Audi A4 vs BMW M3

Audi A4

Audi’s compact executive saloon.

BMW M3

BMW’s high-performance saloon.

First car

Second car

Pick this one if…

Audi A4

Pick the A4 for quattro, the frugal 2.0 TDI and the 480-litre boot.

Best engine: The mid-range 2.0 TDI diesel for the best balance of economy and torque — or the 2.0 TFSI petrol.

Read the full guide

Pick this one if…

BMW M3

Pick the M3 for a powerful, versatile high-performance saloon with the S58 and a choice of manual or xDrive.

Best engine: The M3 Competition (510 hp).

Read the full guide

Performance

EA888 40 TFSI · Petrol vs M3 Competition · Petrol

	Audi A4	BMW M3
Power	190 hp	510 hp Winner
Torque	320 Nm	650 Nm Winner
0–100 km/h	7,3 s	3,9 s Winner
Top speed	240 km/h	250 km/h Winner
Power-to-weight	129,3 hp/t	286,5 hp/t Winner
CO₂ emissions (WLTP)	137 g/km Winner	230 g/km
Consumption (WLTP)	6,0 L/100km Winner	10,5 L/100km

Dimensions & space

	Audi A4	BMW M3
Boot	480 L	480 L
Boot (seats folded)	—	1.200 L
Wheelbase	2,82 m	2,86 m Winner
Length	4,73 m	4,79 m
Width	1,84 m	1,90 m
Height	1,43 m	1,43 m
Seats	5	5

Powertrain & tech

	Audi A4	BMW M3
Platform	MLB Evo (longitudinal)	CLAR (G80, shared with the 3 Series)
Drive	Front-wheel drive · All-wheel drive	Rear-wheel drive · All-wheel drive
Engine family	EA888 petrol · EA288 diesel · plug-in hybrid	S58 3.0 twin-turbo petrol
Fuel	Petrol · Diesel · Plug-in hybrid	Petrol
Transmission	7-speed S tronic (DSG)	6-speed manual · 8-speed automatic (ZF)
Euro standard	Euro 6 (early) · Euro 6d-TEMP (later)	Euro 6d
LEZ access	Euro 6 diesel allowed in the LEZ (Brussels/Antwerp/Ghent)	Euro 6d petrol allowed in the LEZ (Brussels/Antwerp/Ghent)

Reliability & watch-outs

Known issues

Audi A4

S tronic (DSG) mechatronics are the best-known weak point, especially on diesels
EA288 diesels: AdBlue/SCR needs attention with mainly short trips
Direct-injection TFSI petrols: carbon buildup with lots of short trips

BMW M3

Cooling-system plastics and electric water pump
Oil-filter housing / valve-cover gasket seepage
Carbon buildup on intake valves (direct injection)

Pros

Audi A4

quattro optional on the 2.0-litre engines
2.0 TDI (40) returns ~4.3 l/100 km
480-litre boot

BMW M3

Powerful, free-revving S58 twin-turbo
Versatile: usable saloon with M performance
Choice of manual, automatic and xDrive

Cons

Audi A4

Automatic only on later models — early pre-facelift versions have rare manual options
S line suspension rides firmly on large wheels

BMW M3

Firm ride, especially in sportier settings
Controversial vertical grille

Driving experience

Audi A4

As a model line, the A4 steers accurately with light, consistent weighting and stays quiet at motorway speeds. Front-drive versions feel light and easy; quattro adds strong traction out of corners on the 2.0-litre engines. The 2.0 TDI is strong and frugal, the 2.0 TFSI is smooth, and the 40 TFSI e plug-in hybrid runs on electric for short trips. The S tronic shifts quickly. It leans toward comfort over sharp handling.