a little less advanced than that of the Audi A4. Both cars have the usual array of tech features, including Bluetooth and Apple Carplay, though BMW is yet to add support for Android Auto. If you like to keep your car nice and toasty, you’ll also appreciate 3 zone climate control available as standard on both cars. 

For a little extra, you’ll be able to upgrade to a Bang & Olufsen sound system on the Audi, or a Harmann Kardonn system on the BMW.

The A4 and the 3 Series offer copious amounts of headroom and legroom in both the front seats and the back thanks to their longer wheelbases. The middle rear seat passenger in both cars will have to contend with a shortage of shoulder space and a large, obtrusive central tunnel, as well as a firmer, raised seat. 

The 3 Series packs 480 litres in the boot, which is identical to the Audi A4 Saloon boot capacity. The remaining Audi A4 models boast slightly larger boots with the A4 Avant boot capacity at 495 litres and the A4 Allroad boot capacity up at 505 litres.

Both cars offer a 40/20/40 split folding seat layout, which will let you slide longer items down the middle of the car and still leave room for two passengers on the back bench.

When it comes to costs, the A4 will save you a bit of money each month over the BMW 3 Series. This is partly down to the lower initial asking price. Both cars have strong residual values thanks to their popularity on the second hand market, so you can be sure that you’re getting the most bang for your buck. 

In terms of warranties, the A3 is covered by a three-year, 60,000 mile Audi warranty, while BMW warranty offers a favourable three-year, unlimited mileage warranty, which could be a crucial factor for long-distance drivers. You can extend your warranty no matter which car you buy - we've looked at the Audi extended warranty in more detail in this post.

The Audi A4 Avant insurance group starts at a very reasonable 23, while the A4 Saloon insurance group ranges from 22 to 33. The most expensive A4 Allroad insurance group belongs to the Vorsprung tirm which sits in group 39.