To watch the video of this comparison test, click here.
I’m evaluating these luxury sedans at around the $40,000 price point. I won’t be adding any options or packages to any of the cars to keep the comparison test as fair as possible. This means I am comparing specific trims of each vehicle: the BMW 3-Series 330i xDrive, the Acura TLX Technology Package, the Audi A4 Premium Plus, and the Lexus IS300 all-wheel-drive. With that out of the way, let’s take a look at 2020 3-Series.
 |
| 2020 BMW 330i, via allcarseveryday |
VALUE: The 2020 BMW 3-Series 330i xDrive sets you back $42,250. Exterior features include heated, power-folding mirrors, 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and daytime running lights and dark-accent trim. The headlights and windshield wipers automatically turn on when it starts to rain, and the BMW comes with a smart key that uses a memory function to adjust the seat and mirror positions, as well as the climate control, audio system volume, radio presets and lighting preferences. On the interior, the front two seats are 14-way power-adjustable, and they both have a memory function for the seat and mirror positions. The interior is SensaTec upholstery, which is a leather look-alike, and if you’re subscribed to my channel you know how I feel about $40,000 plus cars without genuine leather. But I digress, the stuff is actually pretty good. The rear seats fold 40/20/40 which is better than the standard 60/40, as it allows for the middle seat to serve as a pass-through into the trunk and increases the functionality of the back seat. The interior is cut up with Oak interior trim that comes either in grey or brown. The climate control system is tri-zone, one zone for the driver, one for the passenger, and one for the rear seat. The vehicle can be started with the push of a button and the rear-view mirror and driver’s side exterior mirror dim automatically instead of requiring the driver to flip a manual switch. Before we get to the tech in the BMW, the final convenience features that round out the interior are a power moon-roof and a tilt and telescoping steering column. The infotainment system on the dash runs through an eight-point-eight-inch screen in the center of the dashboard, where you will find BMW’s iDrive software. The steering wheel has controls for the audio, Bluetooth, and cruise control, and behind it sits analog gauges. Part of the gauge cluster is digital, but it isn’t fully electronic; this only comes in the M340i. BMW ConnectedDrive services come standard on this 3-series, which allow the driver to unlock, start, lock, and adjust the climate control settings in their car via a smartphone app. It also makes sure the BMW has wireless charging for smartphones, a 4G LTE hot-spot, Apple CarPlay, and it will find a parking space for you once you arrive at your destination. The cellphone can also serve as a pseudo-key to unlock your 3-Series by holding it next to the door handle, or even start the vehicle by placing it in the wireless charging tray. The BMW has navigation with over-the-air software updates and two USB-ports. The car responds to voice commands and the touchscreen also responds to the iDrive touch-pad controller on the bottom of the center console. The audio system in the 3-series has a 205-watt amplifier with ten speakers that include three tweeters.
 |
| 2020 Acura TLX, via allcarseveryday |
Next, let’s check out the 2020 Acura TLX. The technology package with the V6 and all-wheel-drive starts at $42,100. Exterior features include Jewel Eye LED headlights, and all other exterior lights are also LED. The side mirrors are heated but not auto-dimming, and the technology package is loaded with quad exhaust tips and 19-inch pewter gray wheels. On the windshield sit rain-sensing wipers. Like the BMW, the Acura has a key-less access system with a smart key, which allows the driver to unlock and start the car without ever touching the key. It also adjusts the music, seat, mirror and steering column positions to the driver associated with that key. Speaking of the key, Honda vehicles such as this TLX usually have the capability to open or shut all windows with the push of a button on the fob. This feature seems useless until you own a Honda, and then you feel like you can’t live without it. The remote start feature on the TLX also makes it so that owners can cool or warm the interior before they get into the car. On the inside, Acura owners step into real, perforated Milano leather with contrasting stitching and piping. The driver seat is power-adjustable 12 ways with lumbar support and a thigh extension cushion. The passenger’s seat is only four-way power adjustable, but both front captain’s chairs have three levels of heating. The rear seats fold 60/40 which is more traditional but not as good as the BMW’s 40/20/40. The Acura has automatic dual-zone climate control, and in classic Acura fashion the climate control is also linked to GPS. The TLX uses the GPS to determine the position of the sun relative to the vehicle and adjusts the interior climate accordingly. The steering wheel is leather and has controls for the Bluetooth and voice recognition software, but I’m surprised that these vehicles don’t have heated steering wheels. The V6 model that we’re comparing has an electronic gear selector and a frame-less rear-view mirror that dims. The audio system in the TLX is a very good ELS Studio premium audio system with ten speakers. SiriusXM, Pandora, HD Radio, and Song By Voice come standard on the technology package TLX. Those who love their smart phones will be happy to know that the TLX has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard, which the BMW makes you spend more on. The Acura has two screens in the dashboard, the top of which is for phone functions like the ones mentioned previously, and the bottom one is for the multimedia, some climate controls and navigation. Like the Bimmer, the navigation system has real-time traffic info that’s linked to the voice recognition software. The gauge cluster remains primarily analog, but both the BMW and Acura have the feature that allows you to track the vehicle on a map in case it gets stolen. Finally, the TLX has a power moon-roof that can also be controlled from inside the car as well as on the key fob.
