Rear wheel drive (RWD) / All wheel drive (AWD, 4x4)
Front wheel drive (FWD) / All wheel drive (AWD, 4x4)
BMW 3 series is available with rear wheel drive and four wheel (4x4) drive, while Volkswagen Passat can be equipped with front wheel drive and four wheel (4x4) drive. All-wheel drive models tend to consume more fuel, so if you don't need off road capabilities, BMW 3 series also offers 2-wheel drive versions for fuel economy. 2WD versions also have lower maintenance costs.
BMW 3 series petrol engines consumes on average 0.6 litres less fuel per 100 km than Volkswagen Passat. On average, BMW 3 series equipped with diesel engines consume 0.1 litres less fuel per 100 km than the Volkswagen Passat. This comparison does not take engine capacity into account, so to compare the fuel consumption of specific engines, select the car version!
Dimensions
Length:
4.48 m
4.68 m
Width:
1.74 m
1.75 m
Height:
1.41 m
1.50 m
BMW 3 series is smaller. BMW 3 series is 20 cm shorter than the Volkswagen Passat, 1 cm narrower, while the height of BMW 3 series is 9 cm lower.
Trunk capacity:
435 litres
495 litres
Trunk max capacity: with rear seats folded down
1345 litres
no data
Volkswagen Passat has more luggage space. BMW 3 series has 60 litres less trunk space than the Volkswagen Passat.
Turning diameter:
10 meters
12 meters
The turning circle of the BMW 3 series is 2 metres less than that of the Volkswagen Passat, which means BMW 3 series can be easier to manoeuvre in tight streets and parking spaces.
