2020 Lexus ES vs 2021 BMW 3 Series

SUVs might dominate the luxury car market, but many luxury brands were built on sedans, like the 2020 Lexus ES. While crossovers and SUVs combine added cargo space with all-weather driving capability, sedans are all about driving in comfort. Lower ride height allows sedans to be far more refined in on-road driving dynamics, offer better fuel economy, and still have enough room for a weekend’s worth of bags. SUVs might have the attributes that you might need in certain scenarios, but sedans like the 2020 Lexus ES excel in ways that are relevant in everyday driving.

The 2020 Lexus ES is one year off a complete redesign, though it maintains the same comfort-first formula. It is available in a racy 350 F Sport trim level, but don’t expect any major leaps in performance. The ES delivers on a serene ride and a quiet, well-appointed cabin. For 2020, the ES gains some in-cabin tech features, joining a long list of standard technology.

Early generations of the BMW 3 Series redefined what a luxury car could be, justifying their prestige badge with sporty driving dynamics and impeccable engineering. BMW changed the luxury-car paradigm, proving that nimble sports sedans could be just as desirable as wood-encrusted land yachts.

The 3 Series spawned a number of imitators, including the Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and Lexus IS. Those sedans, along with the Acura TLX, Alfa Romeo Giulia, Cadillac CT4, and Infiniti Q50 (which wear more recently-introduced nameplates) still form the 3 Series’ competitive set, but the car itself has changed.

Introduced for the 2019 model year, the current-generation 3 Series (codenamed G20) feels more like a traditional luxury sedan, with a greater emphasis on comfort and convenience than previous generations. The manual transmission is gone, as are the wagon and 3 Series GT hatchback body styles. The 3 Series coupe and convertible were re-badged as the 4 Series beginning with the 2014 model year.

The biggest change for the 2021 BMW 3 Series is the addition of the 330e plug-in hybrid model to the lineup, so that’s what we test drove for this review. BMW also offers 330i and M340i versions, and there’s an M3 performance model on the way.