The 2019 Audi A4 Premium Plus starts life at $42,900. Exterior features include 18-inch, ten-spoke V-pattern wheels, full LED headlights, DRLs and taillights, and the side mirrors are heated, auto-dimming and power-folding. Like the other cars, the A4 has a key-less access system, that allows you to unlock, lock, and start the car, and the trunk releases by itself when the owner swipes a foot under the rear bumper. The headlights and windshield wipers both turn on when the car senses rain, to try and avoid letting the driver make any mistakes. On the inside, the Audi has leather on all the seats and the front two seats are eight-way power adjustable with four ways of power lumbar adjustment for the driver. The driver seat also gets a memory function in the Premium Plus trim, and both front passengers can warm their butts with the Audi’s seat heaters. The rear seats fold 40/20/40 like the BMW. Furthermore, the Audi has a tri-zone climate control system, with a zone for each of the front passengers and one for the rear seats. The A4 has a PhoneBox, which puts a wireless charging pad in the vehicle for cellphones that have that capability. It also connects the owner’s cellphone to the car’s antenna via near-field coupling so that the cellphone will have noticeably better quality inside the A4. Speaking of technology in the A4, the Premium Plus trim nets Audi’s virtual cockpit, which is a beautiful fully digital 12.3-inch gauge cluster behind the steering wheel. The navigation system in the Audi can run on both the 8.3-inch screen in the middle of the dashboard or it can also be on the virtual cockpit gauge cluster we just talked about. Both screens can also run the Audi’s infotainment system, called MMI. MMI is a stellar infotainment system, and in this generation it can even recognize handwriting commands on a pad in the center console. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and a 90-day subscription to SiriusXM also make it into this vehicle. The audio system has ten speakers that total to 180 watts of music playing ability. The Audi uses Connect Plus, which allows the driver to unlock or lock the A4 from a smartphone app. This feature also brings Amazon Alexa, Google Earth, voice recognition, a vehicle locator both for if the A4 gets stolen or if the driver forgets where they parked, and a 4G LTE hot-spot. This package is on a subscription basis, however, and like the other cars, the Audi has a power moon-roof. The A4 has much more competitive features relative to its class than the last comparison test with an Audi. I just compared the Audi Q5 to the Lexus NX and Acura RDX, and I feel like the Q5 got dusted in terms of features. I think that was because it has been nearly the same since 2013, so it was just falling behind the times. This particular A4 has only been around since 2017, so I think it remained competitive with features, which I am glad to see because the Q5 started off on the wrong foot with value.
