BMW 3 Series Touring estate (2012-2019) - Interior & comfort

The BMW 3 Series Touring is comfortable for five people over the worst that the UK’s roads can throw at it

Carbuyer Rating

3.7 out of 5

Owners Rating
Be the first to review
Interior & comfort Rating

3.5 out of 5

The 3 Series Touring gives you a great driving position, with a seat and steering wheel that can be easily adjusted to make getting comfortable very simple. And, while there are cars out there with a more supple ride, but the BMW 3 Series Touring is far more comfortable over bumps than its stable, sharp handling would suggest.

Sport and M Sport models have the added advantage of optional driving modes to adjust the car’s suspension for a relaxed and composed drive on rough surfaces, but only if the optional adaptive dampers are fitted at a cost of £515 or £790, depending on model. Set it to Comfort and the Touring absorbs bumps and lumps with relative ease, while Sport mode firms up the shock absorbers for a tighter, more agile feel.

BMW 3 Series Touring dashboard

It’s very easy to find your way around the dashboard in a 3 Series Touring, with controls located with such clarity that you instinctively know where to find them. Everything feels beautifully put together, too, so it’ll still feel good when you’re getting into it three years down the line.

BMW’s iDrive infotainment control system is one of the best on the market. It’s logical and easy to operate, without resorting to uncommunicative, fingerprint-prone touchscreens. If you choose any of the infotainment upgrades, such as from Business to Professional navigation with 3D mapping, the control system remains the same, but greater functionality is unlocked.

Every BMW offers the company's 'remote services' feature, which allows you to check aspects of your car's status, including its fuel level, remotely via a smartphone app. You can also use this to operate certain functions, like the ventilation, headlamp flasher and central locking.

Equipment

Gone are the days when upmarket manufacturers such as BMW gave you very little standard equipment. Today, every 3 Series Touring comes with sat nav, air-conditioning, cruise control, Bluetooth phone connectivity, the iDrive central control system, plus electric windows and mirrors.

The 3 Series Touring also comes with run-flat tyres, which means the space that would normally be taken up by the spare wheel can be used to create a deep hidden compartment beneath the hinged boot floor.

Unlike the four-door 3 Series, the Touring has a folding rear seat that splits 40:20:40, which makes the boot more versatile. Other useful items include lashing hooks in the floor, bag hooks, a folding floor divider, a cargo net, plus extra hooks that allow you to divide the boot from the interior, whether in five-seat or two-seat mode.

Options

The sky’s the limit with BMW option lists, but your car’s resale value is likely to be slightly higher if you go for one of BMW’s upgraded Professional sat-nav systems. You’d also be well advised to choose your 3 Series Touring with metallic paint, which is more desirable to secondhand buyers, and the aforementioned automatic gearbox.

Which Is Best?

Cheapest

  • Name
    318i SE 5dr Step Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • Price
    £31,970

Most Economical

  • Name
    330e SE Pro 5dr Step Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • Price
    £41,925

Fastest

  • Name
    M340i xDrive 5dr Step Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • Price
    £49,570

Richard is a former editor of Carbuyer, as well as sister site DrivingElectric.com, and he's now Deputy Editor at Auto Express. Having spent a decade working in the automotive industry, he understands exactly what makes new car buyers tick.

Recommended

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2023
The best cheap-to-run cars 2023
Best cars
17 May 2023

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2023

Top 10 best hybrid estate cars 2023
The best hybrid estate cars 2023
Best cars
12 Apr 2023

Top 10 best hybrid estate cars 2023

BMW 3 Series Touring estate review
2022 BMW 3 Series Touring - front 1
In-depth reviews
3 Apr 2023

BMW 3 Series Touring estate review

Top 10 best estate cars 2023
Octavia Estate header
Best cars
21 Feb 2023

Top 10 best estate cars 2023

Have You Considered

Toyota Corolla Touring Sports estate review
Toyota Corolla Touring Sports estate rear 3/4
In-depth reviews
7 Nov 2023

Toyota Corolla Touring Sports estate review

BMW 5 Series Touring estate review
BMW 5 Series Touring
In-depth reviews
15 Aug 2023

BMW 5 Series Touring estate review

Most Popular

Best new car deals 2023: this week’s top car offers
Carbuyer best new car deals hero
Deals
24 Nov 2023

Best new car deals 2023: this week’s top car offers

New 2024 Porsche Panamera – new looks, interior, and Turbo E-Hybrid model
2024 Porsche Panamera front-quarter static view
News
24 Nov 2023

New 2024 Porsche Panamera – new looks, interior, and Turbo E-Hybrid model

New Nissan Juke goes electric – next-generation crossover previewed
Nissan Juke render CB watermark
News
27 Nov 2023

New Nissan Juke goes electric – next-generation crossover previewed

Tips & advice

View All
Car dashboard warning lights: the complete guide
Car dashboard symbols and meanings
Tips and advice
20 Apr 2023

Car dashboard warning lights: the complete guide

Electric car charging stations: a complete guide
Public EV charge point
Tips and advice
11 Jan 2023

Electric car charging stations: a complete guide

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?
PCP vs HP
Tips and advice
17 May 2022

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
12 Apr 2023

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Best cars

View All
Top 10 best car interiors 2022
Peugeot 208 hatchback
Best cars
25 Jun 2021

Top 10 best car interiors 2022

Top 10 best electric cars 2023
The best electric cars 2023
Best cars
15 Nov 2023

Top 10 best electric cars 2023

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2023
The best cheap-to-run cars 2023
Best cars
17 May 2023

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2023

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2023
Fastest hot hatchbacks hero
Best cars
18 Aug 2023

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2023