2020 BMW 5 Series vs 2021 BMW 3 Series - CarGurus (2025)

2020 BMW 5 Series vs 2021 BMW 3 Series - CarGurus (1)

2020 BMW 5 Series

$53,900MSRP

Overview

Overview

OverviewShop Now

2020 BMW 5 Series vs 2021 BMW 3 Series - CarGurus (2)

2021 BMW 3 Series

$41,250MSRP

Overview

Overview

OverviewShop Now

2020 BMW 5 Series

$53,900MSRP

Overview

Overview

OverviewShop Now

2021 BMW 3 Series

$41,250MSRP

Overview

Overview

OverviewShop Now

Overview

MSRP

$53,900

MSRP

$41,250

Average price

$29,023

Average price

$29,094

Listings

157

Listings

528

Ratings & Reviews

User Reviews

User Reviews

Expert reviews

Expert reviews

6.8 out of 10

Pros
  • Multiple body styles
  • Great handling
  • Impressive technology
Cons
  • Advanced safety features are not standard

2020 BMW 5 Series Reviews Summary

2021 BMW 3 Series Reviews Summary

Early generations of the BMW 3 Series redefined what a luxury car could be, justifying their prestige badge with sporty driving dynamics and impeccable engineering. BMW changed the luxury-car paradigm, proving that nimble sports sedans could be just as desirable as wood-encrusted land yachts.

The 3 Series spawned a number of imitators, including the Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and Lexus IS. Those sedans, along with the Acura TLX, Alfa Romeo Giulia, Cadillac CT4, and Infiniti Q50 (which wear more recently-introduced nameplates) still form the 3 Series’ competitive set, but the car itself has changed.

Introduced for the 2019 model year, the current-generation 3 Series (codenamed G20) feels more like a traditional luxury sedan, with a greater emphasis on comfort and convenience than previous generations. The manual transmission is gone, as are the wagon and 3 Series GT hatchback body styles. The 3 Series coupe and convertible were re-badged as the 4 Series beginning with the 2014 model year.

The biggest change for the 2021 BMW 3 Series is the addition of the 330e plug-in hybrid model to the lineup, so that’s what we test drove for this review. BMW also offers 330i and M340i versions, and there’s an M3 performance model on the way.

No video found

No video found

Popular Features & Specs

Engine

2.0L 248 hp I4

Engine

2.0L 255 hp I4

Drive Train

RWD

Drive Train

RWD

Seating Capacity

5

Seating Capacity

5

Horsepower

248 hp @ 5200 rpm

Horsepower

255 hp @ 5000 rpm

MPG City

25

MPG City

26

MPG Highway

33

MPG Highway

36

2020 BMW 5 Series vs 2021 BMW 3 Series - CarGurus (3)

2020 BMW 5 Series

$53,900MSRP

Overview

Overview

OverviewShop Now

2020 BMW 5 Series vs 2021 BMW 3 Series - CarGurus (4)

2021 BMW 3 Series

$41,250MSRP

Overview

Overview

OverviewShop Now

2020 BMW 5 Series

$53,900MSRP

Overview

Overview

OverviewShop Now

2021 BMW 3 Series

$41,250MSRP

Overview

Overview

OverviewShop Now

Overview

MSRP

$53,900

$41,250

Average price

$29,023

$29,094

Listings

157

Shop all listings

528

Shop all listings

Ratings & Reviews

User reviews

4.9

5.0

Expert reviews

6.8 out of 10

Read full review

Pros & cons

Pros
  • Multiple body styles
  • Great handling
  • Impressive technology
Cons
  • Advanced safety features are not standard

Summary

Early generations of the BMW 3 Series redefined what a luxury car could be, justifying their prestige badge with sporty driving dynamics and impeccable engineering. BMW changed the luxury-car paradigm, proving that nimble sports sedans could be just as desirable as wood-encrusted land yachts.

The 3 Series spawned a number of imitators, including the Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and Lexus IS. Those sedans, along with the Acura TLX, Alfa Romeo Giulia, Cadillac CT4, and Infiniti Q50 (which wear more recently-introduced nameplates) still form the 3 Series’ competitive set, but the car itself has changed.