 |
| 2020 Lexus IS 300, via allcarseveryday |
The 2019 Lexus IS 300 starts at $41,010. Exterior features included on this trim level are LED headlights and daytime running lights, 17-inch wheels, and a smart access system with push button start like the other cars in this comparison. The exterior mirrors are heated but are not power-folding or auto-dimming at this trim level. On the inside, the Lexus has a power moon-roof, interior trim called NuLuxe that isn’t real leather, and dual-zone climate control. There is no nav unit, but the multimedia system allows your smartphone to give you turn by turn directions on the screen. This feature is complimentary until 2023. Speaking of connectivity, the Lexus responds to voice commands and has Bluetooth, and the front two seats are heated and power adjustable. The audio system has eight speakers, and there is a Mark Levinson audio system package, but you’ll have to pay extra for it so it doesn’t factor into this evaluation. The Lexus Enform Remote is the technology that allows drivers to start, lock, unlock, and track their IS's location.
With all of the features of the four sedans wrapped up, let’s assign points out of ten for the value category. The BMW was optioned well but was missing a fully digital gauge cluster and real leather. I’ll give it an eight-point-five out of ten for value. The Acura had bigger wheels and Milano leather, as well as that awesome ELS audio system. It still didn’t have a fully digital gauge cluster, but it did support Android Auto which the BMW was missing. For this, the Acura gets a nine point three out of ten. The Audi was the only vehicle with the awesome gauge cluster, the exterior had the best features save for the Acura’s wheels, and the interior features were in line with the segment. The Audi gets a nine point two for value, because even though it has great features, it’s also the most expensive vehicle in the test. The Lexus was starved for features at this price point; it didn’t have real leather, it had the smallest wheels, the exterior mirrors were lacking the features the other vehicles had and the audio system is the weakest of the group. However, the Lexus was nearly $2,000 less expensive than the Audi, so it still gets an eight point two out of ten. I think this segment relies a lot on the age of the model, as the Lexus has been around since 2014 and is the oldest here. Also, I want to point out that you can get a lot more features on a car this expensive than you can an SUV this expensive.
POWER-TRAIN AND PERFORMANCE: The 3-Series comes with a two-liter single-scroll turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 255 horsepower and 294-pound feet of torque. The BMW has stop/start, which turns the vehicle off temporarily when at a stoplight or in bumper to bumper traffic to conserve fuel. This newer engine routes power through an eight-speed automatic with manual shift modes and paddle shifters, driving all four wheels. This combination allows the 3-Series to hit 60 miles per hour from a standstill in 5.3 seconds. The Acura TLX comes with Honda’s 3.5-liter V6 engine that makes 290 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque in this configuration. Power runs through a fresh nine-speed automatic with shift paddles and like the BMW, is all-wheel-drive. The Acura is slower than the BMW at 6.2 seconds to 60. The Audi has a two-liter four-cylinder that’s turbocharged like the BMW. The engine is downright weak with 188 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. The Quattro, or all-wheel-drive version of the A4 is far more expensive, so this car remains front-wheel-drive. The transmission in the Audi is the only dual-clutch unit in the group, and it has seven forward speeds. The power deficit and front wheel drive only allow the Audi to get to 60 in 7.1 seconds. The Lexus has a 3.5-liter V6 like the Acura, making 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. This IS300 has all-wheel-drive, like the first two, but the only transmission option is a semi-antiquated six-speed automatic. Either way, the Lexus comes in second in a drag race with a time of 6.1 seconds, barely edging out the Acura. The BMW has a torquey engine, all-wheel-drive and blows the doors off the other cars, even the V6 versions. That’s a nine and a half out of ten for performance and powertrain. The Acura has a bigger V6, all-wheel-drive, and a slick nine speed. Unfortunately, it’s also the second slowest so I’ll give it an eight-point-nine. The Audi doesn’t have all-wheel-drive at this price, and its engine is subpar. This also makes it the slowest in test by nearly a second, so it’s getting a maximum of seven points. The Lexus has a V6, but it doesn’t match the power of the Acura and the transmission is missing out on a few gears. It gets an eight out of ten.
