2021 BMW 3 Series

NOTE: This video is about the 2019 BMW 3 Series, but since the 2021 BMW 3 Series is part of the same generation, our earlier analysis still applies.

What's the best-driving compact luxury sedan? That's what Carlos Lago seeks to find out in this quick comparison. Representing tradition, we have a 2019 BMW 3 Series, the newest generation of the model. Up for the challenge is our long-term 2017 Tesla Model 3.

[MUSIC PLAYING] SPEAKER: The BMW 3 Series used to be praised by critics like myself as the best driving and thus most desirable luxury sports sedan you could buy. Things have changed though. It's gotten bigger and heavier and more insulated. And now there are upstarts like the Tesla Model 3. These two particular cars are pretty different, so a direct comparison doesn't really play here. But think about how these two cars are similar. They're about the same money. They're about the same size. They have about the same power. Now, you can go on and on debating the merits of each vehicle's respective propulsion systems-- whether you like the familiarity and infrastructure that comes with an internal combustion engine or whether your lifestyle and commute permits an EV. We're not really concerned with that. What we care about in this video is the thing that these vehicles have to do best, and that's driving, of course. Which one drives better? [MUSIC PLAYING] Here we are in the new BMW 3 Series. It's a 330i. I've dialed it up to sport mode because we're going to be driving in a sporty manner. The 3 Series, at least the last generation, wasn't as successful, in terms of driving engagement and performance, as we would have liked it. BMW has heard our complaints, and driving dynamics was a focus of this new generation of the car. Now, when it comes to overall feel and how this drives, this is representing the classical sense of driving. We have, of course, an internal combustion engine. We have a transmission-- one with eight speeds. We have that characteristic. You role on the accelerator. You roll on the gas. We can call it a gas pedal. And the engine races towards red line-- it's either 6 or 7,000 RPM. This digital gauge cluster isn't very clear. And when you're doing that, you can feel the character of the power band change. There's a sound. There's a bunch of sounds. There's a sensation as power grows. And I think we'll find as when we get in the Tesla, it's very different-- and for obvious reasons. Now, the character of this particular two liter, four cylinder, it's fine. We've got about 255 horsepower-- about 300 pound feet of torque. That's a solid amount in this day and age for your average sedan. But is it an exciting package? I'd say the engine responds welcomingly. It's nice. The delivery is there. The power from the turbocharger, the way it comes on, feels generally pleasant. I'll say the sound-- not as good as the old six-cylinder BMWs used to sound. I used to have an E36 with the straight six cylinder. That thing sounded wonderful even if it was nowhere near as potent as these modern turbocharged four cylinders. The eight-speed transmission-- I've set it to sport-- and it's doing a pretty admirable job of choosing gears for fast driving. I'm not going for a lap time here, but I am trying to explore the vehicle's limits. Now, ride and handling-- this does not have adaptive dampers. And it is set up rather firm. That's to help give it some performance feel when tackling through some of these corners. I'm not sure if it's worth it. The ride is somewhat less luxurious than-- let's say-- than I'd expect for a commuter. And I think that's due to the fact that we're on 19 inch wheels-- performance-oriented run-flat tires. There's a lot of stiffness there that we're going to deal with when it comes to comfort. I think one of the downsides of the constant improvement of technology is how insulated these interiors have become where the feel of everything has to be simulated instead of just being organic. But you do lose a bit of the charm that comes with hydraulic steering-- that comes with a throttle cable and so on. These are things that have long since died out. So do these simulations capture the charm of those things? They do an OK job. I think this car, generally, overall-- I'm going to say feels bigger than it should-- if you're looking for a compact luxury sports sedan. But it does drive, generally, pretty well. Let's also talk about breaking. This does have the upgraded sport brakes, as BMW calls it. And they're generally good-- good feedback, good pedal modulation. You know how much performance you have available just from resting your foot on them. And, overall, as a sports sedan, does it rekindle the magic of what 3 Series used to be-- how those cars use to drive? I don't think so. But I also think that's impossible because cars today are different than what they used to be. They're saddled with so