Introduced for the 2019 model year, the current-generation 3 Series (codenamed G20) feels more like a traditional luxury sedan, with a greater emphasis on comfort and convenience than previous generations. The manual transmission is gone, as are the wagon and 3 Series GT hatchback body styles. The 3 Series coupe and convertible were re-badged as the 4 Series beginning with the 2014 model year.

The biggest change for the 2021 BMW 3 Series is the addition of the 330e plug-in hybrid model to the lineup, so that’s what we test drove for this review. BMW also offers 330i and M340i versions, and there’s an M3 performance model on the way.

Video

No video found

No video found

Popular Features & Specs

Engine

2.0L 248 hp I4

2.0L 255 hp I4

Drive Train

RWD

RWD

Seating Capacity

5

5

Horsepower

248 hp @ 5200 rpm

255 hp @ 5000 rpm

MPG City

25

26

MPG Highway

33

36

2020 BMW 5 Series for Sale

159 results

See all

BMW 5 Series 540i xDrive Sedan AWD$27,82236,708 milesGreat DealFloral Park, NY
BMW 5 Series 530i xDrive Sedan AWD$26,49524,528 milesGreat DealHonolulu, HI
BMW 5 Series 540i xDrive Sedan AWD$26,16366,412 milesGreat DealWoodbridge, VA
BMW 5 Series 530i xDrive Sedan AWD$20,00561,217 milesGreat DealFloral Park, NY
BMW 5 Series 540i Sedan RWD$24,99263,993 milesGreat DealHomosassa, FL
BMW 5 Series 540i xDrive Sedan AWD$30,45848,822 milesGreat DealColumbus, GA
BMW 5 Series 530i Sedan RWD$22,69538,866 milesGreat DealSarasota, FL
BMW 5 Series 530i xDrive Sedan AWD$20,99575,850 milesGreat DealMurrysville, PA
BMW 5 Series 530e xDrive Hybrid Plug-in iPerformance Sedan AWD$25,40040,870 milesGreat DealMarietta, GA

2021 BMW 3 Series for Sale

524 results

See all

BMW 3 Series M340i RWD$37,25839,435 milesGreat DealScottsdale, AZ
BMW 3 Series M340i xDrive AWD$30,44464,861 milesGreat DealBellmore, NY
BMW 3 Series 330e Hybrid Plug-in RWD$25,59741,142 milesGreat DealRoseville, CA
BMW 3 Series 330i RWD$19,42853,373 milesGreat DealBronx, NY
BMW 3 Series 330i RWD$21,98629,807 milesGreat DealDoral, FL
BMW 3 Series 330i xDrive AWD$18,90043,393 milesGreat DealEast Meadow, NY
BMW 3 Series 330i xDrive AWD$20,40033,538 milesGreat DealEast Meadow, NY
BMW 3 Series 330i RWD$24,59934,398 milesGreat DealSan Jose, CA
BMW 3 Series 330i xDrive AWD$21,00526,487 milesGreat DealBronx, NY
BMW 3 Series 330i RWD$20,28562,077 milesGreat DealGreat Neck, NY

2020 BMW 5 Series for Sale

Shop Now

159 results

BMW 5 Series 540i xDrive Sedan AWD$27,82236,708 milesGreat DealFloral Park, NY
BMW 5 Series 530i xDrive Sedan AWD$26,49524,528 milesGreat DealHonolulu, HI
BMW 5 Series 540i xDrive Sedan AWD$26,16366,412 milesGreat DealWoodbridge, VA
BMW 5 Series 530i xDrive Sedan AWD$20,00561,217 milesGreat DealFloral Park, NY
BMW 5 Series 540i Sedan RWD$24,99263,993 milesGreat DealHomosassa, FL
BMW 5 Series 540i Sedan RWD$27,60044,179 milesGreat DealFriendswood, TX
BMW 5 Series 540i xDrive Sedan AWD$30,45848,822 milesGreat DealColumbus, GA
BMW 5 Series 530i Sedan RWD$22,69538,866 milesGreat DealSarasota, FL
BMW 5 Series 530i xDrive Sedan AWD$20,99575,850 milesGreat DealMurrysville, PA
BMW 5 Series 530e xDrive Hybrid Plug-in iPerformance Sedan AWD$25,40040,870 milesGreat DealMarietta, GA

