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TOUR GUIDE
BMW 3 Series Touring (2005-To Date)
Introduction
History of the 3 Series
Bigger in every dimension to its predecessor, the 3-SeriesTouring range was fleshed out considerably in the years following its launch, with the 330i (July 2005), the 330d (November 2005), the 318i (January 2006), and the 335i, 325d and 335d (September 2006), the latter being the car that many have labelled the best in the real world. That’s quite some billing.
The Autumn of 2007 BMW included its EfficientDynamics package across the 3-Series range with dramatic effects. The technology uses Brake Energy Regeneration and Auto Stop-Start amongst other features to dramatically cut emissions and enhance fuel economy. The headline grabbing model was the 318d which became capable of over 60mpg on the combined cycle and 123g/km emissions.
Why should I buy a 3 Series?
By examining basic carrying capacities, we’re not being entirely fair to these estates. You see, the practical advantages of the 3 Series Touring and its ilk over their saloon counterparts only really make themselves felt when there are less than four people in the car. You get a 460-litre void back there to fill with the paraphernalia of your choice and that doesn’t compare at all favourably with the 460-litres you get in the saloon for £1,180 less. Fold the rear seats down, however, and the available space mushrooms up to 1,385 litres. Forget about taking garden rubbish to the council tip or shifting that chest of draws home from the furniture store, you could hold a wedding reception back there or have it converted into a squash court.
The 3 Series Touring’s 60:40 split-folding seats open up the possibility of seating a passenger in the back while still maximising the available loadspace and there are other practical features included in the package as well. Most notable is the split tailgate which opens up two different cargo access options by opening up in two sections. You can simply lift the standard tailgate to get at whatever you’ve got inside or release the rear window hatch which flips up to reveal a smaller aperture. Perhaps you’ve reversed up too close to something and there’s no space to let the full tailgate swing upwards or maybe you just can’t be bothered to open it. In either case, the hatch allows smaller items to be quickly and simply dropped inside. Under the floor, there’s a waterproof container that can be used to house dirty items that might play havoc with the boot-floor carpet and the boot itself has a handy cargo net to keep unruly objects under control. If you had to pick fault, it’d be with BMW’s build quality and no, this isn’t a gripe about fit or finish. Rather, the German marque have surpassed themselves, producing a parcel-shelf-come-cargo-cover that’s so substantial you need biceps the size of Bournemouth to lift it out.
The Touring is a substantially more practical vehicle than the saloon but it also has other, less prosaic advantages. Personal taste will obviously come into play here but you could definitely argue a case that the 3 Series Touring is a better-looking car than the saloon. It’s certainly true of Audi’s A4 and a number of others, that the estate derivative has more of a cohesive look and purposeful stance than the saloon. Many 3 Series customers may find themselves preferring the practical Touring option on aesthetic grounds.
What the Touring definitely does have is a ‘lifestyle’ edge to its image. A horrible marketing-speak word, ‘lifestyle’ has come to represent the kind of exciting, trendy activity-based existences that modern families with gleaming dental work are supposed to lead in their spare time. Even when you’re packing the kids into the car to pop out and pick up something to shift the latest stain the cat has left on your carpet, it would be nice if the neighbours thought you were all off wakeboarding or paintballing for the day. With the 3 Series Touring, there’s a slim chance they might.
How much could I expect to pay?
What should I look out for?
Be suspicious of cars that have had many owners in a short time (this could be a sign of ongoing problems). If you really want peace of mind, buy from a BMW dealer – but be prepared to pay the premium.
Are parts expensive?
What is a 3 Series like to drive?
If you’d rather go for diesel power, there’s an entry-level 318d model which manages 50.4mpg on the combined cycle. Most however, go for the 163bhp 320d which returns 49.6mpg yet still manages to get from rest to sixty in just over eight seconds on the way to 140mph. If that’s not fast enough, there are three other diesel variants on offer. First up is the 197bhp 325d, which sits just below the 231bhp 330d in the pecking order. Flagship of the diesel line-up is the 335d which ups the ante to a massive 286bhp.
The 3 Series Touring is heavier than the saloon by some 90kg but any variations in the driving dynamics are negligible. There’s still that all-important 50:50 weight distribution and an advanced five-link rear axle set-up. This is quite simply the most rewarding driver’s car in the compact executive estate segment and, sampling its poise through the bends along with its polished responses, it’s hard to imagine an equivalent model eclipsing it until BMW themselves replace this car sometime in the distant future.
