BMW 320d xDrive Touring

FIRST UK DRIVE Our favourite compact exec is now available in estate form

- Richard Ingram

THE latest BMW 3 Series took class honors at the 2019 Auto Express New Car Awards. Our top compact exec is not only comfortable, refined and cheap to run, it’s also filled with segment-leading tech.

But if there is one area where the saloon falls short, it’s practicality. It’s no smaller than its rivals inside or out, but the traditional three-box shape limits what you can carry and harms outright versatility.

But now BMW has launched the all-new 3 Series Touring. It’s no longer than the saloon, but the extended roofline and tailgate reveal a much bigger and more practical load bay. However, the numbers are deceptive: the wagon’s 500-litre boot is measured only to the bottom of the window line – fill it to the roof and the estate is the more usable of the two cars.