2016 BMW 3 series
midsize luxury car / 4-door sedan
Small overlap front: driver-side
Rating applies to 2016 models
Tested vehicle: 2016 BMW 328i 4-door
The BMW 3 series sedan was redesigned for the 2012 model year. Beginning with 2016 models, a front suspension change was made to better control wheel movement during small overlap frontal crashes. The change, however, wasn't enough to improve the car's performance in the small overlap test.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Hip/thigh | |
| Lower leg/foot | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics |
Action shot taken during the small overlap frontal crash test.
The dummy's position in relation to the footwell after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space wasn't maintained well. This reduction in space was caused by intrusion of the left front wheel.
The frontal and side curtain airbags worked well together to keep the head from coming close to any stiff structure or outside objects that could cause injury.
Intrusion into the lower occupant compartment was extensive as the left front wheel was forced rearward and inward during the crash. Risk of injuries to both lower legs and the left foot was significant, and the dummy's right foot was trapped.
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CEN1531 |
|---|---|
| Lower occupant compartment | |
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 9 |
| Footrest (cm) | 31 |
| Left toepan (cm) | 28 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 18 |
| Parking brake (cm) | |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 0 |
| Upper occupant compartment | |
| Steering column | 0 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 8 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 6 |
| Lower instrument panel (cm) | 5 |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CEN1531 |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 276 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | no data |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | no data |
| Maximum Nij | 0.00 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 21 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 2.6 |
| Right | 3.2 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 4 |
| Right | 5 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 1 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.89 |
| Right | 1.03 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 6.1 |
| Right | 6.0 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 220 |
| Right | 95 |
Moderate overlap front: original test
Rating applies to 2012-18 models
Tested vehicle: 2012 BMW 328i 4-door
The BMW 3 series sedan was redesigned for the 2012 model year. Moderate overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by BMW.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Leg/foot, left | |
| Leg/foot, right | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics |
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | VTF1118 |
|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest (cm) | 4 |
| Left (cm) | 4 |
| Center (cm) | 3 |
| Right (cm) | 1 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 2 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left (cm) | 0 |
| Right (cm) | 0 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward (cm) | 0 |
| Rearward (cm) | -5 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 0 |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | VTF1118 |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 132 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | 15 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.1 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 8 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.20 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 26 |
| Legs | |
| Femur force - left (kN) | 1.4 |
| Femur force - right (kN) | 1.7 |
| Knee displacement - left (mm) | 1 |
| Knee displacement - right (mm) | 2 |
| Maximum tibia index - left | 0.38 |
| Maximum tibia index - right | 0.30 |
| Tibia axial force - left (kN) | 3.2 |
| Tibia axial force - right (kN) | 3.3 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 60 |
| Right | 61 |
Side: original test
Rating applies to 2012-18 models
Tested vehicle: 2012 BMW 335i 4-door with standard front and rear head curtain airbags and standard front seat-mounted torso airbags
The BMW 3 series sedan was redesigned for the 2012 model year. Side ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by BMW.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Driver head protection | |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Rear passenger head protection | |
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | VTS1120 |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) | -16.5 |
| Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline. | |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | VTS1120 |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 323 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.2 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.2 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 41 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.8 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 40 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 36 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 3.37 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.72 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 2.8 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 1.7 |
| Combined force (kN) | 4.5 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.3 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 157 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 64 |
Passenger injury measures
| Test ID | VTS1120 |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 125 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.4 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.2 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 14 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 0.8 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 21 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 17 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 1.69 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.18 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 1.2 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 0.6 |
| Combined force (kN) | 1.8 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.5 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 128 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 44 |
Roof strength
Rating applies to 2012-18 models
Tested vehicle: 2012 BMW 335i 4-door
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 3,516 lbs |
| Peak force | 17,527 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 4.98 |
Head restraints & seats
Seat type: Power leather seats
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | |
| Seat/head restraint geometry |
| Seat type | Power leather seats |
|---|---|
| Geometry | |
| Backset (mm) | 44 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | 23 |
| Seat design parameters | |
| Pass/fail | Pass |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 11.9 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 68 |
| Force rating | 1 |
| Neck forces | |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 51 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 631 |
About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.
Headlights
Ratings are given for 3 different headlight variations available on this vehicle.
Trim level(s)
- 320 trim equipped with Lighting package
- 328 trim equipped with Lighting package
- 340 trim equipped with Lighting package
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
|---|---|
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | Yes |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
|
Overall rating | |
| Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination: | |
Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was inadequate on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was fair on both right curves and inadequate on both left curves.
The low beams never exceeded glare limits.
High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was good on the gradual right and gradual left curves and fair on the sharp left and sharp right curves.
High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on the straightaway and all 4 curves.
| Trim level(s) |
|
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | Yes |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
|
Overall rating Applies to 2016 models |
| LOW BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
Amount glare exceeded threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 67.4 m | None |
| Straightaway left edge | 36.0 m | None |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 62.8 m | None |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 37.2 m | None |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 51.9 m | None |
| 150m radius left curve, right edge | 39.8 m | None |
| HIGH BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 165.3 m |
| Straightaway left edge | 163.1 m |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 78.6 m |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 77.5 m |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 58.1 m |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 60.7 m |
Trim level(s)
- 320 trim equipped with Premium package
- 328 trim equipped with Premium package
- 340 trim
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
|---|---|
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
|
Overall rating | |
| Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination: | |
Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was inadequate on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.
The low beams never exceeded glare limits.
