Driving
On a favourite road, the BMW is extremely satisfying and enjoyable to drive. It changes direction immaculately well and exhibits excellent body control. The penalty for this is a fidgety rode. It’s not hard, but fails to be relaxing and is a little loud at speed, too. Nor is it as great around town. The clutch can be awkward, the steering is heavy and rear visibility is poor. However, BMW boasts some superb engines. The straight-sixes are beautifully smooth (if deficient in torque) and the four-cylinder units are comparable, too: indeed, the 2.0-litre diesel is a class act, and not for nothing is it the best-selling engine in the 3. The twin-turbo 335i, moreover, makes this one blisteringly fast estate.

Marketplace
The 3-Series can claim to have launched the whole lifestyle estate sector back in 1989. Today’s fourth-generation Touring model may not be the most dynamic or attractive car in its class, but the M Sport trim of our test model does wonders for its visual appeal. Other trims include company car driver-orientated ES, and the more luxurious SE, while engine choices closely mirror the saloon: there’s a very comprehensive range of four-cylinder and straight-six units, both in diesel and petrol guise. The lifestyle estate sector is dominated by the BMW and two key rivals, the Audi A4 Avant and Mercedes C-Class estate. Other alternatives include the Saab 9-3 Sportwagon and the Jaguar X-Type estate.

Owning
The BMW estate doesn’t have a massive boot, and the load sill is high. However, it’s well thought out. Open the tailgate and, if the load cover is pulled across, it slides up the D-pillars automatically. There’s a large well under the boot floor too, and plenty of hooks, straps and nets. Rear occupants fare well for space as well – explaining the size of the boot. However, up front, the slabby centre console, lack of stowage and small steering wheel all serve to make the driver feel restricted – particularly those with larger frames, who will struggle to get comfortable in the narrow, if supportive, seats. It’s not an elegant cockpit, but is well constructed and easy to get on with. Fuel economy is extremely impressive too, due to BMW’s EfficientDynamics scheme, while Service Inclusive gives extensive maintenance cover for a one-off initial payment. Retained values aren’t quite as good as a Mercedes, but are still very impressive by most standards.