BMW 3 Series Touring Review

Performance4.5/5

There are a number of BMW 3 Series Touring performance options across the range. The big seller will undoubtedly be the 320d and its easy to see why, it is the perfect all rounder, it has plenty of grunt low down the gear box and enough pace to satisfy your cruising needs. Below this is a slightly underpowered 316d which at 116bhp is probably worth giving a miss, and above it is the 330d which does the benchmark 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds. The BMW 3 Series Touring petrol engines on offer don’t feel quite as smooth as their diesel sisters but none the less they have plenty of power and performance, especially the 335i which for an estate car is absurdly quick.

Handling4.5/5

The BMW 3 Series has always prided itself on being one of the best handling cars available, and this Touring version fits into this mantra. The new model has a slightly longer wheelbase than its predecessor and this helps the car feel beautifully balanced. There is a little body roll in tighter corners but if you upgrade to the adaptive dampers you’ll find this eradicated and you’ll be blown away by the BMW 3 Series Touring’s precise and agile handling.

Exterior4/5

The 3 Series Touring is a car for the BMW traditionalist. Unlike the new 3 Series Saloon which BMW have given a whole new facelift, the 3 Series Touring’s styling retains many of BMW’s most distinctive features. The angular styling, characteristic grilles and the tapered lights will all be instantly recognisable. If you like the look of BMWs, you’ll like this one.

Interior4/5

The new BMW 3 Series Touring is longer than its ancestors, and this space has been put to good use, there is more leg and head room for passengers, and the boot space is now a very impressive 495 litres. The rear seats split 40:20:40, giving you plenty of options for passenger/luggage combinations. It’s when you fold the seats away though that full potential of the BMW 3 Series Touring is unveiled, as the boot extends to a whopping 1500 litres of space. As well as having plenty of space, access to it is cleverly arranged with an electronic tailgate, a fully opening rear window, and rather nifty little device that means your tailgate opens when you wave your foot under the car, (though this last one is an optional extra.) The cabin has the usual BMW quality meaning that passengers and driver alike will be transported in comfort.

Equipment4/5

BMW 3 Series Touring standard equipment varies across the range. The entry level model is the ES and it is very competitively equipped, 17” alloys, automatic air conditioning and boot opening, as well as cruise control and keyless start all coming as standard. The SE is the next trim up and to be honest doesn’t add too much of note, although auto light and wipers and dual zone air conditioning are nice touches. The Sport, the Modern, and the Luxury all add various different styling touches, with the Sport preferring the black and chrome look, the Modern adding a satin aluminium finish and the Luxury going for the subtler classy look and all of them offer you the option of having 18” alloys. The M Sport is the top of the range 3 Series Touring and adds sports suspension, leather sports seats and trim in general, and the M’s edgier styling.

Safety5/5

The saloon version of the BMW 3 Series achieved a maximum 5 stars in its Euro NCAP crash test and as the Touring has the same front design we’d expect it to achieve the same. Six airbags, ISOFIX child seat mounts and Dynamic Stability Control which incorporates a whole load of gizmos to help you brake and grip the road safely come as standard meaning that, all in all, the BMW 3 Series Touring’s safety is rather impressive.

Buying & Owning4.5/5

Reliability should not be an issue as the BMW 3 Series has traditionally had an excellent record and we don’t expect this version to be any different. All the engines, even the more powerful available, offer very competitive fuel consumption levels; the 330d, the largest of the diesel engines, manages 55.4 mpg. If you decide to part with your BMW 3 Series Touring you shouldn’t have too many problems finding a buyer with resale values likely to be strong.

Reviewed by cars2buy