• Only petrol engines available now
• Outstanding driving experience
• Very impressive active safety technology

Petrol engines

The BMW 3 Series is currently only available with a chocie of two turbocharged petrol engines in models badged 320i and M340i. Both have an eight speed automatic gearbox, the M340i also has xDrive all-wheel-drive.

The ‘core’ 320i is fitted with a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine that develops 184hp and 300Nm of torque. That’s plenty of power for most uses, producing rapid performance – 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds and 146mph top speed – and strong efficiency. And that’s why it’s currently the most popular choice. The engine can sound a bit gruff when accelerating, but it’s very smooth.

A 3.0-litre, six-cylinder that develops a muscular 374hp and 500Nm of torque powers the M340i. It’s a seriously fast car, getting from 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds and running on to a top speed of 155mph. Its surprisingly impressive efficiency is boosted by a mild-hybrid system. It’s a great car that can be huge fun on winding country road and a hugely effective long-distance cruiser. It sounds lovely, as well.

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Other versions of the 2.0-litre engine have been available in this generation of 3 Series Touring that you might come across when shopping for a used 3 Series Touring: the 318i with 155hp and the 330i with 258hp. The latter is amusingly quick and sharp to drive, but neither was a particularly common choice in Touring form. The 320i was once available with xDrive, as well. You can find full details on all the engines in our specs pages.

Diesel engines

The 3 Series Touring is no longer available with a diesel engine. While we lament that fact, there are a lot of them available to buy used. There are four models to choose from, powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder or 3.0-litre, six-cylinder engine.

The 2.0-litre engine is found in the 318d and 320d. The former produces 150hp and 320Nm of torque, enough for a 0-62mph of around eight seconds. The latter has 190hp and 400Nm and we think it’s the best option in the whole 3 Series range, delivering ample performance and excellent fuel economy.

The 3.0-litre engine powers the 330d and M340d. There are actually two versions of the 330d. It originally produced 265hp and 580Nm of torque, later versions gained a mild-hybrid system that boosts output to 286hp and 650Nm. Regardless, the 330d is a very fast car that can still return over 50mpg if you treat it gently.

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The range-topping M340d is one of the most powerful diesels out there. It produces 340hp and 700Nm of torque which turns into huge speed for a diesel. 0-62mph takes less than five seconds and top speed is limited to 155mph. Yet you can easily achieve 40mpg-plus. In Touring guise, there’s a compelling argument that the M340d is among the best cars out there.

Every diesel 3 Series Touring has an eight-speed automatic gearbox, some have xDrive all-wheel-drive, and some have a mild-hybrid system. There are a lot of variations to unpick but you can find all the details of any 3 Series Touring you’re interested in on our specs pages.

Hybrid engines

The 3 Series Touring is available with plug-in hybrid power. You can find everything you need to know about it in our separate BMW 330e review.

What’s it like to drive?

• Well-weighted steering
• Balanced handling
• Refined and comfy cruiser

In short, the BMW 3 Series Touring as good as it gets in this class. It combines lithe agility in town and on country roads with safe and stable cruising in a way that our testers agree few cars of any sort can match. The steering is responsive and accurate – even if you can’t feel much through the wheel – the car feels balanced in corners and completely tied-down when the going gets bumpy.

You can tune the driving experience to your tastes by cycling through the various drive modes. They range from Eco Pro to Sport Plus; the former limits throttle responsiveness to improve fuel efficiency, the latter sharpens everything up. The modes make a genuinely noticeable difference and all of our testers have their favourite.

The 3 Series Touring is impressively quiet when cruising along. The diesel engines can be a little noisy but, at speed, they’re are almost inaudible, and road and wind noise are minimal in all versions. Indeed you have to listen very carefully to notice any real difference in refinement between the estate and saloon bodies. Every model has double glazing as standard, the interior is hushed at all speeds, and that makes long journeys very relaxing.

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Choose a Sport-spec 3 Series Touring with 18-inch wheels and standard suspension, and you get a smooth ride quality that isolates bumps from the cabin very well. The ride is less comfortable in other models with bigger wheels and firmer suspension, so it’s best to try before you buy to find out if you can live with it. The car can feel more like a hot hatch than a family estate car, but the suspension never becomes jarring. Spec the optional adaptive suspension and you get a great blend of firmness and comfort.

Add it all together and the 3 Series Touring is deeply satisfying to drive on any road. Though, despite it being so good on a country road, we think it really comes into it’s own on motorways. You can sink into the car’s comfort, refinement and easy-going power. And then have a bit of fun on the last cross-country bit before your destination. None of rivals come close to offering a similar experience, either.