Used BMW 3 Series Touring 2019-present review

The original BMW 3 Series Touring (the term the firm use for an estate car) was born when an engineer at the company modified one of its BMW 3 Series saloons by extending the roof and adding a hatch to the back – it even had a cut out in the rear sill big enough for loading a keg of beer through. Management saw it and loved the idea so much that they green-lit it for production.

Fortunately, you don't have to go to the same extremes; there are now loads of used Tourings available that come pre-made from the factory.

There's a myriad of engine options including four diesel, four petrol and one plug-in hybrid to choose from. The base, 148bhp 318d is fine, but the 187bhp 320d is a stronger performer that's almost as economical. There's also a lusty 261bhp, six-cylinder 330d and a mighty M340d that, with 335bhp, is the most powerful diesel-engined 3 Series.

Kicking off the petrol range is the 154bhp 318i, followed by a 181bhp 320i and 254bhp 330i and finishing with the 369bhp 3.0-litre six-cylinder M340i, an engine that sounds great and goes like stink. If you fancy indulging in a bit of electrified driving, the 288bhp 330e uses the same 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine as the majority of the petrol range, but it has an additional battery and electric motor for electric-only driving over short distances, up to 37 miles officially in later models.

Entry-level SE gives you automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection; automatic lights and wipers, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, LED headlights, three-zone climate control, a DAB radio and 17in alloy wheels. Mid-range Sport adds leather trim and heated front sports seats; top spec M Sport models have M Sport suspension and brakes, along with an upgraded 'professional connected package' for the infotainment system.

Speaking of packages, there were many on the options list. The main one to look out for is the premium pack, which gives you adjustable lumbar support and electric front seats with memory. If you like your tech, the technology pack has an upgraded Harmon Kardon sound system, wireless charging and a head-up display. There was even something called Laserlight in the visibility pack; it's a lighting system that provides twice the high-beam headlight range of an LED headlight system.

To drive, the 3 Series is a far nicer thing to sling through the bends than the equivalent Volvo V60 or Audi A4 Avant. True, the A4 will provide a more cosseting ride, but the body movements of the BMW are kept more tightly in check and it feels far more agile and alert as a result. Grip levels are high and the steering is wonderfully precise, allowing you to accurately gauge how much steering lock you'll need to apply for a corner.

Refinement levels are impressive; there's barely a whisper of wind noise at speed and road noise is low, provided you avoid larger 19in alloy wheels.

The interior of the 3 Series does has a good mix of high-tech screens for the infotainment system and instrument cluster, and physical buttons for the air-con system and iDrive infotainment interface. This setup is easier to use on the move than the post-facelift Audi A4, which has two touchscreens to control everything.

As per the saloon, you get a decent driving position; the slightly offset pedals are the only blot on the copybook. Rear seat accommodation is where things differ; the Touring gives you a bit more head room, provided that you don't choose an example with the optional panoramic glass roof. A standard 40/20/40 split-folding rear bench improves flexibility between carrying people and longer items.

This might be necessary because the boot isn't the biggest around, while the way the rear wheels arches intrude makes it fairly narrow in places. Not ideal for an Ikea run. More helpfully, you can open the glass portion separately from the tailgate itself to load smaller items when parked in a tight spot.

If you're interested in finding a used 3 Series, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

Prices for a used BMW 3 Series Touring start at around £22,000 for a 2019 car, with prices rising by a couple thousand for 2020 cars, look to spend between £24,000 and £30,000 depending on trim, and the same again for 2021 cars, where you'll need between £26,000 and £35,000. Rarer six-cylinder models can be found for £25,000 to £30,000 in 330d form, or £35,000 or more for the mildly mental M340i. Spend over £30,000 on 2022 and 2023 cars.

You'll need to budget at least £30,000 for the more sensible plug-in hybrid 330e.

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MPG

Every version of the 3 Series has competitive fuel economy for the class; even the most potent M340i petrol has a combined WLTP figure of 35.3mpg, despite having a 0-62mph time of 4.4sec. The 318i. 320i and 330i all use a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine, so there’s not a great deal of difference between them regarding fuel economy: both the 318i and 320i get 42.2mpg and the 330i manages 40.9mpg. The 330e is a plug-in hybrid with a claimed electric-only range of 34-37 miles and, if you regularly charge it up, a n official combined economy figure of 201.8mpg.

In the real world it’ll be the diesels that make the most sense for higher mileage users. The 318d sips the least fuel at 58.9mpg, while a non-xDrive 320d does 57.6mpg (the xDrive 320d gets 54.3mpg). The larger capacity 330d should manage 50.4mpg, with the M340d getting marginally less at 44.8mpg.

Road Tax (VED)

This generation of BMW 3 series will be charged under the current flat rate fee road tax system, but you may have to pay attention to the spec of your 3 Series because some versions bust past the £40,000 limit, so higher-spec versions could be a lot more expensive to tax than lesser ones. The current rates are £180 per year (£170 for the hybrid) and £390 per year for the surcharge.

Servicing costs

It’ll cost you more to service a 3 Series than it would to maintain an equivalent Audi A4. You can split the cost up into monthly payments of £25 for the BMW, but an Audi would be less expensive at £19.50. However, you’ll be spending less than someone driving a Mercedes C-Class, because that’ll set you back £35 or more a month, depending upon the length of the plan and the mileage you cover.

Engine

The 320i petrol might make sense if you live in a city and mostly make short journeys, but it’s the 320d that we think makes the best all-round choice. It doesn’t have the lowest running costs in the 3 Series range, but it’s not far off.

The excellent 330e plug-in hybrid is our favourite. Their relative scarcity on the used forecourts makes them a little pricey compared with regular petrol and diesel models but we think it's worth the money.

Specification

Mid-range Sport comes with all the equipment you’d need and allows you to avoid the overly firm suspension of M Sport.

Our favourite BMW 3 Series: 330e Sport

The Volvo V60 is a far more practical estate car that has loads of automatic safety tech as standard. The interior is also really plush in the places that count, and there's plenty of equipment to keep you amused. It won't drive nearly as nicely, nor does it have the same extensive range of engines as a 3 Series.

The Audi A4 Avant has a similar mission statement in providing a classy estate car experience, and it does so with an even smarter interior finished in finer materials. It's far nicer to drive than the V60, and the A4 is even more refined over a long journey than the BMW.

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If you're interested in finding a used 3 Series, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.