2021 BMW 3 Series for Sale

Shop Now

524 results

BMW 3 Series M340i RWD$37,25839,435 milesGreat DealScottsdale, AZ
BMW 3 Series M340i xDrive AWD$30,44464,861 milesGreat DealBellmore, NY
BMW 3 Series 330e Hybrid Plug-in RWD$25,59741,142 milesGreat DealRoseville, CA
BMW 3 Series 330i RWD$19,42853,373 milesGreat DealBronx, NY
BMW 3 Series 330i RWD$21,98629,807 milesGreat DealDoral, FL
BMW 3 Series 330i xDrive AWD$18,90043,393 milesGreat DealEast Meadow, NY
BMW 3 Series 330i xDrive AWD$20,40033,538 milesGreat DealEast Meadow, NY
BMW 3 Series 330i RWD$24,59934,398 milesGreat DealSan Jose, CA
BMW 3 Series 330i xDrive AWD$21,00526,487 milesGreat DealBronx, NY
BMW 3 Series 330i RWD$20,28562,077 milesGreat DealGreat Neck, NY

2020 BMW 5 Series vs 2021 BMW 3 Series - CarGurus (45)

By: CarGurus + AI

At CarGurus, our team of experienced automotive writers remain at the heart of our content operation, conducting hands-on car tests and writing insightful guides that are backed by years of industry experience. To complement this, we are harnessing AI to make our content offering more diverse and more helpful to shoppers than ever. To achieve this, our AI systems are based exclusively on CarGurus content, ratings and data, so that what we produce is both unique to CarGurus, and uniquely helpful to car shoppers.

Popular vehicle comparisons

2020 MINI Cooper vs 2021 BMW 3 Series2019 Subaru Impreza vs 2020 BMW 5 Series2019 Lexus ES vs 2020 BMW 5 Series2019 Chevrolet Impala vs 2020 BMW 5 Series2020 Hyundai Elantra vs 2021 BMW 3 Series2020 Honda Accord vs 2021 BMW 3 Series2020 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2021 BMW 3 Series2019 Hyundai Elantra vs 2020 BMW 5 Series2019 Chrysler 300 vs 2020 BMW 5 Series2020 Hyundai Sonata vs 2021 BMW 3 Series2019 Kia Optima vs 2020 BMW 5 Series2020 Subaru Impreza vs 2021 BMW 3 Series2020 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2021 BMW 3 Series2020 Lexus ES vs 2021 BMW 3 Series2020 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2021 BMW 3 Series2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2020 BMW 5 Series2020 Chevrolet Malibu vs 2021 BMW 3 Series2019 Honda Civic vs 2020 BMW 5 Series2019 Honda Accord vs 2020 BMW 5 Series2019 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2020 BMW 5 Series2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs 2020 BMW 5 Series2020 Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs 2021 BMW 3 Series2019 MINI Cooper vs 2020 BMW 5 Series2020 Toyota Prius vs 2021 BMW 3 Series

