Front wheel drive (FWD) / All wheel drive (AWD, 4x4)
Rear wheel drive (RWD) / All wheel drive (AWD, 4x4)
Volvo V50 is available with front wheel drive and four wheel (4x4) drive, while BMW 3 series can be equipped with rear 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, Volvo V50 also offers 2-wheel drive versions for fuel economy. 2WD versions also have lower maintenance costs.
Volvo V50 petrol engines consumes on average 0.8 litres more fuel per 100 km than BMW 3 series. On average, Volvo V50 equipped with diesel engines consume 0.3 litres more fuel per 100 km than the BMW 3 series. This comparison does not take engine capacity into account, so to compare the fuel consumption of specific engines, select the car version!
Dimensions
Length:
4.52 m
4.53 m
Width:
1.78 m
1.82 m
Height:
1.46 m
1.44 m
Volvo V50 is smaller, but slightly higher. Volvo V50 is 1 cm shorter than the BMW 3 series, 5 cm narrower, while the height of Volvo V50 is 2 cm higher.
Trunk capacity:
417 litres
460 litres
Trunk max capacity: with rear seats folded down
no data
1385 litres
BMW 3 series has more luggage space. Volvo V50 has 43 litres less trunk space than the BMW 3 series.
Turning diameter:
11.1 meters
11.8 meters
The turning circle of the Volvo V50 is 0.7 metres less than that of the BMW 3 series, which means Volvo V50 can be easier to manoeuvre in tight streets and parking spaces.