Alternative review of BMW 3 Series Touring

'A hatchback with a backpack' was how we first described the latest generation BMW 3 Series Touring - and not a lot has changed with the facelifted version I've been looking at. That doesn't mean to say it isn't even more desirable, especially with the latest revised styling. Or indeed, that it isn't still surprisingly practical. Both observations are true but they don't have my influence on my reasons for wanting one. And yes, I would like one thank you very much.

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 version for just over £1,000 less, model for model. 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. All right, I'm exaggerating. I liked the 60:40 split-folding seats as they 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. In a supermarket carpark during my test, I reversed up to close to something and found that there was no space to let the full tailgate swing upwards. No problem in this case: the hatch allowed smaller items to be quickly and simply dropped inside. Under the floor, I found 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 I 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.

In this enhanced version of the 3 Series, the interior looks a little smarter, even if it remains largely similar to the previous version. I was pleased to see however, that BMW has again updated its iDrive control interface with scrolling menu displays designed to enhance usability. There's 8 gigabytes of music storage capacity in the system too, enough for 100 albums, while the quality of the trim materials around the cabin has also been enhanced. The petrol range runs from the 143bhp 318i, through the 170bhp 320i to the 218bhp 325i. Then things get really serious. The 330i manages 272bhp but if that's not fast enough, then there's a twin-turbo 335i flagship variant putting out a massive 306bhp. If you'd rather go for diesel power, there's an entry-level 318d model which manages an astounding 60.1mpg on the combined cycle. Most however, go for the 163bhp 320d which returns 58.9mpg yet still manages to get from rest to sixty in just over eight seconds on the way to 143mph. 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.

I could. The 3 Series Touring is about the right size for me. I don't really need an estate but like the idea of one. I must be target market.

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