Compare the2026 BMW 3 Series SedanVS 2026 Lexus ES

The 3 Series Sedan’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The ES doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the 3 Series Sedan are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The ES doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The 3 Series Sedan has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The ES doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the 3 Series Sedan and the ES have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The 3 Series Sedan’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the ES’ (12 vs. 6 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 3 Series Sedan for 2 years and 26000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the ES (3/36,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 43 percent more BMW dealers than there are Lexus dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the 3 Series Sedan’s warranty.

The 3 Series Sedan has more powerful engines than the ES:

Regardless of its engine, the 3 Series Sedan’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Lexus only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the ES 350h, and doesn’t offer a disable button.

The 3 Series Sedan has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the ES (15.6 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The 3 Series Sedan’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The ES doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the M340i’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the ES:

The 330i’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the ES’ standard 55 series tires. The 3 Series Sedan’s optional 225/40R19 front and 255/35R19 rear tires have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile than the ES’ optional 45 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the 3 Series Sedan can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The ES doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The 3 Series Sedan offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The ES’ suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The 3 Series Sedan’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52.1% to 47.9%) than the ES’ (54.8% to 45.2%). This gives the 3 Series Sedan more stable handling and braking.

The BMW 3 Series Sedan may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 850 pounds less than the Lexus ES.

The 3 Series Sedan is 1 foot, 4.4 inches shorter than the ES, making the 3 Series Sedan easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the 3 Series Sedan uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The ES doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The 3 Series Sedan has .5 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front legroom, .7 inches more front hip room, 3.4 inches more rear hip room and .7 inches more rear shoulder room than the ES.

The engine in the 3 Series Sedan is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the ES. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The ES Luxury’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The 3 Series Sedan’s optional adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

Consumer Reports® recommends the BMW 3 Series Sedan, based on reliability, safety and performance.