Driving BMW 3 Series Touring
Driving Rating
The 3 Series Touring is a rewarding car to drive. The steering is nicely weighted and provides lots of feedback - you will always know how much grip is on offer and the sharp steering makes it easy to get a feel for the road conditions.
BMW 3 Series Touring 2022: Handling and ride quality
Rear-wheel drive is standard on most models, but four-wheel drive is available as part of the xDrive pack. The system has rear bias that gives xDrive models a similar driving feel to the standard version, with torque only being sent to the front wheels when a loss of traction is detected.
If you plan to choose one of the powerful petrol or diesel engines with xDrive, we’d recommend fitting the optional limited slip differential (LSD). It increases grip levels to mind-bending levels, with the LSD capable of detecting loss of traction on individual wheels and adjusting torque flow to compensate. This means the car sticks to the road like glue.
M Sport models get BMW’s variable sports steering as standard, which sharpens the steering sensitivity. This is useful for making precise adjustments to the handling at speed. It also comes into its own when parking, owing to the fact you are not required to make half as many turns to guide the 3 Series Touring into a tight space,
The sophisticated suspension provides excellent body control when cornering, which means the car does not pitch or roll uncomfortably when navigating a tight bend or roundabout. However, with most versions using runflat tyres, the ride quality is always on the firm side of comfortable. The optional adaptive damping does improve this.
Sport models strike the best balance between performance and balance, with the 17-inch wheels suppressing all but the heaviest bumps and lumps in the road. M Sport models get 18-inch wheels as standard, along with stiffened and lowered sports suspension. These harden the ride and sharpen the handling. If you want a sporty 3 Series Touring experience, M Sport should be your default choice.
BMW 3 Series Touring 2022: Engines
The 3 Series Touring is one of the most refined cars in its class, which means you can waft along the motorway in this BMW at 70mph in near silence, with road and wind noise reduced to a barely audible whisper.
The 330d does have a tendency to transfer some noise and vibration into the cabin during the winter months when cold - at a set of traffic lights for example. But these imperfections are quickly ironed as the engine reaches optimum operating temperature. The four-cylinder engines are much quieter and refined at lower speeds.
The 330e plug-in hybrid has a maximum range of 37 miles, which means it’ll run on pure electricity in silence until the battery depletes and the 2.0-litre petrol engine kicks in.
The potent M340i is theatrical at all speeds, owing to its powerful engine and sports exhaust system delivering a racecar soundtrack. Even in its most docile setting, the M340i will deliver a deep-throated burble as it pulls away, with the occasional crackle and pop as you lift your foot off the throttle.
If you want to have your cake and eat it, there's even a hot diesel model badged the M340d. This uses the same six-cylinder diesel as the 330d but with power boosted to 340PS and an incredible 700Nm of torque. This makes overtakes an absolute breeze, while its 0-62mph acceleration figure of 4.8 seconds means it's one of the quickest diesel cars on sale today.
BMW 3 Series Touring 2022: Safety
The 3 Series Touring is fitted with a comprehensive array of safety kit. The 3 Series scored a maximum Euro NCAP safety waiting of five out of five when it was launched in 2019, along with a 97% rating for adult occupant safety and 87% for children.
The 3 Series Touring uses a sophisticated array of cameras, radar and ultrasonic sensors to monitor the vehicle’s surroundings and alert the driver of nearby hazards or step in and take direct action.
A smart front collision warning system, for example, is fitted as standard and will apply the brakes if it detects an immentante impact with a cyclist or pedestrian. It’ll also slow the vehicle or bring it to a halt if it thinks a collision with another vehicle is likely.
The optional Driving Assistant Professional pack adds a range of semi-autonomous driving tech that includes adaptive cruise control that’ll automatically control the vehicle’s speed and gap between the car in front on the motorway. The pack also includes a rear view traffic alert system, which will warn you of approaching vehicles when reversing out of a parking space or driveway.
The 3 Series Touring is advertised as a car that’s capable of carrying three child seats across the rear bench, but only two ISOFIX anchor points are fitted. This means the middle child seat will need to be affixed by the seat belt.
There is no space for a full size spare wheel in the 3 Series Touring. All cars are supplied with a BMW Mobility Kit, which includes a can of tyre sealant and an electrically operated 12V compressor that can be used in the event of a tyre puncture. An optional 17-inch space saver tyre is available as an option, but reduces luggage space by 115 litres.
BMW 3 Series Touring 2022: Towing
The BMW 3 Series Touring is a capable tow car. Depending on which model you choose, the 3 Series estate will tow between 1200kg to 1800kg. The plug-in hybrid 330e is also suitable for lugging a caravan, with the entry-level model having a braked towing capacity of 1500kg.