2025 BMW 3 Series vs 2025 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Too close to call: Mercedes-Benz C-Class 94.1 vs BMW 3 Series 92.9 with these weights. The BMW 3 Series is ahead on fuel & range. Raise the fuel & range weight from 3 to 5 and it flips.
2025 BMW 3 Series
The 2025 BMW 3 Series is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid midsize sedan with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the 330i Sedan, is EPA-rated at…
2025 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
The 2025 Mercedes-Benz C-Class is sold in the U.S. as a plug-in hybrid and hybrid compact sedan with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the…
2025 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Toss-upToo close to call: Mercedes-Benz C-Class 94.1 vs BMW 3 Series 92.9 with these weights. The BMW 3 Series is ahead on fuel & range. Raise the fuel & range weight from 3 to 5 and it flips.
| Category · weight | 2025 BMW 3 Seriesoverall 92.9 | 2025 Mercedes-Benz C-Classoverall 94.1 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricenot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 100 | 93.2 | |||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | |||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 80.4 | 88.8 | |||||||||
NHTSA 5-Star rating, WhichTrim Safety Signal (open recalls by severity), owner complaints, standard driver-assist features (from the press kit, or from what the manufacturer filed with NHTSA where there is none). Open park-outside / do-not-drive advisories cost 25 points. | |||||||||||
| Space & cargow 2 | 100 | 100 | |||||||||
Seats, cargo volume behind the 1st and 2nd rows, rear legroom. | |||||||||||
| Performancew 2 | 100 | 100 | |||||||||
Horsepower, torque and horsepower per ton. | |||||||||||
| Tech & comfortnot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Warrantynot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Overall | 92.9 | 94.1 | |||||||||
Safety-only comparison · 4 of 7 categories compared · specs not available for Mercedes-Benz C-Class
BMW 3 Series: base trim 330i RWD · Mercedes-Benz C-Class: safety only (EPA and NHTSA record; specs not available). Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Raise the fuel & range weight from 3 to 5 and the answer flips.
Where the gap is
the biggest differences, from the scorecard's own numbersWhere the 2025 Mercedes-Benz C-Class wins
- It has drawn fewer owner complaints (4 against 6 filed with NHTSA).
Where the 2025 BMW 3 Series answers
- It costs $200 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($2,650 against $2,850).
- It is rated 31 combined against 29 (EPA mpg or MPGe).
What they share
- A Safety Signal of 85.
- 5 seats.
- 255 hp.
Ranked by how far apart the two score on each measure, so a price gap and a horsepower gap are compared on the same scale. Every figure is on this page.
Specifications side by side
33 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | BMW 3 Series330i RWD | Mercedes-Benz C-Class |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | $45,500 | — |
| Engine Basics | ||
| Aspiration | twin turbo | — |
| Cylinder count | 4 | — |
| Engine displacement | 1,998 cc | — |
| Engine type (full description) | 2.0L Inline-4 TwinPower Turbo 48V MHEV | — |
| Fuel injection system | High Precision Injection | — |
| Valve configuration | DOHC 16-Valve | — |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | 255 hp | — |
| Torque | 295 lb-ft | — |
| Transmission | ||
| Final drive ratio | 2.81 | — |
| Transmission speeds | 8 | — |
| Transmission type | 8-speed Steptronic | — |
| Dimensions Exterior | ||
| Ground clearance | 5.7 in | — |
| Overall height | 56.8 in | — |
| Overall length | 186 in | — |
| Overall width | 71.9 in | — |
| Wheelbase | 113 in | — |
| Cargo | ||
| Cargo volume behind 2nd row | 16.9 cu-ft | — |
| Seating | ||
| Passenger seating capacity | 5 | — |
| Weights | ||
| Curb weight (maximum) | 3,644 lbs | — |
| Curb weight (minimum) | 3,644 lbs | — |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 4,718 lbs | — |
| Suspension | ||
| Front suspension type | Double-joint spring strut axle, lightweight aluminum-steel, hydraulically damped torque strut bearing | — |
| Rear suspension type | Five-link axle, lightweight aluminum-steel construction | — |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | EPS with Servotronic | — |
| Turning radius (curb-to-curb) | 37.4 ft | — |
| Brakes | ||
| Front brake type | Vented, single-piston floating calipers | — |
| Rear brake type | Vented, single-piston floating calipers | — |
| Wheels | ||
| Wheel diameter | 18 in | — |
| Wheel material | forged alloy | — |
| Wheel width | 7.5 in | — |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | 225/45 R18 | — |
| Connected Services | ||
| Connected services brand | BMW ConnectedDrive | — |
Green marks the better value where the direction is unambiguous (more room, more power, lower price). Blank rows are specs the press kit does not publish.
