2022 Lexus ES vs 2021 BMW 3 Series

The 2021 BMW 3 Series returned to its traditional familial look, reminiscent of the classic E30 3 Series. However, the G20 3 Series appeared stuffy, with a large, oddly-shaped grille that seemed out of place on the smaller sedan. The design lacked distinctive features beyond the grille and headlights, which referenced older models' "halo" lights. Our test car, equipped with M 19-inch wheels and blue-painted brake calipers from the optional M Sport trim package, added some flair. The interior design was nice but marred by unimpressive materials, with plastic trim and fake-looking Ash wood. Leather upholstery was an optional extra, while synthetic Sensatec material was standard. The optional M heated steering wheel looked out of place in the otherwise conservative interior.

The 2022 Lexus ES, a mainstay in the Lexus lineup, faced the challenge of appealing to both its aging demographic and attracting younger buyers. The latest generation, launched in 2018, moved to the Global Architecture-K (GA-K) platform, supporting a front-engine, front-wheel drive layout, with an option for all-wheel drive. The ES had elegant proportions and a sleek roofline, with the prominent Lexus "spindle" grille and assertive headlamp shapes. The interior featured a layered dashboard, precisely assembled with crisp gaps. Our test car, an F Sport model, had bold two-tone leather seating, which seemed sportier than the rest of the car. A small analog chronometer in the touchscreen housing aimed to underline the ES's heritage but only succeeded in dating the dash and adding to the clutter.

The 2021 BMW 3 Series offered three powertrains. The base 330i had a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The 330e plug-in hybrid combined a less-powerful version of that engine with electric assist, for a total of 288 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, including an XtraBoost overboost function. The M340i featured a turbo inline-six, producing 382 hp and 369 lb-ft. All powertrains were available with rear-wheel drive or xDrive all-wheel drive, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The M340i could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds, while the base 330i took 5.6 seconds. The 330e matched the 330i's 0 to 60 mph time despite its extra weight, but the transition from electric to gasoline power was clunky. The 3 Series had a solid chassis, providing a comfortable highway ride and excellent handling, but it lacked the engaging driving experience of past models.

The 2022 Lexus ES came in three models, each with different powertrains. The base ES 250 AWD had a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, achieving 25 mpg city/34 mpg highway/28 mpg combined. It could go from 0-60 mph in 8.6 seconds. The ES 350 featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 307 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque, achieving 22 mpg city/32 mpg highway/26 mpg combined. It could accelerate from 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds. The ES 300h hybrid combined a 176-hp four-cylinder engine with a 39-hp electric motor for a total of 215 hp, achieving 43 mpg city/44 mpg highway/44 mpg combined. It could go from 0-60 mph in 8.1 seconds. Our test car, the ES 250 AWD, had a strained engine note under heavy throttle and felt slow for a luxury sedan. The ES 350's V6 would be more engaging, and the ES 300h offered excellent fuel economy. The ES 250's AWD didn't significantly impact driving performance.

The 2021 BMW 3 Series offered better-than-average interior space for a small luxury sedan. Rear headroom was the best in the segment, and front headroom was above average. Legroom in both rows was about average, and shoulder room was less generous than the Acura TLX. Gasoline 3 Series models had 17 cubic feet of cargo space, but the 330e plug-in hybrid's battery pack reduced it to 13.2 cubic feet. The trunk's long-and-narrow shape required an awkward reach to maximize space, but a 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat was standard. The cockpit was well-designed, with a touchscreen positioned for easy reach and good outward visibility.

The 2022 Lexus ES had a generous 13.9 cubic feet of trunk space, even in the hybrid ES 300h. A pass-through behind the center armrest allowed long slim cargo to intrude into the cabin, and the second row in the ES 250 and ES 350 folded flat for additional space. The ES sedan had a lower center of gravity and ground clearance than the Lexus RX, contributing to better handling and fuel economy. Inside, the ES had ample storage and convenience features, including big bottle pockets, cupholders, and a large glove compartment. The dash layout was functional, with a prominent volume knob for the audio system.

The 2021 BMW 3 Series came with the standard iDrive infotainment system, featuring an 8.8-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, and USB ports. Gasoline models had Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the 330e only had CarPlay. The optional Live Cockpit Professional system added a digital instrument cluster and navigation, with a head-up display available. The infotainment system had high-quality graphics and was easy to use, with multiple control options, including the iDrive controller, steering wheel controls, voice assistant, and gesture controls.

The 2022 Lexus ES had an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa+Lexus compatibility. The base system included a 10-speaker Pioneer sound system, USB audio input, Bluetooth, a CD player, HD radio, and SiriusXM satellite radio. Upper trim levels had a 12.3-inch touchscreen, Mark Levinson 17-speaker audio, and navigation. The ES used a center console touchpad interface, which was challenging to use on rough roads. Upper trim levels had a 10-inch head-up display, and an available Panoramic View Monitor paired with Intuitive Parking Assist. Lexus Enform connected services included Safety Connect, Service Connect, Remote, WiFi, Dynamic Navigation, and Destination Assist.

The 2021 BMW 3 Series received a "Top Safety Pick" award from the IIHS, with top "Good" scores in all crash tests. However, headlight scores were mixed, and the optional Active Driving Assistant Professional system scored lower than the base system in vehicle-to-pedestrian front-crash prevention. The NHTSA hadn't published safety ratings for the 2021 3 Series. Standard driver-assist features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure warning. The Driving Assistant Professional Package added adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and automated lane centering, with features like stop-and-go function and Extended Traffic Jam Assistant.

The 2022 Lexus ES received the highest safety ratings from both the IIHS (Top Safety Pick+) and the NHTSA (five-star rating). The Lexus Safety System+ 2.5 included a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with steering assist, road-sign assist, Enhanced Lane-Tracing Assist, adaptive cruise control, and Intelligent High Beam Control. Standard features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, 10 airbags, and three years of Lexus Enform Safety Connect service.