2022 BMW 3 Series vs 2023 Dodge Charger

The 2022 BMW 3 Series offered a range of models, including the 330i, 330e, M340i, M3, and M3 Competition, with prices starting at $44,990 and reaching up to $93,500, excluding a $2,480 destination charge. Each variant featured a distinct powertrain, with the 330i xDrive sedan and 330e equipped with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, while the M340i boasted a turbocharged six-cylinder engine with mild-hybrid technology. The M3 and M3 Competition were the high-performance options. The M340i xDrive, in particular, was noted for its Barbera Red special-order paint and Cognac-colour SensaTec upholstery, with options like the Advanced Driver Assistance package and Adaptive M Suspension, bringing the price to just under $80,000. The M340i's exterior design included exclusive grille and bumper designs, Shadowline trim, and blue brake calipers, with 19-inch wheels wrapped in high-performance tires. Inside, the SensaTec upholstery mimicked leather, and the Cognac colour provided a trendy contrast against the dark cabin. The 3 Series was praised for its quality materials and technical design, focusing on driving enjoyment.

The 2023 Dodge Charger, despite its age, maintained a distinct and modern appearance compared to competitors like the Accord, Altima, and Camry. The Charger Scat Pack Swinger, with its widebody kit, featured flared fenders, 305-mm-wide tires on 20-inch wheels, and a large hood scoop. The bronze wheels and F8 Green paint added a touch of tastefulness, though the "Swinger" decals and Gold School Bee badges were seen as hokey. The interior, unchanged since 2011, was dated with a small touchscreen and plasticky knobs, though the Nappa leather and Alcantara seats provided some comfort. The Swinger included green stitching and Dodge stripes, but overall, the interior was basic. The Charger was noted for its large trunk, but the cramped footwells and limited rear legroom detracted from its spaciousness. The controls were appreciated for their simplicity and ease of use, contrasting with the trend of integrating features into touchscreens.

The 2022 BMW 3 Series M340i was equipped with a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six engine featuring 48-volt mild-hybrid technology, achieving 9.4 litres per 100 kilometres on the evaluation route, slightly above the official rating of 9.2 L/100 km. The engine delivered 382 horsepower between 5,800 and 6,500 rpm and 368 pound-feet of torque from 1,800 to 5,000 rpm. It was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission with Sport mode, paddle shifters, and launch control, with power flowing to the rear wheels through an M Sport differential. The xDrive AWD system was standard in Canada. The M340i included M Sport brakes, variable sport steering, and an M Sport suspension, with the optional Adaptive M Suspension enhancing driving dynamics. BMW claimed a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 4.3 seconds. The M340i was praised for its precise handling and driving enjoyment, with the transmission performing flawlessly. The 3 Series was considered the standard for sports sedans, offering thrilling performance without the need for the more powerful M3.

The 2023 Dodge Charger came standard with a 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 engine, producing 292 or 300 horsepower and 264 pound-feet of torque, with AWD available on certain trims. The ZF eight-speed automatic transmission was noted for its smoothness and quick shifts, achieving fuel economy as low as 7.8 L/100 km on the highway. The Charger R/T featured a 5.7-litre V8 with 370 hp and 395 lb-ft of torque, while the Scat Pack models, like the Swinger, had a 6.4-litre V8 with 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque. The Charger SRT Hellcats boasted a supercharged 6.2-litre engine with up to 807 hp and 707 lb-ft of torque in the Redeye Jailbreak. The Charger was praised for its handling, with good front-end grip and steering precision, though it was a large car that didn't respond well to mid-corner corrections. The ride quality was agreeable, and braking was exceptional with Brembo brakes on higher trims.

The 2022 BMW 3 Series, despite its traditional four-door sedan design, offered driving satisfaction without sacrificing passenger comfort and practicality. The M340i featured power-adjustable front sport seats with ample support and a perfect driving position. Rear seat passengers had enough legroom for four relatively tall people, though the centre rear seating position was likely to go unused. The back seat provided good thigh support, but the rigid plastic panels on the front seatbacks could be uncomfortable. The M340i came with a three-zone automatic climate control system, heated steering wheel, and heated front seats, with heated rear seats available. Interior storage was decent, and the 481-litre trunk offered roomy cargo space, with a 40/20/40-split folding design for added utility.

The 2023 Dodge Charger, despite its size, felt cramped inside. Headroom was adequate for a 5-foot-11 frame, but the footwells were tight, and the transmission tunnel limited rear legroom. The rear seats had poor headroom, and the overall interior space was not as spacious as expected for a car based on an E-Class sedan. The trunk, however, was large at 470 litres. The Charger's controls were appreciated for their simplicity, with large, easy-to-find buttons and switches for climate control, lighting, and audio. The touchscreen and central screen on the instrument panel integrated additional features without requiring deep menu navigation, making the Charger familiar and not distracting.

The 2022 BMW 3 Series offered the optional Digital Cockpit Professional, featuring a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and a navigation system. While the digital gauges were not as impressive as Audi's Virtual Cockpit Plus, the infotainment technology package was functional. BMW iDrive 7.0 was intuitive, with multiple control options, including a gesture control system. The 3 Series included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, and a 10-speaker HiFi sound system, with a 16-speaker Harman Kardon system available. Connected Package Pro technology was standard, offering BMW Remote Services and the Intelligent Personal Assistant for voice recognition. The M340i also had a head-up display, though it could be challenging to read with polarized sunglasses. The Advanced Driver Assistance Package included a surround-view camera system, parking sensors, and autonomous parking capability.

The 2023 Dodge Charger lacked the latest Uconnect infotainment system and advanced driver-assistance features. The 8.4-inch touchscreen was small but had fast, logical menu structures and clear legibility. It offered wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot, voice recognition, and SiriusXM. The Charger SRT Dashboard app allowed customization of various performance settings, including throttle, steering, dampers, and transmission. The Performance Pages feature displayed real-time power and torque curves, and the Hellcat models had additional cooling functions accessible through the touchscreen.

The 2022 BMW 3 Series had a standard safety tech package called Active Guard, which included forward-collision warning, pedestrian and cyclist detection, city-speed automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure warning. The Traffic Jam Assistant offered semi-autonomous driving with adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assist. The Emergency Stop Assistant could detect an unresponsive driver and bring the car to a safe stop. The 3 Series earned a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS and five-star ratings from the NHTSA, including for rollover resistance.

The 2023 Dodge Charger received four out of five stars from the NHTSA for driver and passenger frontal crash tests, four stars for side barrier and pole intrusion tests, and five stars for rear passengers in side tests. It had an overall rating of four stars. The IIHS based its scores on the 2015 Chrysler 300, which shared the same chassis. The Charger had optional safety features, including forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control, with blind-spot monitoring available on certain models.