Category: Compact Executive 
Price Range: £21,525 to £38,060
Quick, economical, excellent engines; a great drive; all the usual 3-Series attributes.
Has a smaller boot than many rivals, and limited rear-seat space for passengers; no stop-start for six-cylinder models; expensive for a small family car.
The Touring's not exactly a load-lugger, but it's more versatile than the saloon.
The run-flat tyres don't make for the softest of rides, but BMW has done much work to improve the comfort they offer. The 318i, with 17" wheels and less aggressively low-profile tyres than some of the more powerful models, rides well. It's firmly-sprung, but copes well with ruts, bumps and poor road surfaces, without jolting, vibrating or otherwise disturbing passengers. Virtually no body roll under hard cornering, either. The M Sport suspension (optional in other models) lowers the ride by 15mm, and stiffens it up: it's a bit of a tooth-jarrer.
Gone are the days when even a stereo was an extra-cost option in entry-level BMWs; even the cheapest 318i ES has all you'd need, including air conditioning, an MP3 input and CD player, front fog lights, front and rear electric windows, cupholders and armrests, and a trip computer.
There's no Bluetooth phone connectivity, however - a bit of an oversight in a car so popular with business users - and while the iDrive control system has been improved, it's still not the most user-friendly of interfaces.
The other drawback with the 3-Series is its limited rear head- and legroom, and this is particularly apparent in the Touring. The boot is also narrow, not particularly deep, and restricted in its width due to intrusion from the wheel arches. The rear seats fold forward - and not quite flat - and do not tumble or slide, so versatility is somewhat limited. The Audi A4 Avant is a little roomier (though not much), and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class estate a little better yet. All these so-called 'lifestyle' estates are more about style than function, however.
