2013 BMW 3-Series vs. Its Competition

Bengt Halvorson Senior Editor

The 2013 BMW 3-Series faces its most direct challenge this year from an unlikely rival: General Motors.

The all-new Cadillac ATS offers steering and handling, as well as overall performance, that's right on par with the 3-Series—although the base 328i is a bit more fun to drive than the base ATS.

The rest of the sedans in this class each have some pretty significant flaws.

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class has also gone four-cylinder, but its 201-horsepower, 1.8-liter engine in the C250 isn’t quite a substitute for a six-cylinder engine the way that the 328i’s 240-hp engine is.

The Lexus IS has one of the oldest designs among compact sport sedans; it’s not at all competitive in IS 250 guise, but the IS 350 can be quite enjoyable to drive.

The IS ride and handling aren't nearly as fine-tuned as in the 3-Series, though.

The Audi A4 has a strong, economical base powertrain in its current 2.0T form, and its handling is tuned to target the 3-Series, but it doesn’t offer nearly the tech options you can find in the BMW.

Infiniti’s G37 drives like a sports coupe and has excellent steering and handling, but it’s the harshest offering in this class and lacks luxury-car refinement.