Equipment, feature by feature
44 features · differences first, then sharedSafety13 differ · 13 listed
| Feature | BMW 3 Series330i RWD | Mercedes-Benz C-Class |
|---|---|---|
| Airbags for driver and front passenger | std | — |
| Head airbags for front and rear seat | std | — |
| Side airbags for driver and front passenger | std | — |
| CBC (Cornering Brake Control) | std | — |
| Crash-active front head restraints | std | — |
| DBC (Dynamic Brake Control) | std | — |
| Dry Braking function | std | — |
| DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) | std | — |
| DSC incl. ABS, ASC, and DTC (Dynamic Traction Control) | std | — |
| Fading Compensation | std | — |
| Performance Control | std | — |
| Start-Off Assistant | std | — |
| Tire pressure display | std | — |
Infotainment11 differ · 11 listed
| Feature | BMW 3 Series330i RWD | Mercedes-Benz C-Class |
|---|---|---|
| BMW Head-Up Display (part of optional BMW Live Cockpit Professional) | opt | — |
| BMW Maps navigation system forming part of the standard BMW Live Cockpit Plus | std | — |
| Data streaming via a WiFi hotspot by means of a connection to the vehicle's exterior antenna | std | — |
| Apple CarPlay and Android Auto | std | — |
| BMW Curved Display with iDrive 8.5 and QuickSelect (BMW Operating System 8.5) | std | — |
| BMW ID personal user profile linking via QR code | std | — |
| BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant voice command | std | — |
| BMW Live Cockpit Professional with Augmented View (optional) | opt | — |
| Gearshift paddles | std | — |
| My BMW App integration (vehicle status, remote services, ConnectedDrive Store) | std | — |
| Personal eSIM with 5G mobile communications standard (standard) | std | — |
Interior10 differ · 10 listed
| Feature | BMW 3 Series330i RWD | Mercedes-Benz C-Class |
|---|---|---|
| Steering wheel heating (if specified, adjustable via BMW Curved Display or voice command) | opt | — |
| Aluminum Fine Brushed interior trim (optional all models) | opt | — |
| Ash Grey open-pored fine-wood trim (optional all models) | opt | — |
| Cascade interior ambient lighting with 9 selectable colors and Welcome/Goodbye Animation | std | — |
| Fineline Light open-pored fine-wood interior trim (standard on 330i) | std | — |
| Galvanic controls (window switches, door lock button, air vent stalks) – optional | opt | — |
| Illuminated multifunction steering wheel buttons | std | — |
| New three-spoke flat-bottomed M steering wheel (standard on M340i and 330i M Sport) | opt | — |
| New two-spoke steering wheel with polygonal rim (standard on 330i without M Sport) | std | — |
| Sensatec dashboard with refined surface and contrasting decorative stitching (optional) | opt | — |
Exterior3 differ · 3 listed
| Feature | BMW 3 Series330i RWD | Mercedes-Benz C-Class |
|---|---|---|
| 19-inch M alloy wheels double-spoke Style 995M (bi-color or Jet Black) – with M Sport package | opt | — |
| BMW Individual 19-inch alloy wheels Y-spoke Style 1038i bi-color (optional all models) | opt | — |
| M Sport package (optional on 330i models, standard on M340i models) | opt | — |
Powertrain3 differ · 3 listed
| Feature | BMW 3 Series330i RWD | Mercedes-Benz C-Class |
|---|---|---|
| 48V mild hybrid (MHEV) technology | std | — |
| 8-speed Steptronic transmission (330i) | std | — |
| M Sport Differential (optional) | opt | — |
Chassis4 differ · 4 listed
| Feature | BMW 3 Series330i RWD | Mercedes-Benz C-Class |
|---|---|---|
| Adaptive M Suspension (optional) | opt | — |
| EPS with Servotronic steering (330i) | std | — |
| M Sport Suspension (optional) | opt | — |
| Variable sport steering (optional on 330i) | opt | — |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPBMW 3 Series
Top recalls
- critical Electrical System 25V202000 · 4,557 vehicles · filed unfixed
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Top recalls
- high Electrical System 26V281000 · 144,049 vehicles
- high Seat Belts 25V253000 · 46 vehicles
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| BMW 3 Series330i RWD | Mercedes-Benz C-Class | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $45,500 (base trim) | — |
| Price range across trims | $45,500 – $61,600 4 trims | — |
| Powertrains | HEV | PHEV, HEV |
| EPA configuration compared | 330i Sedan | C300 |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 31 | 29 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,650 | $2,850 |
| EV range | — | — |
| Basic warranty | — | — |
| Powertrain warranty | — | — |
| Roadside assistance | — | — |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2025 BMW 3 Series or the 2025 Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
Too close to call: Mercedes-Benz C-Class 94.1 vs BMW 3 Series 92.9 with these weights. The BMW 3 Series is ahead on fuel & range. Raise the fuel & range weight from 3 to 5 and it flips. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2025 Mercedes-Benz C-Class scores 94.1 and the 2025 BMW 3 Series 92.9. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which has the better safety record, the 2025 BMW 3 Series or the 2025 Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
2025 BMW 3 Series: 5 NHTSA stars, grade B, 1 recall (1 filed with no repair available). 2025 Mercedes-Benz C-Class: no NHTSA rating yet, grade B, 2 recalls. Crash ratings come from NHTSA's own tests; the grade is WhichTrim's read of the recall record, and the two can disagree.
What are the biggest differences between the 2025 BMW 3 Series and the 2025 Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
Where the 2025 Mercedes-Benz C-Class wins: it has drawn fewer owner complaints (4 against 6 filed with NHTSA). Where the 2025 BMW 3 Series answers: it costs $200 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($2,650 against $2,850) and is rated 31 combined against 29 (EPA mpg or MPGe). What they share: a Safety Signal of 85, 5 seats, and 255 hp.