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 Volvo S40 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 1.2 litres less fuel per 100 km than Volvo S40. On average, BMW 3 series equipped with diesel engines consume 0.3 litres more fuel per 100 km than the Volvo S40. This comparison does not take engine capacity into account, so to compare the fuel consumption of specific engines, select the car version!
Ground clearance:
140 - 144 mm (5.5 - 5.7 inches)
135 mm (5.3 inches)
Dimensions
Length:
4.53 m
4.48 m
Width:
1.82 m
1.77 m
Height:
1.42 m
1.45 m
BMW 3 series is larger, but slightly lower. BMW 3 series is 5 cm longer than the Volvo S40, 5 cm wider, while the height of BMW 3 series is 3 cm lower.
Trunk capacity:
460 litres
404 litres
Trunk max capacity: with rear seats folded down
no data
883 litres
BMW 3 series has more luggage capacity. BMW 3 series has 56 litres more trunk space than the Volvo S40.
Turning diameter:
11 meters
11.1 meters
The turning circle of the BMW 3 series is 0.1 metres less than that of the Volvo S40.