High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was fair on the right side of the road and inadequate on the left side. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.
| Trim level(s) |
|
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
|
Overall rating Applies to 2016 models |
| LOW BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
Amount glare exceeded threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 51.2 m | None |
| Straightaway left edge | 17.3 m | None |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 38.3 m | None |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 23.9 m | None |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 29.3 m | None |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 20.9 m | None |
| HIGH BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 141.7 m |
| Straightaway left edge | 80.2 m |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 61.7 m |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 51.4 m |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 46.6 m |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 43.0 m |
Trim level(s)
- 320 trim
- 328 trim
| Low-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
|---|---|
| High-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
|
Overall rating | |
| Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination: | |
Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was inadequate on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.
The low beams never exceeded glare limits.
High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was inadequate on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.
| Trim level(s) |
|
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
|
Overall rating Applies to 2016 models |
| LOW BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
Amount glare exceeded threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 39.0 m | None |
| Straightaway left edge | 20.4 m | None |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 35.7 m | None |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 23.3 m | None |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 26.4 m | None |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 23.5 m | None |
| HIGH BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 118.2 m |
| Straightaway left edge | 98.0 m |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 55.8 m |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 55.6 m |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 42.2 m |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 41.8 m |
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Ratings are given for 2 different trim variations available on this vehicle.
Child seat anchors
Rating applies to 2015-18 models
| Overall evaluation | |
| Vehicle trim | 328xi |
| Seat type | leather |
This vehicle has 2 rear seating positions with complete child seat attachment (LATCH) hardware.
It has 1 additional seating position with a tether anchor only.
| Overall evaluation | |
| Vehicle trim | 328xi |
| Seat type | leather |
| G | Good |
| A | Acceptable |
| M | Marginal |
| P | Poor |
| Seating positions that rely on borrowed lower anchors or have only a tether anchor available are not rated. | |
thether anchor symbol | Tether anchor |
lower anchor symbol | Lower anchors |
| Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s) | |
| No hardware available |
Details by seating position
| 1 | |
|---|---|
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| too deep in seat | |
| not too much force needed to attach | |
| difficult to maneuver around anchors | |
| 2 | |
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| none available | |
| 3 | |
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| too deep in seat | |
| not too much force needed to attach | |
| difficult to maneuver around anchors |
Seat position 21
| Lower anchor A | |
|---|---|
| Open access rated | No |
| Depth (cm) | 4-6 |
| Force (lbs) | 15 |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | 0 |
| Lower anchor B | |
| Open access rated | No |
| Depth (cm) | 4-6 |
| Force (lbs) | 13 |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | 0 |
| Tether anchor | |
| Location | Rear deck |
| Confusing hardware present | No |
| Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor |
No |
| Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH |
Not measured |
Seat position 22
| Lower anchor A | |
|---|---|
| No lower latch for this seat position | |
| Lower anchor B | |
| No lower latch for this seat position | |
| Tether anchor | |
| Location | Rear deck |
| Confusing hardware present | No |
| Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor |
No |
| Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH |
Not measured |
Seat position 23
| Lower anchor A | |
|---|---|
| Open access rated | No |
| Depth (cm) | 4-6 |
| Force (lbs) | 18 |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | 0 |
| Lower anchor B | |
| Open access rated | No |
| Depth (cm) | 4-6 |
| Force (lbs) | 17 |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | 0 |
| Tether anchor | |
| Location | Rear deck |
| Confusing hardware present | No |
| Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor |
No |
| Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH |
Not measured |
Rating applies to 2016-18 models
| Overall evaluation | |
| Vehicle trim | 328i |
| Seat type | leather |
This vehicle has 2 rear seating positions with complete child seat attachment (LATCH) hardware.
It has 1 additional seating position with a tether anchor only.
| Overall evaluation | |
| Vehicle trim | 328i |
| Seat type | leather |
| G | Good |
| A | Acceptable |
| M | Marginal |
| P | Poor |
| Seating positions that rely on borrowed lower anchors or have only a tether anchor available are not rated. | |
thether anchor symbol | Tether anchor |
lower anchor symbol | Lower anchors |
| Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s) | |
| No hardware available |
Details by seating position
| 1 | |
|---|---|
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| too deep in seat | |
| too much force needed to attach | |
| difficult to maneuver around anchors | |
| 2 | |
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| none available | |
| 3 | |
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| too deep in seat | |
| too much force needed to attach | |
| difficult to maneuver around anchors |
Seat position 21
| Lower anchor A | |
|---|---|
| Open access rated | No |
| Depth (cm) | 4-6 |
| Force (lbs) | could not measure |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | could not measure |
| Lower anchor B | |
| Open access rated | No |
| Depth (cm) | 4-6 |
| Force (lbs) | could not measure |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | could not measure |
| Tether anchor | |
| Location | Rear deck |
| Confusing hardware present | No |
| Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor |
No |
| Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH |
Not measured |
Seat position 22
| Lower anchor A | |
|---|---|
| No lower latch for this seat position | |
| Lower anchor B | |
| No lower latch for this seat position | |
| Tether anchor | |
| Location | Rear deck |
| Confusing hardware present | No |
| Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor |
No |
| Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH |
Not measured |
Seat position 23
| Lower anchor A | |
|---|---|
| Open access rated | No |
| Depth (cm) | 4-6 |
| Force (lbs) | could not measure |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | could not measure |
| Lower anchor B | |
| Open access rated | No |
| Depth (cm) | 4-6 |
| Force (lbs) | could not measure |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | could not measure |
| Tether anchor | |
| Location | Rear deck |
| Confusing hardware present | No |
| Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor |
No |
| Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH |
Not measured |