BMW 3 Series Touring (2012-2019): dimensions and boot space

Balancing good luggage space, room for the family in both front and rear seats and a sense of driving fun is not an easy thing to achieve, but the BMW 3 Series Touring pulls it off. That it’s also solidly built and comes with an upmarket badge is the icing on the cake.

This generation of 3 Series Touring was on sale between 2012 and 2019 and comes with a range of diesel engines that run from a humble 116hp version to a much more potent 313hp model, although the 190hp 320d is by far the most common sight - and indeed represents the best balance between performance and fuel economy.

Petrol models range from those with a 136hp 1.5-litre four-cylinder in the 316i and 318i to the sports-car-fast 326hp 340i with its 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine.

Gearbox choices are either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic gearbox, while four-wheel-drive is also an option on some versions.

Inside, the BMW 3 Series Touring feels solidly built and very upmarket. It also benefits from a logically laid out dashboard, and we especially like the ‘iDrive’ media system, which has a rotary controller for the central screen that allows you to adjust stereo and sat-nav functions while on the move without taking your eyes away from the road for longer than is necessary.

In terms of trims, you can get, ES, SE, Sport and M Sport flavours of 3 Series Touring, although there are other options packs available that muddy the waters somewhat.

Essentially, though, ES models are the entry point to the range and come with a digital radio, climate control, cruise control and alloy wheels, so even the most basic models are pretty well equipped.

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BMW 3 Series Touring dimensions

The 3 Series Touring is 4.6m long, 1.8m wide (or a little more than two metres once you add in the door mirrors) and 1.4m tall. This puts it very close to the Audi A4 Avant and Mercedes C-Class Estate in size terms, though it is a few centimetres shorter than both.

That means it’s quite a large car, so there’s a good level of interior space. Yet it can also make tight parking spaces a bit of a challenge. Fortunately, most models are equipped with parking sensors, so keep an eye out for those if you want to make car parks easier to negotiate.

BMW 3 Series Touring boot space

There's 495 litres of luggage capacity in the boot of the BMW 3 Series Touring, which as around the same - give or take five litres or so - as you’ll find in the Mercedes C-Class Estate and the Audi A4 Avant.

This is also 15 litres more than the boot of the 3 Series Saloon, and the hatchback tailgate makes it a more practical shape and easier to access. You can also fold the rear seats down in three separate sections, giving you the flexibility to carry both longer loads and rear-seat passengers at the same time.

The post-2018 Volvo V60, with 529 litres of boot space, betters the 3 Series Touring, though. However, if you need a much larger boot you’ll have to look for a less upmarket model such as the Skoda Superb Estate - which delivers 660 litres of space - or the VW Passat Estate, which offers 650 litres of room in the boot.

BMW 3 Series Touring towing capacity

The towing capacity of the 3 Series Touring varies depending on the engine. Entry-level 316i petrol engines can only manage up to 1,500kg with a braked trailer, for example, which is pretty average for this type of car. Meanwhile, the more powerful models can pull more along - 1,800kg in the case of the 335d, which is a good amount for a car of this size.

The higher-powered diesel models are also significantly heavier themselves, which makes them better to tow with as they offer a more stable platform, less likely to be thrown off course by the weight of a trailer or caravan. In addition, four-wheel-drive ‘xDrive’ models will be extra-useful if you often need to haul a horse box or a caravan out of a muddy field, for example, as they offer greater traction when accelerating.

BMW 3 Series Touring weight

Kerb weight is the weight of a car but taking into account the engine’s fluids, a tank of fuel and 75kg on top of that to represent the weight of the driver.

For the BMW 3 Series Touring, this weight ranges from just 1,465kg for the 316i ES up to 1,735kg for the 335d with xDrive four-wheel-drive. It must be said that the combination of diesel engine and four-wheel-drive adds quite a bit of weight; the rear-wheel-drive high-powered 335i petrol equivalent is a full 150kg lighter at 1,585kg.