FUEL ECONOMY: Luxury vehicles aren’t immune to the ever-stringent fuel economy standards, so let’s see how the four-cylinder cars compare to the V6 ones. The BMW’s four cylinder gets 25 miles per gallon of premium gasoline in the city, and 34 on the highway. The Acura makes the 330i seem like a miser, only achieving 20 in the city and 29 on the highway. Round one goes to the smaller turbo engine. The Audi gets 27 in the city and matches the BMW at 34 on the highway. This would be an impressive feat from Audi if the BMW didn’t exist, as it’s more powerful, and nearly as efficient even with all-wheel-drive. The Lexus again shows its age with 19 in the city and 26 on the highway. Clearly the V6 engines weren’t chosen for their stellar fuel economy, and the Lexus is hurt on the highway even more by the fact that its down three gears relative to the Acura. Points will be eight-point-eight for the BMW, nine-point-five for the Audi, seven-point-three for the Acura, and six-point-seven for the Lexus.
SAFETY: The 2020 BMW 3-Series scores the best from IIHS with a rating of Top Safety Pick Plus from the organization. It is rated the highest score possible in every category, except headlights where it ranges from the worst score to the best score. The active safety features on the Bimmer are a frontal collision warning, automatic city collision mitigation, and lane departure warning. It also has a feature that detects imminent accidents and closes the windows and activates post-crash braking, among other things. The BMW also has an adaptive cruise control feature that allows the car to drive itself on the highway for periods of time. Active safety tech on the TLX include a collision mitigation braking system, adaptive cruise control for the highway, lane keep assist, a road departure mitigation system, a blind spot information system and a rear cross traffic monitor. The TLX is rated ‘Good’ the highest rating possible in every category except the small overlap test, headlights, and the child seat anchors ease of use, where it got acceptable in the former two and marginal in the latter. The Audi A4 is a top safety pick per the IIHS, and it gets a rating of ‘Good’ in every category except for headlights, where it varies from marginal to acceptable. The A4 has Audi Pre-Sense basic, city, and rear. This bundled package has a driver attention alert system, blind spot monitoring, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, parking sensors, and the Audi also prepares occupants for an inevitable crash like the BMW. The Lexus IS300 is rated good in every category except headlights, where it gets acceptable. The IS doesn’t get any awards from the organization, however. It has Lexus Safety System Plus, which has a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, dynamic radar cruise control, intelligent high beams, and lane departure alert with steering assist. The BMW is getting a nine for safety because of its high ratings, the Acura gets a seven point eight for mostly ‘Good’ ratings and having lots of good active safety technology. The Audi gets an eight for being a Top Safety Pick, but it’s sort of lacking on active safety technology. The Lexus gets a seven point eight like the Acura because they were very similar in this category.
RELIABILITY: I get my ratings for this category from Consumer Reports, an organization that purchases each vehicle and does extensive testing on them to see how they are expected to hold up over the course of ownership. The 3-Series is rated as better than the average vehicle, whereas the Acura is rated as worse than average, and the Lexus and Audi are much better than average. Each step up or down in these rankings is worth a point and a half, so the Lexus and Audi both get tens, the 3-Series gets an eight-point-five, and the Acura gets a 5.5.