2022 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2023 BMW 3 Series2022 BMW 3 Series vs 2022 Chevrolet Malibu2022 BMW 3 Series vs 2022 Mercedes-Benz E-Class2022 BMW 3 Series vs 2022 Honda Accord2022 BMW 3 Series vs 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class2022 MINI Cooper vs 2023 BMW 3 Series2022 BMW 3 Series vs 2022 Hyundai Sonata2022 BMW 3 Series vs 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class2022 BMW 3 Series vs 2022 Subaru Impreza2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2022 BMW 3 Series2022 BMW 3 Series vs 2022 Volkswagen Jetta2022 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2023 BMW 3 Series2022 Chrysler 300 vs 2023 BMW 3 Series2022 Honda Accord vs 2023 BMW 3 Series2022 Honda Civic vs 2022 BMW 3 Series2022 Toyota Prius vs 2023 BMW 3 Series2022 Subaru Impreza vs 2023 BMW 3 Series2022 BMW 3 Series vs 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback2021 BMW 5 Series vs 2022 BMW 5 Series2021 Hyundai Elantra vs 2022 BMW 3 Series2021 MINI Cooper vs 2022 BMW 3 Series2021 Lexus ES vs 2022 BMW 3 Series2021 Subaru Impreza vs 2022 BMW 3 Series2021 MINI Cooper vs 2022 BMW 5 Series2021 Chevrolet Malibu vs 2022 BMW 3 Series2021 Lexus ES vs 2022 BMW 5 Series2021 Audi A4 vs 2022 BMW 3 Series2021 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2022 BMW 3 Series2021 Toyota Prius vs 2022 BMW 3 Series2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2022 BMW 3 Series2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2021 BMW 5 Series2021 BMW 5 Series vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata2021 Audi A4 vs 2021 BMW 5 Series2021 BMW 5 Series vs 2021 Honda Civic Hatchback2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs 2022 BMW 3 Series2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs 2022 BMW 5 Series2020 BMW 3 Series vs 2021 Toyota Prius2020 Lexus ES vs 2021 BMW 5 Series2020 BMW 3 Series vs 2021 Honda Civic2020 BMW 3 Series vs 2021 Lexus ES2020 BMW 3 Series vs 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class2020 BMW 3 Series vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata2020 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2021 BMW 5 Series2020 BMW 3 Series vs 2021 Chrysler 3002020 MINI Cooper vs 2021 BMW 5 Series2020 Chrysler 300 vs 2021 BMW 5 Series2020 BMW 3 Series vs 2021 Subaru Impreza2020 Hyundai Sonata vs 2021 BMW 5 Series2020 Honda Civic vs 2021 BMW 5 Series2020 BMW 5 Series vs 2021 BMW 5 Series2020 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2021 BMW 5 Series2020 BMW 3 Series vs 2021 Honda Accord2020 Toyota Prius vs 2021 BMW 5 Series2020 Hyundai Elantra vs 2021 BMW 5 Series2019 BMW 5 Series vs 2020 Mercedes-Benz E-Class2019 BMW 3 Series vs 2019 Chrysler 3002019 BMW 3 Series vs 2019 Hyundai Elantra2019 MINI Cooper vs 2020 BMW 3 Series2019 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2019 BMW 3 Series2019 BMW 5 Series vs 2020 MINI Cooper2019 BMW 3 Series vs 2019 Hyundai Sonata2019 BMW 5 Series vs 2020 Chevrolet Malibu2019 Hyundai Elantra vs 2020 BMW 3 Series2019 Subaru Impreza vs 2020 BMW 3 Series2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs 2020 BMW 3 Series2019 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2019 BMW 3 Series2019 BMW 5 Series vs 2020 Volkswagen Golf GTI2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2020 BMW 3 Series2019 Kia Optima vs 2020 BMW 3 Series2019 BMW 3 Series vs 2019 Audi A42019 Kia Optima vs 2019 BMW 3 Series2019 BMW 5 Series vs 2020 Honda Accord

2020 BMW 5 Series vs 2021 BMW 3 Series - CarGurus (2025)

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Lilliana Bartoletti

Last Updated:

Views: 6169

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (53 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Lilliana Bartoletti

Birthday: 1999-11-18

Address: 58866 Tricia Spurs, North Melvinberg, HI 91346-3774

Phone: +50616620367928

Job: Real-Estate Liaison

Hobby: Graffiti, Astronomy, Handball, Magic, Origami, Fashion, Foreign language learning

Introduction: My name is Lilliana Bartoletti, I am a adventurous, pleasant, shiny, beautiful, handsome, zealous, tasty person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.