Compare the2025 Honda AccordVS 2025 BMW 3 Series Sedan

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Honda Accord have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Honda Accord are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Accord’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the 3 Series Sedan.

Both the Accord and the 3 Series Sedan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda Accord is safer than the BMW 3 Series Sedan:

	Accord	3 Series Sedan
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	203	252
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	32.5%	33%
Neck Compression	39 lbs.	74 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Honda Accord is safer than the BMW 3 Series Sedan:

	Accord	3 Series Sedan
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	67	107
Chest Movement	.7 inches	.8 inches
Abdominal Force	92 lbs.	179 lbs.
Hip Force	244 lbs.	252 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	204	305
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches
HIC	147	270
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	39 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Honda Accord has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The 3 Series Sedan has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

Warranty

Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the Accord 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the 3 Series Sedan. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the 3 Series Sedan ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 3 times as many Honda dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Accord’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Honda Accord’s reliability 16 points higher than the 3 Series Sedan.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 25 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda fourth in overall reliability. BMW is ranked 8th.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Accord gets better mileage than the 3 Series Sedan:

			MPG
Accord
	FWD	EX-L 2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	51 city/44 hwy
		Sport/Touring 2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	46 city/41 hwy
		1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/37 hwy
3 Series Sedan
	RWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	28 city/35 hwy
		3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	27 city/33 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	26 city/34 hwy
		3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	26 city/33 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Accord uses regular unleaded gasoline. The 3 Series Sedan requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Accord Hybrid’s standard fuel tank has 2.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the 3 Series Sedan 330e’s standard fuel tank (12.8 vs. 10.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Accord has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

The Accord has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Accord stops shorter than the 3 Series Sedan:

	Accord	3 Series Sedan
60 to 0 MPH	128 feet	129 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Accord Sport/Touring’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 3 Series Sedan (235/40R19 vs. 225/40R19).

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Accord is .6 inches wider in the front and 1.9 inches wider in the rear than the track on the 3 Series Sedan.

The Accord Touring Hybrid handles at .90 G’s, while the 330i xDrive pulls only .89 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Accord’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the 3 Series Sedan’s (38.4 feet vs. 39.4 feet).

Chassis

The Honda Accord may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 500 pounds less than the BMW 3 Series Sedan.

The Accord uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Accord Touring Hybrid is quieter than the 330i:

	Accord	3 Series Sedan
At idle	29 dB	38 dB
Full-Throttle	71 dB	74 dB
70 MPH Cruising	66 dB	69 dB

Passenger Space

The Accord has .8 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front legroom, 1.9 inches more front shoulder room, 5.6 inches more rear legroom and 1.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the 3 Series Sedan.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Honda service is better than BMW. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 5% lower rating, BMW is ranked 10th.

Ergonomics

The Accord Sport-L/EX-L/Touring’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Accord’s standard Smart Entry allow you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the trunk, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Comfort Go standard on the 3 Series Sedan only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the car.

Consumer Reports rated the Accord’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the 3 Series Sedan’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Accord Touring keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Recommendations

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

The Accord was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2025 and 25 more times in the last 26 years. The 3 Series Sedan has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

The Honda Accord outsold the BMW 3 Series by over five to one during 2024.

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