STYLING: Honestly, none of these cars really have any revolutionary styling; they’re all sort of cookie cutter sedan designs. The BMW is probably my favorite of the group on the exterior, but not by much. Somehow, the 3-Series managed to not look like every other car with four doors more than the others, and I’m a fan of the new headlights and taillights. The BMW’s styling makes it seem bigger than the other cars and I can’t tell if I like that or not. The Acura is good-looking but very generic and can be mistaken for a decked-out Accord. The rear does look rather sporty with the quad exhaust tips, though. Lexus cars are always hit or miss with me, last comparison I evaluated an NX and I absolutely loathe the way that vehicle looks. The IS300 is less offensive, and I think the massive spindle grille is executed much better on this car. Furthermore, I like the mid-cycle refresh the IS went through that adjusted the headlights to be bigger, which was a huge sore spot on the older car. Still can’t get behind the DRL brow under the headlight, but again, this is one of the better Lexus designs. The rear is also maybe the least generic of the four, and I have only good things to say about it. The A4 looks like every other Audi before it since 2014, and they need to freshen things up. I think the back is very good looking, but the entire car looks too much like a Volkswagen. Good thing VW’s have a good look right now, but I think Audi needs to be bolder in their styling. I wouldn’t notice the A4 in traffic. On the interior, the A4 smokes the other cars, which is not surprising to me because Audi interiors almost always look better than the competition. The virtual cockpit looks as good as it sounds, and the dashboard is clean without being cluttered. The steering wheel looks great, the gear selector is classic Audi, and the dashboard layering is A1. The only rough spot is the multimedia screen which sort of sticks out like a sore thumb. The 3-Series looks a little dated and I’m not a huge fan of the red gauge lighting that BMW loves so much. The steering wheel has a good shape but looks a little old as does the center stack. Overall, there’s nothing wrong with the inside, but there are better interiors in this test. The TLX is designed well, the two center screen system finally looks adequate for an Acura product, and the steering wheel gauge cluster combination is better than the BMW. I think the dashboard is a little drab and could look like it’s using less hard plastic and more premium materials. I disliked the Lexus NX interior, but the IS again is better than that small SUV. The steering wheel and gauge cluster are good enough, but the start button is in a weird location and the analog clock has been going out of fashion for years now. The Lexus has too many different levels on the dashboard, but other-wise I like the layout. The Audi gets the highest score for having an average exterior and really good interior, which is an eight point five. The BMW comes next, with a score of seven point six. The Acura gets a seven point four, and the Lexus gets a seven point three. Again, it’s a shame that none of these designs set me on fire, but I think when we compare these vehicles to Mercedes, Cadillac, and Volvo, we’ll see some good designs.
HANDLING: These are dealer cars, so I can’t road test them. Instead I’ve read multiple articles per car from reputable sources such as Car & Driver, MotorTrend, and Consumer Reports. The BMW 3-Series used to be the epitome of the driver’s sedan, but that sort of ended after the E90 generation car. According to road tests, this current gen car, the G20, is at least better than the last model. It has a more buttoned-down chassis that soaks up bumps mid-corner and the tires communicate their limits in a neutral manner instead of understeering. Though the steering rack is electrically assisted, the steering feel is better than the last car. It loads up nicely through corners, and the assistance has been turned down in the G20. The Audi has similar remarks, with controlled body motions and good road-holding ability. The steering response is good, however, the car is less neutral at the limit than the all-wheel-drive BMW. Either way Audi created a decent handling car, which is a nice surprise from the company that’s known more for its comfortable ride than its tarmac eating. The TLX now takes on this roll, it’s very comfortable and some would think it has the most luxurious ride of the group, but it isn’t particularly sporty. The TLX doesn’t like to be pushed hard; it’s more at home cruising on the highway. The Lexus IS comes in third of the group with a willing chassis, and decent steering feel. Like the Audi and TLX, it’s also ready to be relaxed around town when it’s not being pushed. Eight point five for the BMW, eight point three for the Audi, eight for the Lexus and seven point five for the Acura.
AND THE WINNER IS...Here are the final scores for each of these four luxury sedans. The BMW score of 60.4 is the second highest of the group, which makes it the runner-up of this comparison test. It was more a jack of all trades type deal, as it only excelled significantly past competitors in the fuel economy segment. The Acura clocks in with a score of 53.7, it did very well in value, but was docked points for its score of worse than average reliability, which was the nail in the coffin for the TLX’s performance in this test. The winner of this test is the Audi, with a score of 60.5, which is literally a tenth of a point higher than the BMW. This point difference is negligible, so really the BMW and Audi are both ‘winners’ of this comparison. The Lexus totals up to a score of 56, aided by reliability, but hurt by value and fuel economy. I wouldn’t have a problem recommending any of these vehicles to family or friends, but I would advocate for the Audi or BMW first. Were it my money, the 3-Series or A4 would end up in my garage. Though the TLX and IS300 are not bad vehicles, this test had two cars that were definitely better. Be on the lookout for the 3-Series and A4 to take on the Cadillac CT5, Mercedes C-Class, and Infiniti Q50. Thanks for reading!
