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BMW 3 Series vs Subaru Forester

What's the difference?

VS
BMW 3 Series
BMW 3 Series

$49,990 - $98,990

2023 price

Subaru Forester
Subaru Forester

$35,990 - $55,007

2024 price

Summary

2023 BMW 3 Series
2024 Subaru Forester
Safety Rating

Engine Type
Turbo 4, 2.0L

Flat 4, 2.5L
Fuel Type
Premium Unleaded Petrol

Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Efficiency
6.5L/100km (combined)

7.4L/100km (combined)
Seating
5

5
Dislikes
  • Harder ride might bother some people
  • Cosy back seat for child seats
  • Lacklustre lane keeping tech

  • Uninspiring drivetrain
  • Price getting steep
  • Potential thirst for fuel
2023 BMW 3 Series Summary

Back in the day, the 3 Series sedan was often the entry to the brand for first time BMW owners, and for good reason. They offered practical interior space without compromising on engine performance.

And they simply looked good, no boring nanny design elements. Then the 1 Series came along and price points bumped up, so how does the ‘entry’ BMW 320i M Sport live up to its long-standing reputation?

With an updated dashboard that brings the interior and tech up to market and a sharper exterior design, it more than holds its own at the table of luxury sedans, despite hard competition from the likes of the Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C200 and Jaguar XE.

However, if the Merc is a placid and well-behaved mare… the BMW is the barely-broken-in bronco and it takes a certain kind of ‘rider’ to enjoy what the 320i has to offer.

I’ve been discovering just that this week with my family of three. What did we find out? Read below!

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2024 Subaru Forester Summary

There’s a new top dog in the Subaru Forester family (without getting into the hybrids, that is), and it’s wearing an STI badge.

But don’t get too excited about it, because this isn’t a full-blown piece of engineering from Subaru Tecnica International - rather a slightly modified special edition based on a high-spec Forester.

Is it worthy of the iconic pink badge? Or more importantly, is it worthy of your money? We’re putting this kitted-out version of Subaru’s likeable family SUV to the test to find out.

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Deep dive comparison

2023 BMW 3 Series 2024 Subaru Forester

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