• Strong safety record for the 3 Series
• But test were over a decade ago
• Lots of safety kit optional

There’s no doubting the inherent safety of the BMW 3 Series Saloon, but it’s also worth noting that it is an ageing design that gained its five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating back in 2012.

That said, BMW is an advanced engineering company and in the years since it was introduced the 3 Series has been made available with much of the newer safety tech the firm has introduced.

In addition to the usual raft of airbags and electronic stability software, all 3 Series Saloons come with full LED lights front and rear that switch on automatically, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, rear parking sensors and run-flat tyres for added stability if a puncture occurs.

Optional BMW 3 Series Saloon safety equipment

Naturally, extra safety equipment is also available but you’ll have to hunt for it. That means if you want desirable features such as adaptive cruise control – it’s one of the best, incidentally – automatic main beam, a head-up display function or a digital instrumentation binnacle, you’ll have to find a well-equipped example and may have to pay a premium.

Disappointingly, the Driving Assistant – a package that incorporates autonomous emergency braking, lane-departure warning and preventive pedestrian protection – was also on the options list. It’s a feature we’d recommend looking out for.

How many Isofix points in the BMW 3 Series Saloon?

Isofix child seat-mounting points are located in the outer two positions of the rear bench seat, but given the relatively compact dimensions of the 3 Series Saloon’s interior, fitting an adult in the centre position afterwards will prove uncomfortable.

WATCH: BMW 3 Series Euro NCAP crash test video

Compact four-door cars are rarely the last word in automotive practicality and the BMW 3 Series Saloon doesn’t alter this mindset.

Strictly speaking there are five seatbelts but four adults will travel much more comfortably in the car than if there’s an additional passenger sat in the middle of the rear bench. Regardless, those in the back have less space to luxuriate in than the pair up front.

Storage for odds and ends is sufficient rather than generous, with decently proportioned door bins, glovebox and cupholders.

If you’re progressing to a 3 Series Saloon from a more mainstream hatchback, it shouldn’t prove to be too daunting a proposition.

All versions come with rear parking sensors as standard, helping judge the otherwise hidden rear end of the car, although you’ll pay extra for a set at the front and reversing or 360-degree cameras.

Size-wise it’s relatively dainty, so finding a supermarket parking space or slotting it into your garage shouldn’t prove too tricky.

Outright practicality’s not usually a primary concern for buyers of four-door cars, as demonstrated by the BMW 3 Series Saloon’s stubby bootlid with a correspondingly small opening.

The firm’s argument is that if you need extra flexibility then the hatchback 3 Series Gran Turismo and estate 3 Series Touring are also available.

You can increase the capacity of the 480-litre boot by opting for the split-folding rear seats, but then you’ll have to factor in the effort of finding a car with the option fitted.