Rear wheel drive (RWD) / All wheel drive (AWD, 4x4)
Front wheel drive (FWD) / All wheel drive (AWD, 4x4)
BMW 1 series is available with rear wheel drive and four wheel (4x4) drive, while Audi A3 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 1 series also offers 2-wheel drive versions for fuel economy. 2WD versions also have lower maintenance costs.
BMW 1 series petrol engines consumes on average 1.6 litres more fuel per 100 km than Audi A3. This comparison does not take engine capacity into account, so to compare the fuel consumption of specific engines, select the car version!
Dimensions
Length:
4.33 m
4.31 m
Width:
1.77 m
1.79 m
Height:
1.42 m
1.44 m
Both cars are similar in size. BMW 1 series is 2 cm longer than the Audi A3, 2 cm narrower, while the height of BMW 1 series is 1 cm lower.
Trunk capacity:
360 litres
380 litres
Trunk max capacity: with rear seats folded down
1200 litres
1220 litres
Despite its longer length, BMW 1 series has 20 litres less trunk space than the Audi A3. This could mean that the BMW 1 series uses more space in the cabin, so the driver and passengers could be more spacious and comfortable. The maximum boot capacity (with all rear seats folded down) is larger in Audi A3 (by 20 litres).
Turning diameter:
11.3 meters
11 meters
The turning circle of the BMW 1 series is 0.3 metres more than that of the Audi A3.