many additional requirements that you inevitably lose some of the charm and magic that cars used to have. Considering all that, this is fairly solid. And I think somebody looking at buying a traditional luxury sport compact would enjoy this purchase. But what I'm really curious to find out is how the Tesla will feel. [MUSIC PLAYING] Here we go in the Tesla Model 3. There's no sports setting to check outside of steering, which I put in sport just to keep things even. And, already, this car feels more powerful. It is slightly more powerful because Tesla recently provided an over-the-air update, which increased the power by 5%, which we've tested. But it's not just that. It's the method of power delivery. If you have been following EV news recently, you know how this works, and we're not going to rehash all the talking points. But, basically, what happens is with an internal combustion engine, when you apply the gas, you have to wait for the transmission to downshift-- if you haven't done it already. Then you have to wait for the turbocharger to spool up. Then you have to wait for the engine to start accelerating. And this all happens generally quick with modern cars but nowhere as quick as what happens when you hit the accelerator in an EV. The power delivery is just instantaneous. All the torque gets delivered as soon as the electric motor starts turning. And because it happens so quick here, the response of acceleration makes this feel more powerful. On top of that, this is a heavier car. But where all that mass is located is primarily in the batteries, which are underneath the flooring. But there's run-on benefits to that-- that effect handling, which makes this car feel a little bit more nimble, a little bit more lift, and a little bit more enjoyable. But, also, the hood line seems lower. The doors seem a little bit lower, too. Maybe the seat sits higher, but I feel like the car is smaller, overall. I don't think it is. But the sensation is what matters, not what the specs say-- at least when it comes to driving. And because of that, you get that combination of early power. And you get that combination of the handling from where the majority of the mass of this car is located. And you arrive at a car that is really fun to drive when you're going quick or when you're commuting. Now, there are shortcomings to this package. And you've probably been hearing them as I've been driving. The tires are squealing. This does not have as aggressive as a wheel and tire package as that 3 Series does. And you notice it. This thing is not going to put the same G numbers down. It's not going to break with the same capability because it doesn't have that option on it. Tesla offers it. This car just doesn't have it. But aside from that, the way the car gets positioned around it-- when you turn the wheel-- feels better. It doesn't have the same smoothness with stability control. I can't put the stability control in an intermediary setting like I can on the BMW-- or if I can, I haven't figured out how to do it the menu yet-- so calm down, Tesla fanboys. But aside from that, I gotta say, I'm enjoying driving this more. And coming to this comparison, I was not expecting that to be the outcome. We have to give criticism where it's due. And in the Tesla, that falls on the interior. This interior doesn't have the level of assembly in terms of quality or the level of materials quality that you get in that BMW. You're paying for the technology that underpins this car, not for the interior, so I get that. But you will notice it when you sit in these cars back to back. The way the power comes on-- it's just so addicting with this thing-- that you just want to keep doing it because it's so quick, and because it's so much. It really feels fun. But I think we're getting up to the edge of what these brakes were designed for. They're getting a little soft-- much like they did in the 3 Series. I'm genuinely surprised. This is more enjoyable to drive than a 3 Series. I'm shocked. I'm shocked-- sorry, BMW. [MUSIC PLAYING] We thought this was going to be a lopsided pairing, but we didn't realize in which direction. This BMW 3 Series isn't just a newer car. It's an entirely new generation of the 3 Series. And on top of that, this one had the optional sport and track handling packages that aim to improve driving engagement. Meanwhile, this Tesla Model 3 is 2 years old, has 20,000 miles on it, and isn't the sportiest configuration. And it was still way more fun to drive. From the response of the acceleration to the sense of agility provided by its lower center of gravity, the Model 3 was simply more engaging. Tesla's even done a better job with steering feel, which is amusing when you think about all the fuss around its so-called full self-driving capabilities. It's funny because in a strict fun-to-drive terms, the Tesla Model 3 beats the new BMW 3 Series. [MUSIC PLAYING]